For a franchise that’s done so well for Capcom, especially when Monster Hunter World was released in January 2018, Monster Hunter Wilds’ sales are somewhat of a rude wake-up call. Part of this is due to the issues plaguing the game since launch, including PC performance. Even with multiple major updates and fixes, it still has a long way to go.
Interestingly enough, however, it isn’t just due to optimization. A Reddit user recently discovered that playing the game with all the cosmetic DLC installed resulted in far better performance (80+ FPS) than just the base version (20-25 FPS). The reason for this is apparently due to excessive DLC checking. Considering the amount currently available to purchase, PC performance may continue to deteriorate as more is added.
To further illustrate their point, the user created a mod that “convinces” the game into thinking they own all the DLC (without actually unlocking it for free). Shockingly, performance improved significantly. Check out the comparison video below to see it in action. Of course, they warn against using mods like this and have sent their information to Capcom support.
If this wasn’t hilarious enough, it’s noted that emulating the presence of DLC results in even better performance than actually owning all of it. Take this with some grain of salt, but it would go a long way towards explaining why Wilds’ performance remains sub-par despite the developer’s efforts. Hopefully, this results in a fix sooner rather than later, especially if a paid expansion is on the cards.
