It appears that Monster Hunter Wilds’ PC performance problems may be linked to the amount of downloadable content a player owns — a discovery made by a single, persistent player.

Reddit user de_Tylmarande shared a detailed analysis of tests conducted using two different accounts: one with no DLC installed and another with multiple DLC packs. According to their findings, the game continuously runs background checks to confirm which add-ons are owned and installed. These checks reportedly place a heavy load on the CPU, leading to noticeable frame-rate drops during gameplay.

To further test the theory, de_Tylmarande created a small mod that tricks the game into believing all DLC is owned — without actually adding any content. With that workaround in place, the game reportedly skipped the repeated verification process entirely. As a result, performance improved dramatically, with Wilds running smoothly in balanced mode and no need for additional CPU boosting.

“The more DLC you own, the better the game performs,” de_Tylmarande wrote in a summary of their findings. “Capcom didn’t do this intentionally, but the way DLC ownership is checked is extremely aggressive and poorly optimized. This isn’t about DRM or anti-cheat — it’s simply a flawed presence check.”

In a follow-up clarification, the user emphasized that the issue appears to be an unintentional coding bug rather than a deliberate design choice, adding that it’s something Capcom should be able to fix.

The original Reddit post was briefly removed from the Monster Hunter subreddit after some users questioned the results. However, as more players ran their own tests and reported similar findings, the post was reinstated.

The situation also caught the attention of Digital Foundry, which confirmed it is investigating the issue. In a preview posted to Patreon, the team said it would examine the alleged CPU saturation caused by DLC checks, using benchmark data from an entry-level Ryzen 5 3600 system.

De_Tylmarande previously identified similar performance issues in the PC version of Dragon’s Dogma 2, work that ultimately helped Capcom resolve those problems. They have since forwarded their findings on Monster Hunter Wilds to Capcom, though no response has been received so far. Polygon has also contacted Capcom for comment and will update its coverage if the company responds.

Despite a strong launch in February 2025 — with more than 10 million copies sold — Monster Hunter Wilds saw sales slow significantly later in the year. Performance concerns have played a role, with older entries in the series beginning to outsell it. On Steam, the game currently holds a “Mixed” user rating, with many reviews specifically citing poor PC performance.