There can be various reasons why a game performs poorly. The primary one is when our hardware doesn’t meet the minimum specifications required. It can be challenging to resolve this issue without upgrading components in a desktop computer or replacing the entire system in the case of a laptop, especially if expansion options like RAM have reached the maximum limit supported by the motherboard. However, if the problem is not related to hardware, there are several solutions available.
In most cases, the recommended solution is to uninstall the game completely from our PC and reinstall it. This process can be time-consuming and frustrating at times. However, certain platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store provide a convenient option to verify and repair game files, searching for any errors or incorrect configurations that might be affecting the game’s performance, leading to an unpleasant gaming experience.
This verification process is much quicker than deleting and redownloading the game, and it resolves the majority of issues such as low FPS, crashes, unresponsive controllers, and more, almost 99% of the time. If the problem is occurring with a game on Steam, follow the steps below to troubleshoot the issue:
1. Open Steam and navigate to the game that is experiencing performance problems.
2. Right-click on the game’s title and select “Properties” from the dropdown menu.
3. In the properties window, click on the gear icon located to the right.
4. Choose the option to “Verify Integrity of Game Files” or a similar option provided.
5. The platform will then analyze and repair any corrupted or missing game files, resolving potential issues.
By following these steps, you can effectively address performance problems with your Steam games and enjoy a smoother gaming experience.
Following that, a window will appear with several options. The first one is “General,” which allows us to add parameters to modify the game’s operation, such as setting a specific FPS limit. If we have used any parameters to alter the game’s operation, the first step is to remove them and check if the game starts properly from the beginning. If the issue persists, such as the game closing unexpectedly, taking excessive time to load, or failing to launch at all, we need to proceed to the “Local files” section.
Within the “Local files” section, there are three options available. The one we are interested in is the last one, “Verify integrity of game files.” By clicking on this button, Steam will meticulously examine each and every game file to ensure they are in the same condition as when they were originally downloaded, without any corruption. If any problems are detected during this process, Steam will automatically rectify them by downloading the faulty files.
The duration of this process can vary depending on the type of hard drive where the game is installed and the total size of the game. If the game occupies a significant amount of storage space, spanning several tens of gigabytes, it is advisable to patiently wait for the process to complete.