Upscaling Extends Console Lifespan

High‑quality software upscaling (like AMD’s FSR 4.1) is now being pushed onto consoles, handhelds and older GPUs, meaning many games can run at higher fidelity or frame‑rate without new silicon. That shifts the industry dynamic from buying new hardware to deploying software optimisations, affecting consumer replacement cycles, developer optimisation targets, and the competitive balance between GPU vendors. — This matters because software‑first performance gains change hardware markets, environmental footprints of device replacement, and which companies can shape gaming experiences at the platform level.