Fallout 4 Runs Slightly Better on PS4, With Xbox One "Stutter" Reported

Fallout 4, the long-awaited open-world action game set in a world in the aftermath of nuclear war, runs slightly smoother on PlayStation 4 than Xbox One, if an early performance analysis is to be believed.

A Digital Foundry article, which examines how smoothly Bethesda's latest open-world epic runs on home consoles, suggested that both systems render at 1080p, usually at 30 frames-per-second, with VSync enabled.

However, the analysis also claimed that "the Xbox One version that has a tangible disadvantage," due to an occasional stutter issue that appears to be linked to problems with the console pulling data from the hard-drive at speed. Internal playthroughs at GameSpot would suggest this graphical stammer is not frequent, but not avoidable either.

"Entering new areas can see second-long pauses, and even switching weapons sometimes causes problems," the report found, and went on to suggest that densely populated parts of the game world--such as Diamond City--exposes the problem.

"Matching runs to the gates of Diamond City shows Xbox One dropping to a record 0fps (zero) while PS4 turns the same corner at 28fps," the report claimed.

Considering the infrequency of these stammer issues, their importance to players is a matter for debate. GameSpot's Fallout 4 review noted a few performance issues, but added: "In the grand scheme of things, Fallout 4's minor issues pale in comparison to its successes."

The review continued: "When you put the controller down, you think about the friend you betrayed to benefit another, the shifting tide of an incredible battle, or the moment you opened a drawer and found someone's discarded effects, making you wonder how they felt before the bombs fell. In moments like these, Fallout 4 can be an intoxicating experience."

SSD Solution

Pete Hines, a representative for publisher Bethesda, has defended Fallout 4's performance on both home consoles.

Interacting with fans on Twitter, he suggested that the PlayStation 4 graphical issues have only been aired by one voice in the press. A series of messages, posted by Hines, can be found below.

Meanwhile, a subsequent Digital Foundry article suggested that if fans hook up their Xbox Ones to a solid-state hard drive, and then port the game files over, the stammer issues will decrease considerably.

Fallout 4 released on Tuesday November 10 across the UK, Australia, and North America. On its launch day it broke concurrent user records for a non-Valve game on Steam.

GameSpot's Fallout 4 review was loaded with praise for the open-world title, though it said that various bugs had affected the experience. Critic Peter Brown cited "plainly framed scenes and basic animations lend a roughness to the finish product, as do its frequent glitches."

Further Reading

• Fallout 4 review
• Fallout 4 review round-up
• Fallout 4 ultimate guide
• Fallout 4 essential tips
• Fallout 4 graphics comparison video
• Top loot locations in the early hours of Fallout 4
• Fallout 4 base building beginners guide video
• A visual tour of Fallout 4
• 5 secret games you can play in Fallout 4 video