Since the release of Microsoft Windows 11's 22H2 update, PC gamers have been complaining online of poor performance across a variety of PC games. Now, Microsoft has confirmed the Windows update causes sluggish game performance due to a software bug that enables GPU debugging on a variety of titles.
Microsoft's 22H2 update began to roll out in September, but last Thursday the software giant said the update could cause sluggish performance in some games and applications due to a bug. Gamers may experience stuttering frame rates and greatly increased load times. While Windows is officially supported on Valve's Steam Deck, it's unclear if users of the handheld are experiencing the same gameplay issues with the new update.
It appears the bug triggers additional software processes while gaming, decimating game performance and causing the processor to overwork. Users report unusually high CPU usage, especially in first-person shooter titles.
In the past, Windows security was blamed for degrading performance, often leading to similar symptoms when running the OS. A variety of gamers flooded social media with claims of poor frame rates, often asking online gaming communities for debugging tips. In the meantime, Microsoft recommends updating any degraded games to their latest version to try to work around the issue.
Microsoft has cemented its place as a major player in gaming, and Bethesda Studios is now working on new titles for the software giant since Microsoft took ownership of the developer. PC gamers have been pleased by Microsoft's gaming expansion, as many of Xbox's titles are now available on PC.
Direct storage has been a much touted feature of Windows 11, said to function similar to the quick resume feature on Xbox Series X. While the feature hasn't been fully implemented yet, gamers were hopeful the 22H2 update would be a step toward more gaming features on Windows 11.
Microsoft is working on a fix for the software bug, but hasn't released a tentative date as to when that will be available. Some users feel the performance issues are partially the fault of Nvidia's GeForce Experience software, and reported improvements by disabling it. For now, Microsoft has placed a compatibility hold on all devices that would receive the update via auto-updates.
Gamers recommend that if one hasn't opted for the 22H2 update yet, then it's probably wise to hold off until the issue is resolved. With so many excellent PC games being released right now, the last thing any gamer wants is degraded performance.
Source: PC Gamer