PC Gamer's Graphical Effects Bracket: Motion Blur and Film Grain Face Off

PC Gamer has been running a community bracket to determine which graphical effect players dislike most in games. After tallying around 4,000 votes from the first round, four finalists emerged for the semifinals.

Among the contenders are motion blur and film grain, two effects that divide PC gamers on their visual impact and gameplay immersion. To compare them fairly, PC Gamer's testing involved capturing screenshots from games with these effects enabled and disabled.

Motion blur proved dramatically different between implementations. In Hunt: Showdown, the difference between motion blur on and off was described as "day and night" when aiming quickly to the side. Film grain, by contrast, proved harder to isolate and quantify across titles. Even in games known for using it, like Phasmophobia, the effect remained subtle in most scenes.

Only two effects will advance from the semifinals to the final matchup. The community voting determines which graphical settings receive the dubious honor of "worst in games." PC Gamer asked readers to cast their votes, with results expected within a couple of days.