Update Halloween: The Game before tuning it. Patch 1.1.0 adds PC shader precompilation at startup, so let that preparation finish before judging gameplay. Then start with ray tracing and frame generation off, work down from Medium where you need more headroom, and protect the dark-scene detail that helps you spot movement.
A faster preset is only useful if you can still read dark corners and react cleanly. Keep Texture Quality where it is unless memory use, texture pop-in or texture hitching gives you a reason to lower it. On an RTX GPU, DLSS Quality is worth comparing with a native-resolution reference once you have a stable baseline.
Updated October 8, 2026: Patch 1.1.0 is the latest official update listed when this guide was checked. Its announced changes are current; the settings table below carries forward the launch-menu starting point. It is not a newly measured 1.1.0 preset.
Let the new shader preparation finish first
Patch 1.1.0, released October 6, says shaders now precompile at PC startup. Give that work time to finish before comparing routes or changing graphics settings. A busy startup and a hitch during an otherwise settled match are different problems, and mixing them into one FPS result makes the next change harder to choose.
The developer also reports improved DLSS, FSR and XeSS performance, improved CPU and GPU performance across maps, and added DLSS-G support. Those changes make an old tuning result worth revisiting. They don’t establish how much faster your PC will run, or promise that every hitch is gone.
Apply settings changes and follow any Restart Required! message. That prompt was added in 1.1.0 for settings that need a restart; the notes do not identify a complete list. Restart when asked before deciding a change did nothing.
Best Halloween: The Game settings to start with
Start with Ray Tracing and frame generation off. Put Global Illumination Quality, Reflection Quality, Shadow Quality, Effects Quality, Foliage Quality and Post-Process Quality at Medium. If gameplay is still too slow, try Low on one of those settings and judge both the picture and performance before moving to another.
| Launch-menu setting | Start here | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
Resolution | Native display resolution | Keep the image sharp; use an available upscaler if you want a lower internal resolution. |
VSync | Keep your current value | Try Off and On if you see tearing or added input delay. |
Frame Rate Limit | Unlimited first; try a cap later | A cap can smooth frame delivery if your PC can hold it. Other cap values were not captured. |
Gamma | Set for clear shadow detail | This changes visibility, not rendering speed. |
Motion Blur | Off for clearer movement | Switch it to taste; an FPS gain has not been measured. |
Ray Tracing | Off | Turn it on only to compare the image and performance on your GPU. |
Upscaling Method | RTX: DLSS; otherwise keep the available method | DLSS and TAAU appeared in footage. Compare clarity and FPS in motion. |
Resolution Scale | 100% | Lower it only if you accept a softer image. The full range was not captured. |
Upscaling Quality | Quality with DLSS | Check fine detail, motion clarity, and frame pacing. |
FSR Frame Generation | Off | Test it later and compare rendered FPS, shown FPS, and input response. |
Anti-Aliasing Quality | Medium | Try Low only if shimmer and moving edges remain acceptable. |
Effects Quality | Medium; try Low if needed | Use the same effects-heavy scene and compare FPS and detail. |
Foliage Quality | Medium; try Low if needed | Compare the same outdoor route for visibility and FPS. |
Post-Process Quality | Medium; try Low if needed | Watch image clarity as well as FPS. |
Shading Quality | Medium; try Low if needed | Compare materials and lighting in the same scene. |
Shadow Quality | Medium; try Low if needed | Compare shadow detail and stability in the same scene. |
Texture Quality | Keep your current value | Lower it only if VRAM use, pop-in, or texture hitching points here. |
View Distance | Medium; try Low if needed | Check long sightlines for lost detail or visibility. |
Global Illumination Quality | Medium; try Low if needed | Compare dark-scene lighting and FPS. |
Reflection Quality | Medium; try Low if needed | Compare reflection detail and stability. |
Medium gives you somewhere sensible to begin without stripping the whole scene down at once. Treat the table as a shortlist: ray tracing is optional image quality, textures need a memory-related reason to change, and lighting deserves attention because this is a game played in dark streets and interiors.
Choose clarity or responsiveness before chasing a bigger counter
For multiplayer response, establish how the game feels with frame generation off. For a sharper balanced image, keep native output resolution and compare the available upscaler against that reference. Quality mode is the DLSS starting recommendation carried forward from the launch guide; check thin objects and moving edges before choosing a more aggressive mode.
