Game Optimization Archives

AppWizard

January 9, 2026

Everwind devs are testing their ambitious Minecraft-like RPG on Steam Deck as it “makes sense for everyone to be this available”

Everwind is set to launch in late 2026 as an alternative to Minecraft and alongside Hytale. Players will explore floating islands and navigate the skies in airships. The development team is testing the game on Valve’s Steam Deck and other handheld devices, with early builds showing promising performance. They aim to support both handhelds and desktops, emphasizing the importance of PC handhelds in gaming. The team is also testing on the MSI Claw. The Steam Deck is becoming a benchmark for performance standards in the industry, with developers recognizing the benefits of optimizing for it.

AppWizard

January 6, 2026

This new FPS game uses your framerate as your health bar, so I’ll brb after I’ve bought a 240Hz monitor

FPS Quest is a unique meta game that uses framerate as a health bar, allowing players to navigate a low-framerate environment without the discomfort typically associated with performance issues. Players traverse dungeons armed with a shotgun, experiencing framerate dips as they take damage, but can restore it by defeating enemies or adjusting game settings. The game features mechanics such as demolishing walls and removing doors, which affect gameplay and map navigation. It includes roguelike elements, cheats, glitches, and customizable settings, encouraging multiple runs to unlock upgrades and weapons. FPS Quest is set to launch on Steam, with no announced release date yet.

AppWizard

September 29, 2025

Game Optimization Issues Are Getting Out Of Hand In 2025

In 2025, PC gaming faces significant challenges due to a decline in game optimization, particularly for titles developed with Unreal Engine 5. Gamers are experiencing performance issues, often requiring top-tier hardware for a seamless experience, even with the latest GPUs. Many contemporary games demand excessive hardware capabilities, raising concerns about the disparity between visual fidelity and performance. Reliance on upscaling technologies like DLSS, FSR, and Frame Generation has become necessary to maintain playable frame rates, while features like ray tracing add complexity and performance costs. Poor optimization is more pronounced on PC than on consoles, which manage poorly optimized games more consistently. Developers need to recognize that not all gamers have access to powerful hardware, and addressing optimization concerns is crucial for the future of PC gaming.

AppWizard

September 20, 2025

Dying Light: The Beast shows Borderlands 4 how it’s done with stellar PC optimization – and exposes Gearbox CEO’s tone-deaf response

Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford suggested that PC gamers are to blame for performance complaints about Borderlands 4, describing them as "too 4K stubborn" and challenging them to "code your own game." Players have reported that the performance of Borderlands 4 worsens the longer it is played, indicating poor optimization. In contrast, Dying Light: The Beast has launched with strong performance metrics, even on lower-end hardware, and maintains a frame rate exceeding 95fps at native 4K resolution on high-end systems without ray tracing. The success of Dying Light: The Beast highlights that developers can create well-optimized games for a variety of hardware. Techland has focused on quality and has not criticized players for their concerns, contrasting with Pitchford's comments. There is a growing expectation for developers to release polished and optimized games that meet player expectations.

AppWizard

September 17, 2025

Borderlands 4 PC Performance Showing Little Signs of Improvement

Borderlands 4 was released earlier this month, and while it has seen strong console sales, PC performance has faced criticism. Players have expressed frustration over the game's reliance on DLSS and frame generation technology for stable framerates, raising doubts about its performance without these enhancements. Issues have been reported by both high-end and lower-end system users, with some older setups performing well despite the uncertainty regarding DLSS's role. Gearbox's head, Randy Pitchford, defended the game, calling it "pretty damn optimal" and encouraging players to utilize its features. There is a growing concern that upscaling technologies like DLSS and AMD’s FSR should not replace proper game optimization. Players have struggled to maintain smooth gameplay without DLSS or frame generation, prompting Gearbox to release an optimization guide from NVIDIA, which has reportedly helped some users.

