Destiny's PS4 and Xbox One Visual Quality Will Probably Be Equal, Analysis Shows

Bungie's upcoming shooter Destiny has been in beta for a week now, and both Xbox and PlayStation owners have been able to try it out. But some people wondered going into the beta how the two current-gen versions would compare graphically. It was recently revealed that the Xbox One version would run at 900p, while the PlayStation 4 version would be 1080p. Although Bungie promised that the Xbox One version would run at 1080p at the game's full launch in September, it isn't known if the two games will have full graphical parity.

GameSpot recently made an Xbox One-PS4 graphics comparison of the Destiny beta, which you can watch above. But Eurogamer's Digital Foundry decided to delve into the technical aspects of the games and created a complete breakdown of Destiny's graphics on the two consoles. In the beta, the group acknowledges that the PS4 version does have noticeably better detail in the environments, but that the Xbox beta has virtually equivalent quality elsewhere: "Put side-by-side, the Xbox One produces slightly fuzzier detailing on these elements, though the actual quality of textures--and filtering--is a complete match between the two."

"Based on footage released of the 1080p Xbox One build so far, this is to be corrected with no apparent sacrifices to visuals elsewhere."

But will the final version be able to close the gap even further? The article states that it's very likely that the 1080p Xbox One version will be almost identical to the PS4 version. "When comparing the constituent parts of the world design, everything remains precisely the same," Thomas Morgan from Digital Foundry writes, "from Bungie's beautiful, full-resolution skybox, to the ripped, cloth-physics-affected flags. Even the approach to shadows is identical, with a likewise cascade, and a faint dithering across spot-lit silhouettes behind characters."

There may be one small difference between the two versions, however. From analysis of gameplay clips of the Xbox One version, the HUD is 2D and static. On the PS4, the HUD is rendered in 3D with a few extra flourishes. It's a very small detail that "mostly comes down to personal preference," Morgan says.

From the parts of Destiny shown off, though, it's a good bet that the Xbox One and PS4 versions will have pretty much the same level of graphical quality. As Morgan concludes, "Both next-gen consoles run at the same levels of world detail in this early build, with Xbox One also a match for the PS4's stable frame rate. The only bug-bear is the 900p versus 1080p differential, where the PS4 benefits from a clearer image. However, based on footage released of the 1080p Xbox One build so far, this is to be corrected with no apparent sacrifices to visuals elsewhere."

Destiny launches on September 9 for Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 3. We've extensively covered the beta and you can check out our guides and videos. Everyone can also play the beta from now until Sunday. Which console will you get Destiny on? Let us know in the comments!