Rendered FPS counts the frames the game actually renders. Presented FPS can also include generated frames. DLSS-G support in the new patch gives you another option to investigate, but a larger presented number does not by itself show fresher input or lower latency. Get the underlying gameplay to a point you’re happy with, then decide whether generated frames improve the experience.
Choose your first comparison
Let startup shader preparation finish before comparing gameplay.
Launch-menu starting advice; current 1.1.0 menu and gains not rechecked.
Your starting path
Read all six starting paths
| Goal and availability | Starting path |
|---|---|
| Multiplayer response + DLSS available | Keep ray tracing and frame generation off. Start global illumination, reflections, shadows, effects, foliage and post-processing at Medium; keep textures unchanged unless loading/memory symptoms point there. Compare available DLSS Quality against a native reference. Try one relevant Medium setting at Low if gameplay remains slow. |
| Multiplayer response + DLSS unavailable/unsure | Keep ray tracing and frame generation off. Start global illumination, reflections, shadows, effects, foliage and post-processing at Medium; keep textures unchanged unless loading/memory symptoms point there. Keep your available upscaling method unchanged for the first comparison. Try one relevant Medium setting at Low if gameplay remains slow. |
| Balanced picture + DLSS available | Keep ray tracing and frame generation off. Start global illumination, reflections, shadows, effects, foliage and post-processing at Medium; keep textures unchanged unless loading/memory symptoms point there. Compare available DLSS Quality against a native reference. Inspect dark corners and moving edges before giving up more detail. |
| Balanced picture + DLSS unavailable/unsure | Keep ray tracing and frame generation off. Start global illumination, reflections, shadows, effects, foliage and post-processing at Medium; keep textures unchanged unless loading/memory symptoms point there. Keep your available upscaling method unchanged for the first comparison. Inspect dark corners and moving edges before giving up more detail. |
| Native reference + DLSS available | Keep native output resolution and use the available native/reference options in your build, with ray tracing and frame generation off. Then compare available DLSS Quality as one separate change. Keep other settings fixed so you can judge the image difference. |
| Native reference + DLSS unavailable/unsure | Keep native output resolution and use the available native/reference options in your build, with ray tracing and frame generation off. Keep the available upscaling method fixed for the reference. Keep other settings fixed so you can judge the image difference. |

Keep Haddonfield readable
Turning everything to Low can change the lighting, foliage and post-processing that shape a dark scene. The cheapest-looking picture is a poor bargain if it makes movement harder for you to read. Check the same shadowed corner and outdoor sightline when you lower a setting; keep the change only if the resulting image still works for you.
Gamma belongs to that visibility decision. Set it so shadow detail is clear on your display. Motion Blur: Off is a useful preference for clearer movement. Neither recommendation here comes with a measured FPS gain.
Textures deserve a separate decision. A consistently low frame rate alone isn’t a reason to lower every texture. Pop-in or hitches while textures load, together with memory pressure, make Texture Quality a more useful candidate. There is no fixed VRAM threshold in this guide that guarantees a particular texture setting.
What does this setting cost the picture?
Launch-menu starting advice; current 1.1.0 menu and gains not rechecked.
- Start
- Picture tradeoff
- Watch
Read all 18 setting tradeoffs
| Setting | Start | Picture tradeoff | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Tracing | Off | Compare the changed lighting and effects before deciding they are worth the rendering cost; no game-specific cost is measured here. | Average FPS, frame pacing, image difference |
| Global Illumination Quality | Medium; compare Low | Dark scenes may lose lighting detail. | Same scene, same weather |
| Reflection Quality | Medium; compare Low | Reflections may look less detailed or stable. | Same camera path |
| Shadow Quality | Medium; compare Low | Shadows may lose detail or stability. | Same time/scene |
| Effects Quality | Medium; compare Low | Busy effects may lose detail. | Repeat an effects-heavy sequence |
| Foliage Quality | Medium; compare Low | Outdoor scenes may show less vegetation detail or density. | Same outdoor route |
| Post-Process Quality | Medium; compare Low | Some post effects may look simpler, and clarity can shift. | Image clarity plus performance |
| Texture Quality | Keep current; change only with VRAM evidence | Lower values reduce texture detail. There is no fixed VRAM threshold to target. | VRAM use, texture pop-in, hitching |
| View Distance | Medium; compare Low only if needed | Long sightlines may lose detail or visibility. | Same long sightline |
| Shading Quality | Medium; compare Low | Materials and lighting may look flatter. | Same scene, screenshots |
