Monster Hunter Wilds Patch 1.040.03.01 Quietly Fixes Steam DLC Check That Tanked Performance

This caught my attention because a clever community test suggested the game was spending CPU time checking DLC ownership – and that shouldn’t be happening every frame in your hub. Capcom’s new Ver. 1.040.03.01 looks like a solid, pragmatic response that should actually improve gameplay for affected Steam players.

Monster Hunter Wilds Ver. 1.040.03.01: Steam DLC checks, CPU options, and VRAM trims

• Key Takeaway: Capcom fixed a Steam-specific “claimed content” check that raised CPU load around Base Camp and the Grand Hub, which could tank FPS for some players.
• Key Takeaway: The update adds a CPU tab in Options, reduces unnecessary shader warming, trims VRAM usage (including High Res Texture Pack), and adjusts graphics presets for more control.
• Key Takeaway: Capcom says the issue wasn’t about how many DLCs you own but whether you have unclaimed content. A broader stability/performance update is promised for Feb 18.

{{INFO_TABLE_START}}
Publisher|Capcom
Release Date|Ver. 1.040.03.01 (current) – additional update scheduled Feb 18
Category|Patch / Performance Update
Platform|Steam (fixes are Steam-specific), cross-platform improvements coming Feb 18
{{INFO_TABLE_END}}

What happened – and why the community cared

Earlier this month a user (de_Tylmarande) modded their Steam copy to report all DLC as owned and saw major framerate gains in hubs. That pointed to an always-on “claimed content” check — a small, repeatable CPU task that, when performed often in busy hub areas, added measurable load. Capcom’s patch notes confirm internal testing picked this up: the game could spike CPU load around the Support Desk at Base Camp or Grand Hub due to claimed content status checks (the exclamation-mark notification).

What the patch does

• Optimizes Steam-specific processes and adds options to reduce processing load (the claimed-content check was one target).
• Adds a CPU tab in Options so players can tune CPU-related settings directly.
• Reduces shader-warming tasks performed outside the shader compilation screen, lowering CPU load.
• Adjusts texture streaming and trims the High Resolution Texture Pack to reduce VRAM usage and package size.
• Expands graphics options (new categories, presets adjustments, volumetric fog now has five levels), plus a confirmation prompt when settings auto-update after patching.
• Fixes an AMD driver warning dialog and forces Variable Rate Shading off during upscaling when needed.

Those aren’t glamorous features, but they’re the kind of practical fixes that improve playability more than a new weapon or event. Lowering background shader work and giving players CPU controls directly target the exact symptoms players were reporting.

What Capcom promises next (and why it matters)

Capcom says a broader update will arrive on Feb 18 with cross-platform stability and performance improvements. They specifically mention adding LOD quality levels to 3D model meshes so the game can swap to lower-resolution models for distant objects — a clear GPU-side optimization that should reduce draw cost and VRAM pressure.

Combined with the current patch’s VRAM reductions and shader adjustments, the Feb 18 changes could materially help players on mid-range GPUs and older systems. But results will vary: Capcom notes the FPS drop depended on whether you had unclaimed content and on CPU performance. In other words, not everyone will see the same gains.

What this means for players

• If you were seeing slowdowns in the Grand Hub or Base Camp on Steam, update to Ver. 1.040.03.01 first — it specifically targets that issue.
• Explore the new CPU tab and the expanded graphics presets; lowering volumetric fog and shader-related settings should help lower CPU/GPU load without huge visual loss.
• Keep an eye on Feb 18 — LOD and other GPU-side changes could improve framerate and VRAM usage further, especially on older GPUs.
• Don’t assume more DLC equals better performance — the problem was unclaimed content checks, not how many DLCs you own.

Verdict and context

This is an encouraging, engineering-focused patch. Capcom listened to a specific community report, confirmed it internally, and shipped targeted fixes rather than broad, unfocused changes. It’s a reminder that not all performance problems are GPU-bound — sometimes a small, frequent CPU check can drag down framerate in just the wrong place.

Will it fix everything? No. Player hardware, drivers, and individual settings still matter. But for Steam users hit by the hub FPS drops, this is a meaningful step — and the Feb 18 update could compound those gains with GPU-side improvements.

TL;DR

Capcom’s Ver. 1.040.03.01 fixes a Steam-specific CPU load caused by claimed-content checks in hub areas, adds a CPU options tab, trims shader warming and VRAM use, and tweaks graphics presets. Expect further GPU/LOD work and cross-platform improvements on Feb 18. Update and tweak the new CPU and fog settings if you experienced hub FPS drops.