Capcom Tackles High PC Specs for Monster Hunter Wilds

As the release date of February 28 for Monster Hunter Wilds approaches, developer Capcom has announced efforts to lower the game's recommended GPU requirements. This news was confirmed by the official German Monster Hunter X/Twitter account, which also disclosed that Capcom is considering the release of a standalone PC benchmarking tool.

Currently, Capcom recommends a minimum GPU of an Nvidia GTX 1660 Super or an AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT to achieve 30 FPS at 1080p. This setup involves an internal resolution of 720p, with graphics upscaled using technologies like DLSS or FSR, set to the "lowest" graphics settings.

For those aiming for smoother gameplay, the recommended settings for Monster Hunter Wilds target 1080p at 60 FPS, also utilizing upscaling and Frame Generation technologies. Suggested GPUs include the RTX 2070 Super, RTX 4060, or AMD RX 6700 XT. Notably, only the RTX 4060 supports Nvidia Frame Generation; the others rely on FSR 3, which experienced ghosting artifacts during the previous Monster Hunter Wilds beta.

However, targeting 60 FPS with Frame Generation enabled might not be ideal, as Digital Foundry suggests a baseline of 40 FPS for third-person games. Running the game at under 60 FPS with upscaling can lead to increased latency, impacting the game's responsiveness and tactile feel.

During the Monster Hunter Wilds open beta, players with lower-end hardware, including those with mid-range cards 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.

Monster Hunter Wilds is powered by the RE Engine, which made its debut with Resident Evil 7 in 2017. This engine has been successfully used in titles such as Devil May Cry 5, Monster Hunter Rise, and Street Fighter 6, delivering smooth performance across various platforms.

However, the RE Engine has faced challenges with larger open-world games featuring more NPCs and enemies, such as Dragon’s Dogma 2, which experienced performance issues on both consoles and PC. This sets a concerning precedent for Monster Hunter Wilds. With an early February open beta and a late February launch looming, Capcom's efforts to reduce GPU requirements could be crucial for the game's success on PC.