Ghost of Yotei players got an early holiday gift when Sucker Punch released patch 1.1 on November 23, 2025, delivering framerate unlocks that transform performance on both PS5 and PS5 Pro. Digital Foundry called the improvements incredible after testing revealed RT Pro mode regularly hitting 70-90fps on PS5 Pro with the uncapped setting enabled, a massive jump from the previous 60fps ceiling. The update does more than just boost framerates though, adding New Game Plus, a 40fps Balanced graphics mode, VRR support, and dozens of quality of life improvements.
What makes this update remarkable is how quickly Sucker Punch delivered it. Ghost of Yotei launched on October 17, 2025, and just over a month later, the studio shipped a comprehensive patch that addresses both technical performance and post-game content requests. The framerate unlocks alone make every graphics mode approximately 33% faster on average when caps are removed on PS5 Pro, while base PS5 gets its first ray tracing option that maintains a locked 40fps target.
The Framerate Improvements Explained
Patch 1.1 introduces two framerate unlock options that work across all graphics modes on both PS5 and PS5 Pro: Smoothed and Uncapped. These settings require a display supporting 120Hz refresh rates and work best with Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technology to eliminate screen tearing and maintain smooth motion during framerate fluctuations.
On PS5 Pro, the RT Pro mode benefits most dramatically. Previously locked at 60fps, the uncapped setting pushes performance to a consistent 70-90fps range during gameplay. Digital Foundry described this as incredible stuff considering the mode already delivered excellent visuals before the unlock. The performance boost makes combat feel noticeably more responsive and fluid without sacrificing the ray-traced lighting and reflections that define the mode’s visual identity.
The new Balanced Ray Tracing mode provides a middle ground between Quality and Performance settings. When unlocked on PS5 Pro, it floats between 40-60fps within a 120Hz VRR window, offering smoother motion than the capped Quality RT mode while maintaining higher visual fidelity than RT Pro. This gives players options depending on whether they prioritize visual detail or framerate smoothness for specific gameplay scenarios.
Base PS5 Gets Major Upgrades Too
While PS5 Pro dominates headlines, base PS5 owners received substantial improvements in patch 1.1. The new Balanced RT mode marks the first time standard PS5 can achieve a locked 40fps target with ray tracing enabled. When unlocked on VRR-compatible displays, it hovers comfortably in a 40-60fps range similar to PS5 Pro’s performance.
Digital Foundry specifically called out how impressive it is that Sucker Punch brought ray tracing performance on base PS5 to spitting distance of PS5 Pro’s 60fps refresh in just two months post-launch. This shows the studio’s commitment to parity between console versions rather than treating base PS5 as an afterthought once Pro hardware released.
All three visual modes on base PS5 – Performance, Balanced, and Quality – run roughly 33% faster on average when framerate caps are removed. Performance mode can push into the 80-100fps range with VRR unlocked, making it one of the smoothest open-world experiences available on standard PlayStation hardware.
Understanding the Balanced Mode Options
The new Balanced graphics mode targets 40fps as a sweet spot between 30fps cinematic presentation and 60fps performance fluidity. This framerate choice has gained popularity in recent years because it divides evenly into 120Hz displays, creating perfect frame pacing that eliminates judder while maintaining visual quality closer to 30fps modes.
Both standard Balanced and Balanced RT versions come with locked and unlocked framerate options, effectively adding four new modes per console. The locked setting maintains consistent 40fps output for players who value stable framerate over flexibility. The unlocked setting leverages VRR technology to smooth out fluctuations when performance dips below or rises above the 40fps target.
The choice between these options depends on display capabilities and personal preference. Players with VRR-compatible 120Hz televisions or monitors benefit most from unlocked settings since the variable refresh eliminates screen tearing and stuttering during framerate changes. Players with standard 60Hz displays should stick with locked modes since unlocked framerates create inconsistent frame pacing on fixed refresh displays.
VRR Support Changes Everything
Variable Refresh Rate support might be patch 1.1’s most significant technical addition beyond framerate unlocks. VRR synchronizes display refresh rate with GPU output, eliminating screen tearing and providing smoother motion during framerate fluctuations. This technology makes unlocked framerates practical rather than just theoretical improvements.
Sucker Punch implemented two VRR options: Smoothed and Uncapped. Smoothed applies frame pacing algorithms to minimize judder while maintaining visual consistency. Uncapped removes all framerate limitations within the display’s VRR range, allowing performance to scale freely based on scene complexity. Both options require 120Hz displays to function properly.
