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Monster Hunter Wilds’ Steam update Ver. 1.040.03.01 targets specific CPU and GPU workloads, texture streaming, VRAM use, graphics settings, and a load issue at Base Camp and the Grand Hub. Capcom did not publish a general before-and-after benchmark or quantify an overall frame-rate gain, so the patch is not proof that every PC performance problem is fixed.
When the Monster Hunter Wilds PC optimization patch arrived
Capcom released Steam update Ver. 1.040.03.01 on January 28, 2026, at 02:00 UTC—about eleven months after Monster Hunter Wilds launched on February 28, 2025. The change is specific to the Steam version; the announcement does not describe equivalent changes for the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S versions. Capcom’s update summary lists targeted technical and settings changes, not a universal performance guarantee.
What the update changes on PC
CPU and GPU processing
Capcom says it improved CPU/GPU processing specific to Steam. It reduced shader-warming processes that run outside the shader compilation screen, with the stated aim of lowering CPU load. The notes do not quantify the reduction or specify a frame-rate increase.
Texture streaming and VRAM
The update adjusts texture streaming to improve visual quality while reducing VRAM use. Capcom also revised the High Resolution Texture Pack to reduce both its VRAM use and package size.
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Graphics options and presets
A CPU tab was added to Options for CPU-load settings, alongside new graphics-setting categories and options. Capcom also adjusted presets and added a confirmation window for settings on first launch after the update.
Volumetric Fog now has five levels instead of two. The former “High” setting is now “Highest,” the former “Low” is now “High,” and “Medium,” “Low,” and “Lowest” were added. Variable Rate Shading is forced off while upscaling is in use so that visual effects display correctly.
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Support Desk load issue
Capcom addressed an unintended load issue around the Support Desk at Base Camp and the Grand Hub. Checks for claimed content could increase CPU load and lower FPS in those locations. The impact depended on whether there was unclaimed content and could vary with CPU performance; Capcom said the number of DLCs owned did not affect the issue.
Did the patch improve performance?
The official notes establish what Capcom changed, but report no overall FPS gain or controlled before-and-after results. That distinction matters: the fixes could help with particular CPU-load, VRAM, or location-specific problems without improving every system or every scene to the same degree.
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PC Gamer reported favorable early player reactions on January 28, 2026, including claims about performance and frame-time lows. Those accounts are anecdotal, not controlled tests across matched hardware and settings. They suggest some players noticed a difference, but cannot establish the size or consistency of a gain for all PCs. PC Gamer’s coverage discusses those early reactions.
To judge a result on your own PC, compare the same area and workload before and after, keeping resolution, graphics preset, upscaling and frame-generation settings, and measurement method consistent. A report that changes several of those variables cannot isolate what the patch did.
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Update size and High Resolution Texture Pack
Capcom said the update required about 2.0 GB, or about 31.0 GB total with the High Resolution Texture Pack. The revised pack required an approximately 31 GB re-download; Capcom said the combined change reduced the overall package size by about 45 GB compared with the previous version. Actual download requirements can depend on whether the texture pack is installed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Driver guidance: treat the listed versions as historical
In the January 2026 announcement, Capcom listed NVIDIA GeForce 581.57 or newer and AMD Radeon 25.9.1 or 25.9.2 as driver guidance. It also flagged issues with AMD driver versions 25.10.2 and higher and said the information could change. These were announcement-era notes, not current recommendations; check Capcom’s latest compatibility information and your GPU vendor’s current driver guidance before changing drivers. The original announcement contains the dated details.
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What the patch does—and does not—establish
- Established: Capcom targeted shader-related CPU load, texture streaming and VRAM use, settings, and a Support Desk-related load issue on Steam.
- Not established: a universal FPS increase, a fix for every stutter or crash, or equal results across different PC configurations.
- Scope: this is a Steam update. Capcom lists Monster Hunter Wilds for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, but the patch announcement describes Steam-specific changes. Capcom’s March 2025 release announcement also records the game’s February 28, 2025 launch and says worldwide sales had surpassed 10 million units by March 31, 2025; that sales figure is unrelated to PC performance.
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