Monster Hunter Wilds PC Optimization in Capcom's Crosshairs

With Monster Hunter Wilds' February 28th release approaching, Capcom is actively investigating ways to reduce the recommended GPU specifications.

This announcement, stemming from the official German Monster Hunter X/Twitter account, also hints at the potential release of a dedicated PC benchmarking tool.

Currently, Capcom suggests an Nvidia GTX 1660 Super or AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT for achieving 30 FPS at 1080p. This minimum configuration requires an internal resolution of 720p, upscaling graphics via DLSS or FSR at the lowest settings.

For a smoother 60 FPS experience at 1080p with upscaling and Frame Generation technologies, Capcom cites the RTX 2070 Super, RTX 4060, or AMD RX 6700 XT. However, only the RTX 4060 natively supports Nvidia Frame Generation; the 2070 Super and 6700 XT rely on FSR 3, which exhibited ghosting artifacts in the previous beta.

Targeting 60 FPS with Frame Generation might not be optimal; Digital Foundry recommends a minimum of 40 FPS for third-person games. Running below 60 FPS with upscaling can introduce noticeable latency and a less responsive feel.

The open beta revealed performance struggles for players using lower-end hardware, including mid-range cards like the RTX 3060, often manifesting as a low-LOD bug impacting texture detail.

Monster Hunter Wilds utilizes Capcom's RE Engine, initially launched with Resident Evil 7 in 2017. While successful in titles like Devil May Cry 5, Monster Hunter Rise, and Street Fighter 6, the engine has shown performance vulnerabilities in larger open-world games with numerous NPCs and enemies (e.g., Dragon's Dogma 2). Capcom's efforts to lower GPU requirements are therefore crucial for a successful PC launch.