Some players reported minor issues with black bars juddering during cutscenes when framerate unlocks are enabled. This appears related to cutscenes remaining locked at 30fps while gameplay runs at higher framerates, creating mismatched refresh behavior. Players using VRR without unlocking framerates don’t experience this problem, suggesting it stems from the transition between different framerate zones.
New Game Plus and Replayable Content
Beyond technical improvements, patch 1.1 introduces New Game Plus mode that unlocks after completing the main story. Players start fresh with all existing skills, equipment, and upgrades intact while facing increased difficulty options and new challenges designed for experienced players familiar with combat mechanics.
New Game Plus adds a currency called Ghost Flowers exchangeable with a new vendor for over 30 cosmetic items including armor sets, weapon dyes, and visual customizations. The mode includes 10 new charms that provide gameplay modifiers and an additional tier of upgrades for existing armor sets and weapons, giving veteran players progression goals beyond the main campaign.
Two new Trophies accompany New Game Plus, rewarding players who complete the increased difficulty challenges. This extends the Platinum journey for completionists while giving casual players optional goals to pursue without mandatory requirements.
Replay Any Content Anytime
Patch 1.1 makes all cleared enemy camps and boss duels replayable in the post-game. Previously, once you completed these challenges, they disappeared permanently from the map. Now players can revisit favorite encounters to test different builds, practice specific combat techniques, or simply enjoy satisfying sword fights without starting New Game Plus.
A new stats display tracks performance metrics across replayed content, showing completion times, kill counts, and efficiency ratings. This creates informal speedrunning opportunities where players can optimize routes and strategies to improve personal records without relying on external timing tools.
The replayable content feature addresses one of the most common criticisms of the launch version – that once you cleared camps and defeated bosses, the open world felt empty despite its beauty. Now players can maintain engagement with combat scenarios while exploring or completing side activities without needing to start entirely new playthroughs.
Quality of Life Improvements
Patch 1.1 includes numerous quality of life changes that streamline gameplay and reduce friction points. Auto-loot automatically collects items from defeated enemies, eliminating the need to manually interact with every corpse after combat encounters. This small change significantly improves flow during extended fighting sequences where enemy corpses clutter the battlefield.
A fall damage toggle lets players disable or enable fall damage based on preference. Some falls remain lethal regardless of settings to maintain challenge in specific scenarios, but routine navigation becomes less punishing when exploring vertical environments. This helps players who want to explore freely without constant death penalties for mistimed jumps.
Sumi-e minigames can now be skipped entirely if players prefer focusing on combat and exploration over artistic side activities. While these calligraphy sequences provide peaceful breaks from violence, not everyone enjoys them, and optional skipping respects different playstyles without removing content for those who appreciate it.
Photo Mode Gets Enhanced
Photo Mode received substantial upgrades including shutter speed control, composition grids, and new filters. Shutter speed adjustment allows motion blur effects for dynamic action shots or frozen moments capturing precise combat poses. Composition grids help frame shots using rule-of-thirds principles and other photography fundamentals.
New filters expand creative options for capturing Yotei’s gorgeous vistas and dramatic weather systems. The game already featured excellent photo mode tools at launch, but these additions bring it closer to industry leaders like Horizon Forbidden West and Spider-Man 2 in terms of functionality and flexibility.
Additional customization options let players remap certain functions to the directional buttons, replacing default assignments with preferred actions. This accommodates different control schemes and accessibility needs without forcing everyone into identical button layouts.
Technical Performance Analysis
Digital Foundry’s analysis confirmed patch 1.1 delivers legitimate performance improvements without visual compromises. The framerate unlocks work as intended, pushing all modes significantly higher when caps are removed while maintaining image quality and effects work identical to locked versions.
Base PS5’s new Balanced RT mode achieving locked 40fps with ray tracing represents a genuine technical accomplishment. At launch, base PS5 couldn’t maintain 40fps with RT enabled, forcing players to choose between visual fidelity or performance. Now the hardware reaches that target consistently, proving Sucker Punch optimized rendering pipelines and efficiency during post-launch support.
PS5 Pro’s jump to 70-90fps in RT Pro mode showcases the console’s capabilities when developers invest time optimizing for the hardware. Many PS5 Pro enhanced games settle for modest improvements over base consoles, but Ghost of Yotei demonstrates substantial gains possible when studios target the upgraded specs deliberately.
