CPU Backend / Mobile Support ETA?

[frankfringe]

If I understand the answer here correctly, you shouldn’t be using VFX Graph if you are targetting mobile devices, since it is quite a gamble on which mobile devices the effects will work (not even all high end devices will support it):

What will be added to high end mobiles for VFX graph?

Is there any ETA for the CPU backend? I love the VFX graph, but a CPU backend has been mentioned already more than 3 years back here on the forums, but the card is still in “Under Consideration” on your feature site.

In that thread, it is also mentioned, that Unity is working on a CPU backend. The team working on CPU backend is already mentioned nearly 4 years ago here:

Effects created using VFX Graph not showing on Android

I create a small game prototype to check the new Unity features. URP and Post Effects are working well but VFX (Compute Shader) do not display at all, only on my PC. Is it supported on Android devices? Tested using 2 Android, Mali and Snapdragon.

Here is another post from 3 years ago which says that in 2 years VFX graph should be fully mobile-compatible: VFX Graph on non-compute mobile (URP) and the future of Shuriken

However, when checking the roadmap it is still listed only as “under consideration”: https://portal.productboard.com/unity/1-unity-platform-rendering-visual-effects/tabs/3-universal-pipeline

Therefore, my question is, are there any updates on how far developed the CPU backend is, or if there are any rough plans on when it can be released?

[DevDunk]

With vulkan, mobile support is pretty great. Have used it on multiple projects already. Phones that do not support vulkan will not work obviously, but I think the amount of vulkan compatible phones is pretty good nowadays at 85%.
On GLES, you are going to run into issues.

(tbh, the older phones that don’t support it probably wont run any kind of fancy VFX at a decent framerate, not even on CPU)

I would rather have them focus on improving what they have then completely rewrite every graph to work on the CPU as well, even as a mobile VR developer.

Don’t expect the CPU backend for at least 2 years, as tech that is not certain to release within 2 years won’t be talked about by devs

[frankfringe]

@DevDunk

With vulkan, mobile support is pretty great. Have used it on multiple projects already. Phones that do not support vulkan will not work obviously, but I think the amount of vulkan compatible phones is pretty good nowadays at 85%.
On GLES, you are going to run into issues.

(tbh, the older phones that don’t support it probably wont run any kind of fancy VFX at a decent framerate, not even on CPU)

I would rather have them focus on improving what they have then completely rewrite every graph to work on the CPU as well, even as a mobile VR developer.

Don’t expect the CPU backend for at least 2 years, as tech that is not certain to release within 2 years won’t be talked about by devs

Ah ok, if it’s true that support is so good it’s a different story. It just contradicts what the unity devs have been saying in the linked threads.

Also, its not as if this technology has not been talked about by the devs, quite the contrary if you look at my linked threads.

[DevDunk]

The “don’t talk about it if it’s not releasing within 2 years” rule started last year with ECS releasing after way too much talk about it