AMD To Not Start Ray Tracing Without Support For All Models

AMD To Not Start Ray Tracing Without Support For All Models

Ray Tracing might be one of the hottest buzzwords in the gaming graphics community at the moment. This, despite the fact that it isn’t here yet as we’re all waiting for Microsoft to release the DirectX version to implement it. In terms of AMD, while they do not currently have a graphics card that supports it, we are expecting something from them around the Summertime of 2019.

In a report via DSOGaming though, David Wang of AMD has revealed something quite genuinely shocking. AMD has practically committed that it will not release Ray Tracing on any graphics card until it can support it across the entire range. In other words, it’s all of their GPUs or none at all.

What Does This Mean?

Well, David Wang has said: “For the time being, AMD will definitely respond to Direct Raytracing, for the moment we will focus on promoting the speed-up of offline CG production environments centered on AMD’s Radeon ProRender, which is offered free of charge ….. utilization of ray tracing games will not proceed unless we can offer ray tracing in all product ranges from low end to high end.”

So what does this mean? Well, it either means that AMD is going to look at (somehow) providing some support for its rather ageing 5XX range or that AMD plan to without the full-blown initialisation of ray tracing until all older-models cease production. I suspect the latter is far more likely.

AMD And Ray Tracing

So, overall it would appear that while Team Red is acknowledging raytracing, they seem to believe it might not be quite there yet. As such, they’re not treating it as a priority. In fairness, I think I can agree with that assessment. With the delay in the release of DirectX support for raytracing, despite the technology being there, it’s not actually available!

It’s an interesting move, but what do you think? – Let us know in the comments!