Monster Hunter Wilds Steam Deck players experiencing abysmal performance

Players had concerns about Steam Deck performance during the Monster Hunter Wilds open beta. Still, Capcom promised smoother rendering that may translate to the portable PC. Unfortunately, with the final code available, these gamers are experiencing pixelated graphics and choppy frame rates.

Monster Hunter Wilds is not listed as Steam Deck compatible on its official Steam page. Still, some titles without this label run adequately on the handheld. Enterprising gamers can often overcome the system's limitations through tweaks. However, players are finding that Monster Hunter Wilds runs poorly with any settings.

Numerous testers have posted videos demonstrating Capcom's latest release on the Steam Deck. Even with upscaling or FSR enabled, it's a struggle to maintain close to 30fps. On the plus side, upscaling doesn't produce noticeable latency when trying to wrangle a monster. Lowering detail levels helps, but performance is poor enough to force Steam Deck players to find alternatives.

The Windows 11-based Asus ROG Ally and MSI Claw 8 AI+ offer more raw power. Initial impressions show slightly improved performance with Monster Hunter Wilds on these systems. Still, when mid-range Nvidia and AMD desktop GPUs are struggling, mobile gamers need to keep their expectations in check. Digital Foundry released a devastating analysis, with framerates not reflecting the less than ideal graphical fidelity.

Cloud gaming is another potential way to hunt ferocious monsters on the go. GeForce Now would be a preferred streaming method, but like other games in the series, it doesn't support Monster Hunter Wilds. The situation is not any more promising on Xbox Cloud.

Currently, Monster Hunter Wilds is not the ideal Steam Deck game. However, it does boot, and controls are not an issue. If Capcom can further optimize the game, those improvements should trickle down to portable PCs.