Killer Instinct Season 3 Graphics Shine Brighter

Killer Instinct will receive a graphics overhaul with its Season 3 update. Art Director Chad Greene talked about it and shared a couple screenshots.

[OldGuyStillGaming]

Nice improvements to an already nice looking game

[Alexious]

Indeed, can't wait to try it at 4K on PC.

[OpieWinston]

Pretty sure Iron Galaxy is handling the PC version and as we can tell they're apparently better at optimization for console then PC. (Just looking at Arkham knight)
Hoping they've learned from their mistakes.

[Mikefizzled]

Don't paint a big team with the same brush from what apparently was a small team who didn't have the money, manpower or time to release Arkham Knight up to scratch. Look at MK X when it launched on Steam. Chances are that WB don't spend much on PC versions.

[TXIDarkAvenger]

@DLConspiracy

Except he didn't say games below 4k are not enjoyable nor imply it...

[badz149]

Ok...so how does this work? I mean...is every season a separate release and you have to pay for each of them or is this an update for everyone who bought the 1st season like Driveclub?

Isn't it too much if the game already has 3 entrances when this gen is still barely 2 years old?

[xasz]

@badz149

Every update and mode that comes with each season is added automatically to the base game for free, regardless of the version.

Each season costs $20. The base game itself is free and comes with a free rotating character.

Basically, the only thing you're paying for are characters. Each season has 8 characters. (There were 9 in Season 2)

[Utalkin2me]

@DLConspiracy

Just cause you put a question mark behind a sentence doesn't automatically make it a question.

It was obvious what your intent was and it came through pretty clear. Seems you was fishing and the only thing you hooked was yourself.

[christocolus]

@brokasfawk

Agreed.This game is so much fun. Haven't enjoyed a fighting game this much in a very long time. There is so much content and stuff to do (solo and online multiplayer modes) and the net code is spot on. The shadow brain feature is pretty cool too. Can't wait for Sn3. Arbiter and Tusk day one.

[Blaze929]

never heard of a game continuously getting better with time graphically haha. Devs are great

[badz149]

the Crew? Dying Light? Driveclub? nothing?

[bouzebbal]

hmmm.. you mean like 99% of the games. sequels always look better.

[donthate]

abzdiine:

Technically this isn't a sequel though like going from Mass Effect 1 to 2. It is slightly unusual for a game to get graphical upgrades like this, but is most definitely welcome.

Personally, I don't think it matters much. The game was great to begin with!

Pixels are overrated and gives diminishing returns at this point!

[Orionsangel]

Do we all get this graphical update or just owners of Season 3? Why can't I just buy everything? What's this whole season thing? Weird. Remember when you just bought a game that didn't come in parts?

[Jmanzare]

Yea damn developers continuing to support their games! Charge us 60 dollars every time you add new stuff instead... Jeeeez

[xasz]

Every single update, outside of characters, is automatically added to the game for free, even if you have the free version.

Also, it's not a full-priced game. It starts at free, to each season costing $20.

[lvl_headed_gmr]

The best fighting game this generation this far just keeps getting better.

[Orionsangel]

@xasz Thanks for the info!

[Chris_Wray]

Looking good, though I don't think it was ever going to be a game that should make even the Xbox one struggle.

[XMarkstheSpot]

Indeed, great improvement.

[MachuchalBrotha316]

Yessir...my favorite fighter this gen continues to impress. The new season is upon us. I can't wait.

[VforVideogames]

hope to hear from NAMCO's Soul Calibur, that was the game that make me get a Sega Dreamcast.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Yea same here. Ivy may need to retire though. Her boobs are too big now.

[mark_parch]

can't wait for season 3. hopefully get some arbitor and tusk gameplay soon

[Tobsesan]

Hope they show arbiter gameplay next friday at the win 10 event.

[ThePresentIsAgift]

Excellent news, stunning upgrade for one of my favourite fighters of all time. I love to see the passion and enthusiasm flowing through artists work. This is definitely better than the days when companies had to re release the entire game ala Virtua Fighter 4 as the initial release sported such rough graphics.

[Deltaguy]

Great looking game..still could never get into it...

[user9950279]

Thats a huge improvement, the "after" side looks a lot better. Looking forward to this. Have been having some fun with KI since we got it through gold.

[DivineAssault]

Whenever i get xb1, this will be one of the first games i get.. Along with scalebound and rare replay..

