Gen Atlas Creator Comments on Frame Rate Concerns

After the latest gameplay trailer for the upcoming Gen Atlas sparked concerns about frame-rate issues, the game’s director has reassured fans that the development team is working on optimization. Gen Atlas was considered by many people as one of the most intriguing reveals of Summer Game Fest 2026, and given that it comes from the acclaimed creator of games like ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, it indeed generated excitement among gamers around the world.

The part that concerned most fans in Gen Atlas‘ new trailer was the shooting scene. In this brief moment, the protagonist is shown using a futuristic weapon, marking a first for Ueda’s work. However, the gunplay, according to worried fans, looked off. While many acknowledged that the footage likely came from a pre-alpha early build, the concerns were still hard to dismiss. It also did not help that some fans pointed out Ueda’s previous games, including the original Shadow of the Colossus, suffered from frame-rate issues.

Fumito Ueda’s Next Game Looks Like a Sci-Fi Shadow of the Colossus

Fumito Ueda’s next game seems to share a few things in common with one of his previous projects, the critically acclaimed Shadow of the Colossus.

Fumito Ueda Says the Team Is Aware of ‘Not Fully Optimized’ Parts in Gen Atlas’ Trailer

Our team is well aware that parts of the trailer were not fully optimized.

Speaking to PC Gamer, the director acknowledged that some gameplay scenes in Gen Atlas‘ Summer Game Fest trailer appeared to suffer from frame rate issues. “Our team is well aware that parts of the trailer were not fully optimized,” he said. According to Ueda, the team at GenDesign prioritized giving fans a glimpse of the upcoming game’s world despite the project still being unfinished. In a separate interview with 4Gamer, Ueda echoed those comments and explained that “it was difficult to create a promotional video in parallel with game development, and that [the team] barely managed to release it in time for the announcement.”

Scratch & Peek

Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.

Scratch & Peek

Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as possible.

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All of Ueda’s previous games have been released exclusively on PlayStation consoles. Gen Atlas will be his first title to launch natively on PC, which is why concerns about frame-rate issues have drawn more attention. Fortunately, Ueda has assured fans that GenDesign engineers will eventually help bring the game up to standards that meet fans’ expectations.

As of this writing, the game does not have a specific release deadline. Theoretically, this should give the team enough time to continue optimizing Gen Atlas as needed. That said, many fans are hoping to see Gen Atlas among the upcoming AAA games scheduled for release in 2027.

Ueda has also shed some light on the game’s mysterious title, Gen Atlas. Speaking to 4Gamer, the director explained that “Atlas” carries several meanings. While it may evoke the image of the Greek mythological figure, it is also the name of the first vertebra in human anatomy, the bone that connects the head to the body. In the game, the protagonist can ride the head of a giant robot, and that head can seemingly revive inactive robots after attaching to them, as if symbolically restoring their uppermost vertebrae. That said, many aspects of the upcoming open-world game remain under wraps for now, and fans will need to wait for future announcements from GenDesign to learn more.