Doom Eternal will not run in true 4K on Google Stadia

Doom Eternal will not run in true 4K on Stadia despite it being expected.

Instead, those playing Doom Eternal on Stadia with a 4K display can expect it to up-sample to 2160p from 1800p at 60 FPS.

This is in contrast to what was announced by id Software when Stadia was revealed. The developer said at the time the game was capable of “running at true 4K resolution,” at 60 FPS. But it apparently won’t. Instead, it upscales from 1800p to 4K, which won't be discernable in motion, but it still won't be running at native 2160p as stated.

When Google announced the Stadia Pro version, it said the service was capable of 4K, 60fps streaming. But it appears games such as Doom Eternal are upscaling instead. This is the same case with games such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and Destiny 2 neither of which can run in true 4K on the service.

Google was asked in November why this was the case, and it said all streams run at 4K at 60fps, regardless of what resolution the game is actually rendering at, essentially passing the buck to the developers.

“Stadia streams at 4K and 60 FPS – and that includes all aspects of our graphics pipeline from game to screen: GPU, encoder and Chromecast Ultra all outputting at 4K to 4K TVs, with the appropriate internet connection,” the company stated.

So whether it was a developer decision made by id in this case or an issue with Stadia remains to be seen.

Earlier today, unlock times and additional PC settings were announced for Doom Eternal, which releases March 20.  Get caught up at the link.