[kotaku77]

You could just forget about Rare ripoff, get Ori and Halo MC

[DivineAssault]

Its like $20 for a bunch of great classics.. Hows that a rip off?

[CobraKai]

Nice. Now it looks more One than 360

[odderz]

Only good news! Hope KI gets really big.

[FunAndGun]

This is one game I would like a Xbox One for.

[Hunkaloverbear]

Well worth it. One of the greatest fighting games ever made.

[angelusbrz]

you can wait for the PC version... it won't need a best one to play it.

[Hunkaloverbear]

That's a HUGE improvement. All stages will be upgraded graphically and the new colours look beautiful. Nothing more I couldve asked for, best fighter this generation.

[MasterD919]

Can't wait to play as the Arbiter!

[jttwister09]

Great game glad xbox keeps supporting it. The new full arbiter trailer is also out for those interested

[masterfox]

last year the KI was downgraded in order to achieve a smooth framerate in onlines modes, now they upgraded ? I wonder if they just end up at same spot before the downgrade, somebody needs to do comparison with Vanilla KI when this sole called "visual upgrade" releases, definitely not fooling me.

[meche334]

They didn't ever downgrade killer instinct. its been nothing but upgrades. it used to run at 720p but was upped to 900p and still runs at 90fps.

[xasz]

The framerate has always been smooth, since launch.

The game runs 90 fps in the background and renders at 60 fps... since launch. Hence, the extremely low amount of offline input lag compared to other games, especially other fighting games. It also helps the online rollback netcode run much smoother.

Outside of one glitch in Exhibition mode that was patched out at launch, both KI and Skullgirls STILL have the best netcodes out any current fighting game.

And KI was UPGRADED last year to 900p.

There was never a "downgrade"

[Tedakin]

That's not true at all. In fact it was upgraded to 900p. And the online is the smoothest of any fighting game probably ever, yes ever.

[christocolus]

You actually know nothing about this game.Do you?

[masterfox]

@everyone

lol thank you guys now I remember, it was actually the 900p upgrade, in order to achieve 900p they lower the detail in general:

http://gearnuke.com/killer-...

even thou this article claims it looks better the images show the opposite, the 720p images shows better color palette, better shadows, see the first screen of Jago how they removed the structure in the back in the 900p image.

[halfblackcanadian]

That's not a thing that happened. The structure (Bell) sways in the game. One photo the bell is in shot, the other it is not. The thing that was done is blacks were softened which came off looking less distinct/defined, but IG mentions putting that style back in.

TL;Dr, there was no detail down-grade, that photo you reference is misleading.

[Azzanation]

The best fighting game iv played this gen. Its so good, recommend it to all fighting fans.

[NeoGamer232]

Killer Instinct just keeps getting better!

The first season was solid, Season 2 was awesome, Season 3 is shaping up to be the best fighter this gen so far!

[Idiedgoodbye]

I only have this game because it was free. I don't normally like fighter game's except for Tekken and Smash Bros. The graphics asthetic is kinda ugly as well. I say Tekken has the best art style, hence why it's the king of fighter's

[Bobafret]

Just my 2 cents but I don't enjoy this game because the characters take up too much of the screen. It feels cramped.

[Mkai28]

Glad for the upgrade, just shows that fighting games don't need to be 1080p. While I prefer 1080p in games, it's not necessary in fighting games. They can use that for other resources like what they stated, lighting, shadows effects, more particle effects, etc. Having multiple light sources is very important in video games..

[Idiedgoodbye]

The people who drew up the character design's for KI didn't do such a good job either. Take Smash Bros 4 for example, the character's in that game stayed true to the original style. I'm referring to Mega Man, Pacman, etc. they were well done recreation's

Don't get me wrong, Spinal, Saberwolf, Riptor look great but the others needed more work

[Azzanation]

I wonder if the update boosts KI to 1080p, not that it matters because the game looks and feels fantastic.

[oSHINSAo]

i was thinking the sabe, season 1 720p, S2 900p, S3 1080p ... let's wait for the last coments, yes it looks sharper with this improvements

[hollabox]

Damn, not played KI in awhile, will have to get back on my grind next month.

[gangsta_red]

Just started playing KI because season one was offered for free on Live.

Played it and had a blast, so much so that I purchased season 2 and will also get season 3. And I never liked the original KI, thought it was boring.

But very impressed with this one. The particle effects, the characters, the music and mechanics are all spectacular.