Yes, optional. As in, the developers have the option to optimize their games despite publishers pushing for cheaper development and shorter deadlines knowing they can get away with instead adding proprietary black box generative models. And you, as the consumer, have the option to either pay inflated prices for a product launched on paper or to instead choose to enjoy motion sickness while playing a game at 20 frames a second.

Keep kissing that leather jacket, fanboy.

You on the other hand seem to care an awful lot.