How to improve FPS in Split Fiction (PC)
Split Fiction is Hazelight Studios' new co-op game, the creators of It Takes Two, and once again it's built 100% around being played by two people. Built on Unreal Engine 5 with Lumen and Nanite, the game constantly jumps between neon-and-particle-heavy sci-fi settings and fantasy levels with dense vegetation and volumetric effects, each with a completely different performance profile. On top of that, local co-op forces two simultaneous cameras to render on the same screen, effectively doubling the load on the GPU. This guide helps you understand why your FPS can vary so much from one chapter to another and which settings make a real difference in each render pass.
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Calculations based on our FPS model combined with the % gain of each setting (measured in public benchmarks).
1. Quick wins (no visual loss)
Start here. Each one adds a little, but together they give +55% free FPS.
Screen Resolution (per panel in split-screen)
In local mode, each half of the screen renders as an independent view, so internal render resolution weighs twice as much as in a solo game. Lowering the fullscreen resolution percentage to 85% is barely noticeable on an already-small panel but frees up a considerable GPU margin. It's the best cost-benefit setting if you're playing on the same couch.
Motion Blur
Split Fiction leans heavily on motion blur in its chase and flight sequences to sell a sense of speed, but that effect adds a post-processing cost across two simultaneous local views. Disabling it not only frees up performance but improves perceived sharpness during the most chaotic stretches.
Effects Quality
Particles from the sci-fi sections (explosions, holograms, metal sparks) and the weather effects from the fantasy sections (magic dust, dragon fire) are among the elements that spike GPU load the most in set-pieces. Dropping from Ultra to Medium noticeably trims frametime spikes without the overall visual impact being noticeable outside those specific moments.
View Distance
Many of Split Fiction's settings are linear-design hallways with decorative more than gameplay-relevant horizons, so dropping from Ultra to High barely affects level readability. The savings mainly come from reducing Nanite streaming in very open fantasy-landscape stretches.
Anti-Aliasing (TSR)
TSR (Temporal Super Resolution) is UE5's native method and its cost scales with the chosen quality. In local split screen, where each panel already has lower effective resolution, lowering TSR to Medium reduces load without generating the aggressive aliasing that would be noticeable at full resolution.
2. Medium impact settings
Here's where most of the FPS is. Minor visual impact, major performance impact.
Global Illumination (Lumen)
Lumen is responsible for much of the visual coherence between the game's sci-fi and fantasy worlds, but its cost in split screen is brutal because it's calculated separately for each camera. Dropping it from High/Ultra to Medium is the single setting that frees up the most FPS in scenes with complex dynamic lighting, in exchange for somewhat less precise light bounces.
Shadow Quality
Lumen's dynamic shadows get recalculated for each view in split screen, doubling their real cost. Lowering to Medium softens contours at medium distances but keeps correct contact shadows on characters, which is what's most noticeable when playing co-op.
Nanite / Geometry Detail
Nanite automatically manages geometry detail level, but the overall quality slider affects how many triangles get resolved per frame in the densest fantasy-section settings. Dropping from Ultra to High reduces GPU load in those stretches without generating the noticeable popping that appears on Low.
Post-Processing (bloom, DOF, chromatic aberration)
Post-processing effects pile up especially in the story's dreamlike sequences, where the game stacks several layers of bloom and depth of field. Lowering them to Medium frees up some performance without distorting the art direction too much.
3. Upscaling (DLSS / FSR / XeSS)
The biggest gain in the game. Compatible with almost any modern GPU.
NVIDIA DLSS 3
+45% FPSDLSS 3 with Frame Generation is the most powerful option on RTX 40 and 50-series cards, and is especially useful in local split screen, where each panel benefits from a lighter internal render. In Balanced or Performance mode it more than compensates for Lumen's added cost in action sequences.
AMD FSR 3
+35% FPSFSR 3 works on any modern GPU, not just AMD, and its Frame Generation helps smooth out the frametime spikes typical of particle-heavy set-pieces. Image quality is somewhat below DLSS in fast motion, which matters given the constant use of motion blur and dynamic cameras.
Intel XeSS
+30% FPSXeSS offers a good balance on Intel Arc GPUs and is a reasonable alternative on cards from other brands without their own frame generation support. In Balanced mode it keeps a stable image during flight and chase stretches, though with somewhat more ghosting than DLSS 3.
4. Tips by GPU
NVIDIA
- •Enable DLSS 3 with Frame Generation from the graphics menu; this is where the net FPS gain is most noticeable in local split screen.
- •Use Reflex if available to offset the latency added by Frame Generation, especially in precise platforming stretches.
- •On RTX 30 cards without Frame Generation, prioritize lowering Lumen before forcing DLSS Quality, since global illumination is the biggest bottleneck.
AMD
- •Combine FSR 3 with Anti-Lag+ to reduce the input-lag feel that Frame Generation introduces during fast action sections.
- •On mid-range RDNA 2/3 GPUs, lower Effects Quality before Global Illumination if you prioritize smoothness over lighting fidelity.
- •Check that drivers are updated to the latest version compatible with Unreal Engine 5.4, since several shader-compilation hangs were fixed there.
Sistema
- •Install the game on an SSD: asset streams when switching genres (sci-fi to fantasy) are aggressive and on HDD generate noticeable hitches when loading textures.
- •If you play local split screen, close background applications: the CPU also splits work between the two views and any extra process shows up as frametime spikes.
- •Let the game precompile shaders on first launch (initial loading bar) to avoid micro-stutters during your first sessions.
5. Known game issues
Frame rate drops when switching chapter/genre
When moving from a sci-fi zone to a fantasy one (or vice versa) it's common to notice a momentary FPS drop while the engine unloads and loads new assets and lighting configurations. It usually lasts a few seconds and is minimized by keeping the game on an SSD.
Shader compilation stuttering in the first session
As in many UE5 titles, the first playthrough after installing or after a driver update can show hitching while shaders compile on the fly. Playing a few minutes on a calm level before an action scene helps "warm up" the cache.
Estado: Patch 1.03
Uneven performance split in split screen
Some players report that in local split screen one panel can suffer more FPS drops than the other during asymmetric scenes, where each character sees different effects in their half. Lowering global Effects Quality usually evens out the experience between both panels.
6. Frequently asked questions
Why does my FPS vary so much between chapters in Split Fiction?▾
How much performance do I lose playing local split screen versus solo?▾
Which setting should I touch first if I'm short on FPS in split screen?▾
Is it worth enabling DLSS 3 or FSR 3 with Frame Generation in this game?▾
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Calculate FPS for Split Fiction →Calculations based on consensus of technical sources and our own FPS model. More about our methodology →