Capcom Tackles High PC Specs for Monster Hunter Wilds

As the eagerly anticipated release date of February 28 for Monster Hunter Wilds draws closer, developer Capcom has announced efforts to potentially lower the game's recommended GPU requirements. This news comes directly from the official German Monster Hunter X/Twitter account, which also disclosed that Capcom is considering the development of a standalone PC benchmarking tool to assist players in assessing their system's compatibility.

Currently, Capcom suggests a minimum GPU specification of an Nvidia GTX 1660 Super or an AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT to achieve 30 FPS at 1080p. This setup involves rendering at an internal resolution of 720p and utilizing upscaling technologies such as DLSS or FSR at the "lowest" graphics setting. For those aiming for a smoother experience, the recommended settings target 1080p at 60 FPS, also using upscaling and Frame Generation technologies. Suitable GPUs for this include the RTX 2070 Super, RTX 4060, or AMD RX 6700 XT. Notably, only the RTX 4060 supports Nvidia Frame Generation, while the RTX 2070 Super and RX 6700 XT rely on FSR 3, which unfortunately exhibited ghosting artifacts during the previous Monster Hunter Wilds beta.

It's worth noting that aiming for 60 FPS with Frame Generation enabled may not be the optimal use of this technology. According to Digital Foundry, a baseline of 40 FPS is recommended for third-person titles to maintain responsiveness and minimize latency, which can otherwise detract from the gaming experience.

During the open beta test of Monster Hunter Wilds, players with lower-end hardware, including those with mid-range GPUs like the RTX 3060, faced challenges. A notable issue was a low-LOD bug that prevented the game from loading fully detailed textures for characters and monsters, impacting the visual quality.

Monster Hunter Wilds is built on the RE Engine, which made its debut with Resident Evil 7 in 2017. This engine has powered several successful titles, including Devil May Cry 5, Monster Hunter Rise, and Street Fighter 6, delivering smooth performance across various platforms. However, the RE Engine has faced criticism in larger open-world games like Dragon's Dogma 2, which experienced performance issues on both consoles and PC. This raises concerns about the potential performance of Monster Hunter Wilds.

With an early February open beta and a late February launch on the horizon, Capcom's initiative to reduce GPU requirements could be crucial for the game's success on PC. Ensuring a broader range of players can enjoy Monster Hunter Wilds without compromising on performance will be key to its reception and longevity.