Housemarque is dropping a massive performance upgrade for Saros next week. The studio just announced their April 29th update will bring Unreal Engine 5.6 to their latest shooter. That’s not just a version bump – this is the kind of under-the-hood work that separates the pros from the wannabes.
The timing couldn’t be better. Saros has been building serious momentum since launch, and this engine upgrade shows Housemarque isn’t taking their foot off the gas. They’re playing the long game here, setting up their foundation for sustained excellence.
“PSA: Update is Wednesday, April 29th! We’ve had a very busy week preparing the build for next week’s update. This month in particular, we’ve been focusing development around the Unreal Engine 5.6 update that many of you helped test, with a strong emphasis on overall stability and optimization.” – @Denice
The technical community is already singing Saros’ praises. Digital Foundry just dropped their full breakdown, and they’re impressed with what Housemarque pulled off. This isn’t surprising – these are the same developers who made Returnal sing on PS5.
“Saros Review – PlayStation 5/PS5 Pro – Beautiful Visuals, Polished And Approachable [Digital Foundry] Housemarque follows on from Returnal with Saros – cut from the same cloth, but refined and improved in all areas. Built on Unreal Engine 5 with extensive customisation from Housemarque, this is a beautiful, visually distinctive game that is challenging but perhaps not quite as off-putting as its predecessor.” – u/MythBuster2 on r/PS5
The visual leap from Returnal to Saros was already noticeable. Now with UE 5.6, both PS5 and PS5 Pro players should see even smoother performance. Digital Foundry specifically called out how Housemarque refined their formula while keeping that signature visual punch.
Here’s the catch though – you’ll need to reset your graphics settings after the update. Housemarque was upfront about this potential friction point. The new engine features create conflicts with existing configurations. It’s like rebuilding your controller setup after a major patch.
“However, as this update includes new features, there may be conflicts with existing settings. Because of this, you will need to reset your graphics options once after the update,” the team explained. They’re asking for patience while they dial in these improvements.
This isn’t just about prettier visuals. Housemarque is optimizing performance across different hardware setups. High-end systems get smoother framerates. Lower-end setups maintain visual quality while staying stable. That’s smart development – meeting players where they are instead of forcing hardware upgrades.
The bigger picture here is Housemarque’s commitment to continuous improvement. They’re not treating Saros like a finished product they ship and forget. This is active championship-level support. The kind that builds lasting player loyalty.
They’re even working on a graphics settings save and share feature. Imagine being able to instantly apply your favorite streamer’s visual configuration. Or sharing optimal settings for specific hardware setups. That’s community-driven optimization at its finest.
The UE 5.6 upgrade represents Epic’s latest optimization work too. Better memory management, improved rendering pipelines, enhanced PlayStation 5 Pro support. Housemarque gets access to cutting-edge tools while players get better performance. Everyone wins.
What really stands out is the transparency. Most studios drop updates without explaining the technical details. Housemarque is walking players through exactly why settings need resetting and what improvements they can expect. That builds trust.
Looking ahead, Housemarque has mapped out their roadmap through August. Stability improvements are the top priority. No flashy new features – just rock-solid performance optimization. That’s the mindset of developers who understand their craft.
“Our top priority through August will remain stability improvements,” they confirmed. “For us as developers, a game is not just a finished product, but something we are continuously responsible for.”
That philosophy separates good studios from great ones. Housemarque earned their reputation with games like Resogun and Returnal. Now they’re applying that same relentless polish to Saros.
The April 29th update drops this Wednesday. Back up your current settings if you want to reference them later. The graphics reset might be temporary inconvenience, but the performance gains should be permanent improvements.
Housemarque continues proving they’re one of PlayStation’s most reliable first-party partners. Saros with UE 5.6 should showcase exactly why Sony keeps backing these Finnish perfectionists.
