As first noted by Reddit (open in new tab) user pmc64, Capcom moved the ray-tracing graphics option from Resident Evil 2 and 3. This next-generation lighting feature was added to these games, as well as Resident Evil 7, in a free update last summer (opens in new tab) that moved to DirectX 12 and added other graphics features such as AMD's FSR.

I loaded RE2 myself, and sure enough, there was no ray tracing; AMD FSR is alive and well, and running the game with the old DirectX 11 settings (without these options) is an opt-in choice via Steam's beta branch. This change appears to correspond to the April 14 update and is documented in SteamDB (opens in new tab).

I can't confirm the status of other games boosted by last year's next-gen update, as I don't own them, but Reddit comments indicate that RE3 is also affected, and that game was also updated on the 14th.Wccftech (opens in new tab) also reports that Bio Hazard 7 suggests that it has lost the ray tracing option, but I cannot confirm this and that game has no corresponding update on the 14th. I also checked the remake of Resident Evil 4 just to be sure, but ray tracing remained available.

I own a sub-4-digit graphics card and I hate ray tracing. Still, the change is puzzling and no doubt a source of anger for the good old consumer: "Give me ray tracing! You gave me ray tracing!" . I have contacted Capcom and will update this article when I hear back, but my gut feeling is that this is a temporary change, probably a mistake, and the traced ray will soon return to Raccoon City.