Hogwarts Legacy Guide: Fix Stuttering and Improve Performance

Experiencing stuttering and freezes in Hogwarts Legacy can severely impact your gameplay, especially during intense combat situations. Many players have reported these performance issues, which can be frustrating when exploring the magical world. This guide provides unofficial fixes that may help reduce or eliminate stuttering in Hogwarts Legacy on PC, focusing on tweaks to the Engine.ini file and updating your DLSS settings. While these are not official solutions, they have proven effective for some users in improving game smoothness.

Engine.ini Tweaks for Stuttering Reduction

Modifying the Engine.ini file can adjust how your system resources are allocated when running Hogwarts Legacy. This can sometimes alleviate stuttering issues by optimizing resource management.

Caution: Before making any changes, it is highly recommended to back up your original Engine.ini file. This allows you to revert to the original settings if needed.

1. Navigate to the Hogwarts Legacy configuration folder. You can usually find it at this location:

   C:Users%USERNAME%AppDataLocalHogwarts LegacySavedConfigWindowsNoEditor

2. Locate the Engine.ini file within this folder.

3. Open Engine.ini with a text editor like Notepad.

4. Add the following lines to the bottom of the file:

   [SystemSettings]
   r.bForceCPUAccessToGPUSkinVerts=True
   r.GTSyncType=1
   r.OneFrameThreadLag=1
   r.FinishCurrentFrame=0
   r.TextureStreaming=1
   r.Streaming.LimitPoolSizeToVRAM=1
   
   [ConsoleVariables]
   AllowAsyncRenderThreadUpdates=1
   AllowAsyncRenderThreadUpdatesDuringGamethreadUpdates=1
   AllowAsyncRenderThreadUpdatesEditor=1

5. Save the changes to the Engine.ini file.

These settings are designed to potentially improve resource allocation and reduce lag, which can contribute to smoother gameplay and less stuttering. For those interested in the technical details, further information can be found in the Unreal Engine 4 documentation, although understanding game development knowledge is helpful for interpreting these details.

Update DLSS for RTX Graphics Cards

For users with NVIDIA RTX series graphics cards, updating to the latest DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) profile can also contribute to performance improvements. DLSS is a technology that can boost frame rates while maintaining visual quality.

1. Manually download the latest DLSS DLL file from TechPowerUp: https://www.techpowerup.com/download/nvidia-dlss-dll/

2. Follow the instructions on the download page to replace the existing DLSS DLL file in your Hogwarts Legacy game directory with the newly downloaded version. This usually involves finding the game’s installation folder and locating the older nvngx_dlss.dll file to replace.

Keeping your DLSS profile up to date ensures you are benefiting from the latest optimizations and potential performance enhancements offered by NVIDIA.

Set In-Game Frame Rate Limit

Finally, ensure your in-game frame rate limit is appropriately set.

1. Access the in-game settings menu in Hogwarts Legacy.
2. Navigate to the graphics or display settings.
3. Set the frame rate limit to match your monitor’s refresh rate. For example, if you have a 144Hz monitor, set the frame rate limit to 144 FPS.

Setting the frame rate limit to match your monitor’s capabilities can help synchronize the game’s output with your display, potentially reducing screen tearing and contributing to smoother gameplay.

By implementing these unofficial fixes – tweaking the Engine.ini file, updating DLSS for RTX users, and setting an appropriate frame rate limit – you may experience a noticeable reduction in stuttering and freezing in Hogwarts Legacy, leading to a more enjoyable and immersive gaming experience. Remember to test these changes and adjust settings as needed to find what works best for your system.