Nvidia's latest RTX 50-series graphics processing units (GPUs) have quietly dropped support for PhysX, a GPU-accelerated technology that enabled realistic simulations of destructible objects, smoke, fog, and other particle effects in games. The move has left many gamers disappointed, particularly those who enjoyed playing games that utilized PhysX.

PhysX, which was first introduced in the mid-2000s, was marketed by Nvidia as a showcase technology for PC gaming, allowing for more realistic and immersive gameplay experiences. Although it was only used in a few dozen games, many of which are now over a decade old, PhysX was a key selling point for Nvidia's GPUs at the time. Games that utilized PhysX, such as Borderlands 2, Mirror's Edge, and the Batman: Arkham series, are now affected by the lack of support on the RTX 50-series GPUs.

According to Nvidia, the RTX 50-series GPUs do not support 32-bit CUDA applications, which includes PhysX. While the company mentioned this in a support page from January, it did not explicitly state that PhysX would no longer be supported. As a result, many gamers were caught off guard when they discovered that PhysX games were not running as smoothly as they had on older Nvidia GPUs.

Users have reported significant performance issues when playing PhysX games on the RTX 50-series GPUs, with some experiencing frame rate drops and lag. One Redditor claimed that forcing PhysX on in Borderlands 2 resulted in frame rate drops to below 60 FPS, despite having a high-end system with an RTX 5090 and an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D. In contrast, their RTX 4090 never dipped below 120fps in the same game.

The lack of PhysX support on the RTX 50-series GPUs is just the latest disappointment for gamers who were expecting more from Nvidia's latest offerings. The company's RTX 5070 Ti, which was reviewed recently, was found to be largely a cheaper version of the RTX 4080, but with a higher price tag. Additionally, the street price of the RTX 4080 has actually increased over the past month, making it even more difficult for gamers to upgrade to the latest Nvidia GPUs.

The move has sparked debate among gamers and tech enthusiasts, with some arguing that PhysX was never widely adopted and is no longer relevant, while others feel that Nvidia should have communicated the change more clearly and provided better support for legacy technologies. Regardless, the lack of PhysX support on the RTX 50-series GPUs is a significant blow to gamers who enjoyed playing games that utilized the technology.

In conclusion, Nvidia's decision to drop support for PhysX on its RTX 50-series GPUs is a disappointment for many gamers, particularly those who enjoyed playing games that utilized the technology. While PhysX may not be as widely used as it once was, its legacy still resonates with many gamers, and Nvidia's move has sparked a wider conversation about the importance of supporting legacy technologies in the gaming industry.