The new Monster Hunter Wilds optimisation update has pulled players back in!
Has Capcom finally fixed their creature-beating simulator?
But is it worth finally buying or coming back to even on the Steam Deck?
Hunter Wilds Optimization
The Monster Hunter Wilds optimization update 1.040.03.01 has positive PC reviews lining up. Capcom’s latest entry into the MH franchise has been heavily criticised since launch. Because since its full release on February 25th, 2025, it’s been running like trash.
The game suffered a barrage of negative reviews on Steam and other platforms citing performance. We are talking stuttering, low fps, bad textures, pop-ins and more.
Although this new Hunter Wilds optimization update comes out quite close to a recent find. Within the last week players discovered a DLC tick bug in the game. Coders looking into the files found that the game was running a thousand search requests a second. Because these requests were checking to see if your DLC codes were active or not.
Players who owned the DLC suffered the most with heavier frame drops than others. It was so bad even those on heavy hardware were feeling the optimization!
However, after nearly a year since the full release, they have decided to actually fix the game! The latest Hunter Wilds optimization update contains many tweaks and fixes. But the main important ones are improvements on visual quality while reducing VRAM usage. Also, fixing the stuttering outright with higher textures enabled is a good one.
Meanwhile, more settings have been added to suit different player hardware builds. Although the overall FPS has improved just slightly, the one per cent lows are drastically better. Meaning overall less stuttering and visual sickness, so to speak.
This new patch is not going to add 30 frames to your gameplay. However, it is going to make things a lot smoother and a better experience overall.
Hunting Frames
Although this is just for PC gamers, it speaks a lot for Capcom as a whole. It may be quite a bit late, but it shows a dedication to quality after release. Because Capcom has not always had the best record when it comes to this sort of thing.
But this update is so good it’s got gamers on the Steam Deck hunting! This hefty 2GB update has players even on handheld devices having a good time. No, they are not hitting 100-plus frames. However, they are getting a solid 30-40 fps that is consistent.
Honestly, I would rather play at a constant 30 than a fluctuating 60. It’s like you dipped your toe in cold water that at random intervals boils for just a second. I’d rather stay at a consistent cold temp that the body adjusts to rather than this torturous spontaneous feeling.
Although this has caused an influx of MHW positive reviews, we have yet to see the sales figures affected. But I suspect this will encourage a lot of players on the fence to pick it up once the DLC drops. Because that game also needs some DLC bad!
It’s the quickest MH game out there on the market right now, and that’s not great. Give me Iceborne 2 and it’s all good!
