Why Some Games Are Still Not Optimised for PC in 2025

Every PC gamer knows that special feeling when a big game finally releases. You spend months waiting, you pre-order it, clear your weekend schedule, and prepare to enjoy it on your powerful computer. But then you launch the game and face stutters, poor frame rates, and crashes. You adjust settings, get the latest drivers, and even reduce graphics quality, but the problems continue. This situation makes anyone feel upset. You probably wonder – why are we still dealing with these issues in 2025?

You should know that many other gamers experience the same problems. Despite investing large amounts of money in top-quality hardware, they cannot enjoy new games without issues. The gorgeous graphics shown in promotional videos often differ greatly from the actual gaming experience. Let us explore the causes behind these problems and discover possible solutions to improve PC game performance.

Various PC Configurations Lead to Complications

No PC is exactly like another. Some players use an RTX 4060 with 16GB RAM and SSD storage. Others still game on older GTX 1060 cards with only 8GB RAM and traditional hard drives. Some gamers play at 4K resolution with maximum settings while others prefer 1080p with lower quality. The possible combinations of processors, graphics cards, memory, motherboards, monitors, and storage devices are almost endless.

This variety creates significant challenges for game developers. They cannot test their games on every possible computer setup. Most testing happens on a limited number of standard systems. When your PC differs from these test machines, you will likely encounter bugs or performance problems.

Even software factors make a difference. One player uses the newest NVIDIA driver while another has an old AMD driver installed. Some people run multiple programs like Discord, OBS, Chrome, and antivirus software simultaneously with games. All these elements affect how games perform on different computers.

Technology Evolves Too Rapidly

During the past two years, we saw new graphics cards released including the RTX 4080 Super, AMD RX 7900 XTX, and Intel Arc. Processors like the Ryzen 9 7950X3D and Intel i9 14900K continue pushing boundaries. Although this benefits gamers in theory, it also creates more work for game developers.

Rapid hardware changes require software to adapt quickly. Games need testing on both older and newer components. Developers must optimize for different technologies such as DirectX 12, Vulkan, ray tracing, and AI upscaling. Unfortunately, many development teams lack sufficient time or resources to address all these requirements.

Beyond graphics cards, display technology has also evolved. Many gamers now use 144Hz or even 240Hz monitors. However, numerous games still limit frame rates to 60 FPS or fail to properly support variable refresh rates. This causes screen tearing, input lag, or motion blur during gameplay.

Game Companies Rush to Release Games Quickly

Game development studios today work with strict deadlines. Publishers want their games out before holidays or ahead of their competitors. These studios have no choice but to complete games fast. When they delay a release, they face financial losses, project cancellations, or angry customers.

Because of this rush, many games come out unfinished. The developers promise to fix problems and improve performance later with updates. But you as the player become an unpaid tester. You pay full price for a game that is not properly finished.

Some games need a huge “Day One Patch” of 20 to 30 GB right after launch. This shows that the developers were still fixing major problems even after the game was prepared for distribution. Instead of taking more time to perfect the game, companies release it too soon.

Console Games Get More Attention Than PC Games

Most big game studios create games first for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. You can easily buy these console versions or redeem PlayStation gift cards to download them directly from the PlayStation Store. These machines have the same parts in every unit, so making games for them is easier. After finishing the console version, developers then adapt it for computers.

This adaptation process often creates problems. A game made for consoles does not always work well on PC. The controls, graphics, frame rates, screen scaling, and memory use all work differently. When developers hurry this process, PC players suffer.

You can spot these problems when games have locked frame rates, poor mouse support, or limited graphics options. These issues show that the PC version did not get proper attention. Some developers even forget to add basic features like field-of-view adjustment, ultrawide monitor support, or NVIDIA DLSS options.

Recent Games That Had Problems

You can find many examples of poorly optimized PC games released lately. One major case was “Assassin’s Creed Shadows.” The game looked beautiful in advertisements, but after release, many players experienced severe performance drops at high resolutions. Even the powerful RTX 4090 graphics card struggled to maintain 60 frames per second at 4K resolution.

“Monster Hunter Wilds” had another disappointing launch. The console version performed better, while the PC version showed low-quality textures, missing shadow effects, and frame rate drops during important battles. Players shared comparison images on Reddit that revealed how badly the game ran, even on expensive computers.

“The Last of Us Part I” also launched with serious problems on PC. The shader loading took very long times. Many players waited 30 minutes before they could start playing. The game used excessive memory and crashed often. The game became stable only after several updates.

What Gamers Think About This

Gamers express their frustration about these issues openly. If you check Steam forums, YouTube reviews, or Reddit communities like r/pcgaming, you will find thousands of complaints about poor game optimization. Many people regret buying games before release. Others ask for their money back.

Some dedicated players record performance tests and compare results across different game updates. They share their settings, test results, and bug reports. This helps other players, but it also reveals how broken many PC game adaptations are. Popular content creators highlight these problems, which forces developers to address these issues.

Can We Make This Better?

Yes, things can improve. But game makers, publishers, and players need to work together. Here are some solutions:

Use Better Tools for Making Games

Many free and paid tools help make games run better. Intel GPA, NVIDIA Nsight, and AMD Radeon GPU Profiler show how a game is working in real time. Game creators can find problems and fix them early.

Some game engines like Unreal Engine 5 and Unity already have testing tools built in. But people need to use these tools during the whole development process, not just at the end. Companies should have special teams just for testing PC performance.

Create PC Games Separately

Instead of changing console games to work on PC, developers should build the PC version at the same time. This way, both versions get equal attention. Fortnite is one example where developers gave good attention to all platforms. Players can play games, redeem V-Bucks gift cards on PC, console, or mobile without any performance drop. You can add proper keyboard and mouse controls, screen adjustments, and advanced graphics options.

Some game studios like Larian (who made Baldur’s Gate 3) have done this well. They gave full PC support, provided tools for players to modify the game, and allowed custom settings. The game worked well on many different types of computers.

Ask Players for Help Early

Testing with players before launch helps find bugs. Games like “Enshrouded” and “Palworld” did this. Players gave feedback and the developers fixed big problems. This created trust and reduced complaints when the games finally released.

Studios can also share what they fix in updates, accept reports about bugs, and talk with players on Discord or social media. When game creators stay connected with players, they understand real-world problems better.

Use New Technology to Make Games Run Better

DLSS by NVIDIA, FSR by AMD, and XeSS by Intel work on many graphics cards now. These features improve frame rates without making games look worse. Developers should add them to all games.

Automatic setting detection and testing tools also help players set up games for their systems. If a game checks your computer and chooses the best options, you do not waste time trying to figure out which settings work best.

Final Thoughts

You might build a computer with the newest processor, RTX graphics card, and fast storage. But when a poorly made game crashes or stutters, you feel cheated. This is not fair. In 2025, players expect good quality and smooth gameplay when they spend their money.

Game companies must stop treating PC as just another platform. They should see it as a full market with serious players. With good testing, smart tools, early player feedback, and care during development, PC gaming can become much better.

Until then, you need to be careful. Do not buy games before they release. Wait for reviews and see actual gameplay.