The Cutscene Limitation
One notable limitation is that cutscenes remain locked at 30fps regardless of graphics settings or framerate unlock options. Sucker Punch likely made this choice to maintain cinematic presentation inspired by director Akira Kurosawa’s samurai films, which often featured deliberate pacing and composed framing that benefits from lower framerates.
While understandable from artistic perspective, the technical community generally prefers when developers give players choice over such matters. Some players prioritize smooth motion throughout the entire experience while others appreciate the cinematic feel of 30fps cutscenes. Offering toggle options respects both preferences without forcing everyone into identical presentation.
The jarring transition between 30fps cutscenes and 60-90fps gameplay can feel disruptive, especially when action sequences flow directly into rendered cinematics. Players adjust to the framerate shift within seconds, but the initial jump remains noticeable particularly on higher refresh displays where the difference between 30fps and 90fps is stark.
FAQs
What framerate does Ghost of Yotei reach on PS5 Pro after patch 1.1?
With framerate unlocked, RT Pro mode regularly hits 70-90fps on PS5 Pro according to Digital Foundry testing. The new Balanced RT mode ranges from 40-60fps unlocked, while Performance mode can exceed 80-100fps depending on scene complexity.
Does patch 1.1 improve base PS5 performance?
Yes significantly. Base PS5 gets a new Balanced RT mode that maintains locked 40fps with ray tracing, the first time standard hardware achieves this target. All modes run approximately 33% faster on average when framerate caps are removed.
What is VRR support and why does it matter?
Variable Refresh Rate synchronizes display refresh rate with GPU output, eliminating screen tearing and smoothing framerate fluctuations. It makes unlocked framerates practical by preventing judder and stuttering, but requires 120Hz displays to function properly.
Does Ghost of Yotei New Game Plus carry over progress?
Yes. New Game Plus starts you fresh with all existing skills, equipment, and upgrades intact. It adds Ghost Flowers currency for purchasing 30+ new cosmetics, an additional upgrade tier for armor and weapons, 10 new charms, and two new Trophies.
Can you replay boss fights in Ghost of Yotei?
Yes. Patch 1.1 makes all cleared enemy camps and boss duels replayable in the post-game. You can revisit any completed challenge to test different builds, practice techniques, or improve completion times without starting New Game Plus.
Are cutscenes 60fps in Ghost of Yotei after the update?
No. Cutscenes remain locked at 30fps regardless of graphics settings or framerate unlock options. Sucker Punch likely maintained this for cinematic presentation inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s samurai films.
What quality of life features does patch 1.1 add?
Major additions include auto-loot for defeated enemies, fall damage toggle, option to skip Sumi-e minigames, enhanced Photo Mode with shutter speed control and composition grids, and directional button remapping for certain functions.
Do I need a 120Hz display for the framerate unlocks?
Yes. Balanced mode’s 40fps target and VRR support both require displays supporting 120Hz refresh rates. Players with standard 60Hz displays should use locked framerate settings to avoid inconsistent frame pacing.
Conclusion
Ghost of Yotei patch 1.1 represents exceptional post-launch support that transforms both technical performance and gameplay features just over a month after release. The framerate unlocks pushing PS5 Pro to 70-90fps in RT Pro mode deliver tangible improvements that make combat feel more responsive and exploration smoother, while base PS5 finally gets a ray tracing option maintaining locked 40fps that brings it closer to Pro performance than anyone expected. VRR support makes these unlocked framerates practical rather than theoretical, eliminating screen tearing and judder that plagued earlier attempts at variable performance modes. Beyond technical wizardry, New Game Plus gives veteran players meaningful progression through Ghost Flowers currency, 30+ new cosmetics, additional upgrade tiers, and increased difficulty challenges that respect their mastery of combat systems. The ability to replay any cleared camps or boss duels addresses the empty post-game world criticism while giving players ways to test builds and practice techniques without committing to full New Game Plus runs. Quality of life improvements like auto-loot, fall damage toggles, and enhanced Photo Mode demonstrate Sucker Punch listening to community feedback and implementing changes that remove friction without dumbing down the experience. The only real limitation is cutscenes remaining at 30fps for artistic reasons, which feels like a missed opportunity to let players choose their preferred presentation style. Still, patch 1.1 sets a standard for how live service support should work even for single-player games – substantial technical improvements paired with meaningful content additions delivered quickly while the community remains engaged. Atsu’s journey through feudal Hokkaido was already one of 2025’s standout releases, and this update makes it even better.