AppWizard

September 15, 2025

Borderlands 4 maker says your old PC hardware is to blame for the game’s poor performance – even though it struggles to run on an RTX 5090

Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox Software, stated that the performance issues of Borderlands 4 are due to outdated PC hardware, not game optimization. He described the game as a "premium game" for "premium gamers," suggesting it may not run well on older systems. Reports indicate that Borderlands 4 struggles to maintain a frame rate above 90 fps at 1080p with maximum graphics settings and DLAA enabled, even on high-end graphics cards like the RTX 5090. Many players are using DLSS Quality or DLSS Performance upscaling to achieve playable performance. The Steam Hardware & Software survey shows a significant number of PC gamers use older graphics cards, raising concerns about the game's performance for most players. Pitchford's comments have drawn criticism for potentially alienating gamers who do not have access to the latest technology.

AppWizard

April 2, 2025

Steel Seed has been delayed to April 22nd, gets PC requirements

Steel Seed, a stealth-action adventure game developed by ESDigital Games and Storm in a Teacup, has been postponed from April 10th to April 22nd to allow for additional game optimization. Ilia Svanidze, Head of Marketing at ESDigital Games, stated that the delay is necessary to ensure a polished experience across all platforms due to technical hurdles encountered during platform certification tests. The game will utilize Unreal Engine 5, and the minimum PC requirements are as follows: - OS: Windows 10 - Processor: Intel i7-3770K 3.50GHz or AMD equivalent - Memory: 16 GB RAM - Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1070 / Intel ARC 580 / AMD equivalent - DirectX: Version 12 - Storage: 50 GB available space - VR Support: No Recommended requirements include: - OS: Windows 10 - Processor: Intel Core i7 6700K, 4.00 GHz or AMD equivalent - Memory: 16 GB RAM - Graphics: Nvidia RTX 2070 / Intel ARC 770 / AMD RX 5700XT - DirectX: Version 12 - Storage: 50 GB available space - VR Support: No Details on targeted resolution, framerate, and graphical settings have not yet been disclosed.

AppWizard

March 7, 2025

What does ‘good performance’ really mean in the context of PC gaming?

Performance in gaming is a complex topic, with debates on the importance of frame rates and visual fidelity. Some gamers prefer a steady 30 FPS, while others aim for 120 FPS or more. Newer games do not always guarantee better performance, as advanced rendering techniques can be resource-intensive. Frame rate alone is an inadequate measure of performance; both frame rate and frame time data should be considered. A flat frame-time graph is crucial for good performance, as spikes indicate stutters. Achieving a stable frame rate, such as 60 FPS on a 120 Hz display, is preferable to fluctuating rates. Performance targets should align with the monitor's refresh rate, and tools like G-Sync and RivaTuner can help optimize gaming experiences.

AppWizard

March 1, 2025

Monster Hunter Wilds PC players make Steam reviews their 15th weapon as Capcom’s RE Engine delivers another Dragon’s Dogma 2-sized disaster: “Very immersive game. You can cook a well-done steak on your GPU”

Monster Hunter Wilds has received a mixed rating on Steam, with players expressing significant frustration over its performance issues. Many reviews highlight the game's optimization problems, with players noting that achieving 60fps requires frame generation, which should not be necessary. Capcom has offered tips to improve the gaming experience but has not alleviated player concerns. The game is built on the RE Engine, which has performed well in other titles, but struggles in open-world settings like Monster Hunter Wilds. The critical feedback primarily focuses on the game's performance, indicating a pressing need for improvements.

AppWizard

December 4, 2024

Intel unleashes XeSS 2 for Arc GPUs with huge changes to speed up PC games, borrowing a few pages from Nvidia’s DLSS playbook

Intel has introduced XeSS 2, an advanced graphics technology aimed at competing with Nvidia's DLSS and AMD's FSR. It features two main components: XeSS Frame Generation for adding frames to enhance gameplay smoothness, and XeSS Super Resolution. Additionally, Intel has launched Xe Low Latency to reduce input lag, similar to Nvidia's Reflex. XeSS 2 is exclusive to Intel's Alchemist and Battlemage GPUs, requiring developers to integrate support for these technologies into their games. Intel has also released a new control panel called 'Intel Graphics Software' for its Arc GPUs, which centralizes driver updates, game optimization, and performance monitoring. The new XeSS 2 technology is designed to work only with Intel hardware, marking a shift from previous compatibility with AMD and Nvidia GPUs.