The ongoing performance issues in Marvel Rivals—from long loading times to memory-related crashes—have become a major source of frustration for its player base. The game’s optimization remains one of its weakest points, with severe stuttering, delayed asset loading, and system strain continuing to affect gameplay. Despite this, the community’s dedication to chaotic matches and quirky characters like Jeff the Land Shark keeps the game alive. To address these issues, the developers are now rolling out an experimental performance fix: Switch Shader Compilation Mode.
Season 2 Update Targets RAM Overload
According to the patch notes for Season 2, this new feature aims to combat excessive RAM usage and streamline the shader compilation process. Players can activate it via the PC launcher once the update is installed.
The feature alters how the game compiles shaders, limiting the process to only occur the first time a player launches the game or after an update to either the game or the graphics drivers. The goal is to significantly reduce loading times and cut down on the excessive use of memory that has been causing frame drops, visual freezes, and frequent crashes.
Performance Gains with a Few Trade-Offs
Once enabled, players may notice immediate improvements in stability and performance. The update promises a sharp reduction in memory consumption, which could minimize the kind of dramatic frame rate dips and visual hangs that many have reported.
However, this solution isn’t without its drawbacks. The development team has warned that:
- Some materials may initially render incorrectly but will correct themselves within a few frames.
- There may be brief stutters at the beginning of matches.
- On systems with six or fewer CPU threads, running both Switch Shader Compilation Mode and AMD’s FSR3 Frame Generation at the same time might lead to increased stuttering.
The developers noted that users with 16GB of RAM or less, who have faced serious technical issues in past seasons, should consider enabling the feature. They emphasized that the support team is prepared to assist anyone encountering new issues after activation, calling it an important step toward a more stable experience.
A Step Toward a Smoother Future
The technical designer behind Marvel Rivals admitted that the game’s voracious RAM usage remains a “very big problem,” but this update is a meaningful first step in the right direction. The development team reassured players that everything is progressing smoothly behind the scenes, despite the complexity of the situation.
While this experimental fix might not resolve every issue, it gives hope to those who have endured sluggish matches and constant crashes. Players eager to return to the battlefield—perhaps to pull off an epic Emma Frost slam or send opponents flying as Jeff—can now do so with the promise of a better-optimized game.
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