Dishonored 2 players are reporting problems with the PC version of the game, but Bethesda has some potential fixes that should improve the frame rate.

It’s no secret that Dishonored 2 is one of the most anticipated releases for fall 2016, but the recent discovery of PC problems with the game has soured that launch for some. Most notably, PC players are reporting substantial frame rate dips while playing Dishonored 2, with the experience dropping as low as 13 frames per second.

Thankfully, Bethesda has been proactive and is trying to assist players with any PC problems they may be having with Dishonored 2. These fixes are mostly work arounds for now – in lieu of a hot fix – but for some players they may help the game run smoothly for the time being.

Update Your PC Drivers

Some of the recommendations are obvious and include updating Nvidia and AMD drivers. Bethesda wants to make sure that PC gamers are running either Nvidia 375.70 or AMD 16.10.2 to get the best experience out of Dishonored 2. If not, try visiting the respective sites for your graphics card and upgrade.

Similarly, Dishonored 2 was tested with the latest Windows 7/8/10 and DirectX updates, so if you have fallen behind there the publisher recommends downloading the update.

Of course, most players who are experiencing problems with Dishonored 2 are likely up to date on their drivers. In that case, Bethesda has a few additional recommendations to fix any Dishonored 2 PC problems that may arise.

Eliminate Background Apps

First and foremost, Bethesda recommends eliminating any background processes while playing Dishonored 2. That means closing all background applications and ensuring that Dishonored 2 is one of the lone processes running on your PC. On top of that, the publisher warns of using Alt-Tab while playing the game. If players have used Alt-Tab to minimize the Dishonored 2 game window and see frame rate dips, Bethesda recommends restarting the game.

Lowering Setting

On the graphics settings front, Bethesda’s recommendations include lowering resolution if there are performance issues. The studio says that PC gamers should only use the 1440p resolution on Dishonored 2 if they have a “very high-end GPU.” In this case that means a GTX 1070, a GTX 1080, or an equivalent graphics card.

If you have frame rate fluctuations in Dishonored 2, Bethesda also suggests keeping V-sync activated and adjusting the Adaptive Resolution setting. If there are problems, players may need to tweak Adaptive Resolution and set it between 50% and 75%.

Finally, if none of those solutions fix the Dishonored 2 PC problems, Bethesda has some last gasp fixes. Unfortunately, these will also decrease the quality of the visuals in Arkane’s new stealth title, so they will be tradeoffs. See below:

  • Use the “Auto” presets:  this should adjust your visual settings without impacting your framerate.
  • If you still have performance issues with “Auto” presets:
  • Try deactivating the “TXAA Anti-Aliasing”
  • Try lowering the texture details

It’s nice to see Bethesda try to get ahead of things with potential solutions to player’s Dishonored 2 PC problems, but any issues at launch are disappointing. Hopefully, Bethesda and Arkane Studios can deliver an update or patch as soon as possible, so PC gamers can get the best possible experience without sacrificing quality.

Dishonored 2 releases November 11, 2016 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.