| Anti-Aliasing Quality | Medium; compare Low | Edges may shimmer more, especially while moving. | Motion clarity plus performance |
| Upscaling (DLSS where available) | Compare Quality on RTX with a native reference | Lower internal resolution may improve GPU-limited performance, with scene-dependent clarity. Current menu labels are not rechecked. | Fine detail and motion clarity alongside FPS |
| Resolution Scale | 100% | Lowering the scale may improve speed at the cost of a softer image. The full launch-menu range was not captured. | FPS and fine-detail clarity |
| Frame generation | Off for the baseline | Presented FPS may include generated frames without improving base/render FPS or input response. Patch 1.1.0 lists added DLSS-G support; use only options available to your hardware and build. | Rendered FPS, presented FPS and input response |
| Frame Rate Limit | Unlimited first; test a sustainable cap | A sustainable cap can trade peak FPS for steadier delivery. The full list of available caps is unknown. | Frame-time consistency and input response |
| VSync | Keep your current value; compare off/on | Turning it on may remove tearing, but input response and pacing can feel different. | Tearing, input response, frame pacing |
| Motion Blur | Preference; off for comparison clarity | Turning it off sharpens camera movement for some players; no FPS gain has been measured. | Visual clarity in camera motion |
| Gamma | Calibrate for visibility | Use it to make shadow detail readable, not to gain FPS. | Shadow detail and visibility |

Make one comparison you can trust
After startup preparation, use the same route for each comparison. Repeat your movement and camera turns, keep resolution fixed, and match weather and NPC activity as closely as the game allows. Do one warm-up run, then compare three runs with one setting changed. Look at average FPS, uneven frame delivery, image quality and input response; keep a change that helps repeatedly.
Frame pacing describes how evenly frames arrive. It explains why a steadier result can be preferable to a higher average with obvious hitches. If your frame rate wanders, compare Frame Rate Limit: Unlimited with a cap your PC can hold during the route. A sustainable cap may help pacing; a cap above the performance you can sustain cannot make the missing frames appear.
Keep frame generation off for that baseline. If you compare it later, separate rendered and presented FPS in your notes. Otherwise you can mistake a higher output counter for an improvement in the work the game itself is rendering.
Fix the symptom that remains
Once preparation is complete, the pattern of the problem matters more than another wholesale preset swap.
- Consistently low FPS: try the Medium-to-Low shortlist above. A lower internal resolution or an available upscaler is worth comparing if rendering load is the limit; it will not solve every CPU limit or intermittent hitch.
- Hitches after startup preparation: look for the trigger along a repeatable route. Note new areas, texture loading, weather and NPC activity. Our PC game stuttering guide helps with checks beyond this game’s menu.
- Texture pop-in or loading hitches: compare a lower texture setting and watch GPU memory use. Keep the other settings steady so the result answers the texture question.
- Crashes: install current updates first. Patch 1.1.0 lists fixes for certain AMD-hardware crashes, Story Mode crashes and execution crashes. A remaining crash needs its own report; lowering shadows is not an established cure.
- Multiplayer connection trouble: distinguish an interrupted connection from uneven local frame delivery. A graphics preset cannot repair a lost connection.
If crashes persist, send the build, PC specifications, driver version and what happened before the crash to official Halloween support (opens in a new tab). Those details give support something concrete to investigate.
Build a checklist for what remains
Choose the symptoms you see. These checks guide your next comparison; they do not diagnose a cause.
Launch-menu starting advice; current 1.1.0 menu and gains not rechecked.
Your next checks
Keep unrelated settings fixed while you compare.
Use the official support link above if a crash or connection failure persists.
Read all seven symptom checklists
Low average FPS
- Let startup shader preparation finish before comparing gameplay.
- Use ray tracing and frame generation off, with the launch-menu Medium shortlist as a starting point.
- Compare one relevant quality setting at Low, or an available upscaler if rendering load is the limit. Keep the picture readable.
Uneven frame pacing or stutter
- Let startup shader preparation finish before comparing gameplay.
- Repeat a warmed-up route and note new areas, texture loading, weather and NPC activity alongside frame delivery.
- Compare a sustainable frame cap available in your menu. Startup shader preparation does not establish that all remaining hitches are fixed.
Input feels delayed
- Keep frame generation off and judge rendered gameplay before testing generated output.
- Compare VSync states while observing tearing and input response; compare a sustainable cap separately.
- A higher presented FPS counter does not by itself prove lower latency.
