For fans diving into the vibrant universe of Marvel Rivals, performance optimisation has been a noticeable hurdle. Many players have encountered frustratingly long loading times, disruptive stuttering, and even game-stopping crashes, marring an otherwise enjoyable experience. Here at Digital Tech Explorer, we understand the importance of smooth gameplay, so we’re keenly watching as developers prepare to roll out a promising solution: the “Switch Shader Compilation Mode.”
Explaining the ‘Switch Shader Compilation Mode’ and Its Benefits
The developers of Marvel Rivals announced in their patch notes, “To address the memory overload, we’re unleashing an experimental feature in Season 2: The Switch Shader Compilation Mode.” They further explain, “With the Season 2 update, players can activate this feature through the PC launcher.”
This new mode is designed to bring several enhancements. It modifies the shader compilation process, which will now only execute when first entering the game and after a new game version or graphics driver update. This change is expected to significantly decrease initial loading times. Furthermore, memory usage is “dramatically reduced, cutting down on severe FPS drops, frozen visuals, and crashes triggered by memory shortages.”
Acknowledging Potential Issues
While promising, this fix comes with a few known issues that players should be aware of if they choose to implement it:
- Some materials may render abnormally at first but are expected to correct themselves after a few frames.
- Players might experience a small stutter at the beginning of matches.
- For systems with a limited number of CPU threads (six or fewer), using both the Switch Shader Compilation Mode and AMD FSR3 Frame Generation simultaneously may ironically introduce more stutters.
Despite these potential drawbacks, the developers of Marvel Rivals state that players should consider the benefits. They “recommend that players with 16GB of RAM or less, who have experienced significant FPS drops, frozen screens, or frequent crashes in previous seasons, consider activating this experimental feature.” They also assure players, “And remember, if you encounter any issues after enabling it, our support team stands ready to assist on this quest for an optimal gaming experience.” Tech enthusiasts and gamers alike eagerly anticipate the Season 2 update and the potential for significantly improved game optimisation.