PS5’s 3D Audio Engine – 10 Innovative Ways Devs are Using It

For all the attention that the PS5’s SSD, hardware, DualSense controller and other features are receiving, one can’t underestimate the importance of the Tempest Engine. This chip makes 3D audio possible, that too without an extensive sound system. Sound design is often an underrated part of game development, even among the more high-profile releases, so how are different studios using the Tempest Engine to further improve their experiences? Let’s look at a few examples here.

Gran Turismo 7

Racing sims take exceptional effort to put together, especially when nailing the realistic sounds of each unique car along with all the different collisions, road types and weather effects. Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo 7 already boasts that level of detail to sound but will use 3D audio to further the distinction between cars.

Simon Rutter, who’s the PlayStation EVP for Europe, told The Guardian how the next-gen racer would take advantage of “every single technological enhancement” in the PS5. With regards to the Tempest Engine, he noted that, “Sitting in the cockpit, the 3D audio allows you to hear the thunderous roar of a Ferrari behind you or in front of you, and you can recognize the difference between that and the engine noise of a Maserati.” For fans with extensive control set-ups for racing sims, this is just even more incentive to dive into Gran Turismo 7 when it eventually arrives for PS5.