Image looks blurry or unstable
- Use native output resolution and the available native/reference options for a clear comparison point.
- Compare available DLSS Quality on RTX or your available upscaler against that reference in motion.
- Inspect thin objects and moving edges before changing anti-aliasing or using a more aggressive upscaling mode.
Texture loading or possible memory pressure
- Note texture pop-in and loading hitches together with GPU memory use.
- Lower Texture Quality by one available step and keep other settings fixed.
- Restore the prior value if symptoms do not improve; there is no fixed measured VRAM cutoff here.
Crashes
- Install current updates. Patch 1.1.0 lists fixes for certain AMD-hardware, Story Mode and execution crashes; it does not establish that every crash is resolved.
- Verify game files through your storefront and return overclocks/undervolts to known-stable settings if relevant.
- Preserve the crash report, build, Windows version, GPU driver and preceding action for official support.
Party or connection trouble
- Separate a lost connection or failed party transition from uneven local frame delivery.
- Confirm party members are on the current build and note platforms, region, timestamp and the transition that fails.
- Use official support for a repeatable failure. Graphics changes cannot repair a lost connection.
Halloween: The Game PC system requirements
The official CPU entries specify platform generations rather than individual processor models. Both tiers call for Windows 11 64-bit, DirectX 12, broadband internet and 45 GB of SSD/NVMe storage.
| Tier | OS | CPU wording | RAM | GPU | API | Network | Storage | Published target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Windows 11 64-bit | Intel LGA 1200+ / AMD AM4+ (Zen 2+) | 16 GB | GTX 1660+ / RX 590+ / Arc A770+ | DirectX 12 | Broadband internet | 45 GB; SSD/NVMe required | 1080p at 30 FPS |
| Recommended | Windows 11 64-bit | Intel LGA 1700+ / AMD AM5+ | 32 GB | RTX 3000 series / RX 7000 series | DirectX 12 | Broadband internet | 45 GB; SSD/NVMe required | 4K at 30 FPS |
The listings do not disclose the preset, render scale, upscaler, frame-generation mode or ray-tracing state used for their 1080p/30-FPS and 4K/30-FPS targets. Treat them as publisher targets with unspecified rendering conditions. The socket wording also doesn’t identify every individual processor that meets the target.
FAQ
What are the best Halloween: The Game settings for FPS?
Update the game and let startup shader preparation finish. As a starting point carried forward from the launch menu, leave ray tracing and frame generation off and use Medium for global illumination, reflections, shadows, effects, foliage and post-processing. Try Low one setting at a time if needed. This is not a measured Patch 1.1.0 optimum.
What changed for PC performance in Patch 1.1.0?
The October 6 patch notes say PC shaders now precompile at startup, add DLSS-G support, and report improved DLSS, FSR and XeSS performance plus CPU and GPU improvements across maps. Those are developer-announced changes; no measured FPS gain for your PC is established here.
Should I use DLSS in Halloween: The Game?
On an RTX GPU, compare the available DLSS Quality option with a native-resolution reference. Quality is the starting recommendation retained from the launch menu; the current 1.1.0 menu labels have not been visually rechecked. Look at motion clarity, fine detail and frame delivery before choosing a more aggressive mode.
Should I turn on frame generation in Halloween: The Game?
Leave frame generation off while tuning your baseline, then compare it separately if your build and hardware offer it. The launch menu included FSR Frame Generation, and Patch 1.1.0 lists added DLSS-G support. Presented FPS may include generated frames, so a higher counter does not guarantee better rendered performance or lower input latency.
How do I reduce stutter in Halloween: The Game?
First let the PC startup shader preparation announced in Patch 1.1.0 finish. If gameplay still hitches, repeat the same route and look for triggers such as texture loading, new areas, weather or NPC activity. Change one setting at a time and compare a sustainable frame cap. Shader preparation does not establish that every remaining hitch has been fixed.
What PC specs does Halloween: The Game require?
Minimum calls for Windows 11 64-bit, Intel LGA 1200+ or AMD AM4+ (Zen 2+), 16 GB RAM, GTX 1660+ / RX 590+ / Arc A770+, DirectX 12, broadband internet, and 45 GB on SSD/NVMe for 1080p at 30 FPS. Recommended lists Intel LGA 1700+ or AMD AM5+, 32 GB RAM, and RTX 3000 series / RX 7000 series for 4K at 30 FPS. The preset and rendering details are not disclosed.
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