Killing Floor 3 low FPS issue: Possible fixes, how to increase

Killing Floor 3 was officially released on July 24, 2025, at 6 am PT / 9 am EDT, and some players have reported performance issues, particularly low FPS on PC. The developers have acknowledged these issues and shared a few workarounds to help the community enjoy a smoother experience.

Set in the year 2091, Killing Floor 3 follows the rebel group Nightfall as they rise against the megacorp Horzine, which has unleashed bio-engineered enemies known as Zeds. As part of Nightfall, players become humanity's last line of defense.

The game is available on all major platforms — PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store) — and features full cross-platform support for up to six players. Notably, the FPS issues currently seem to affect only PC players.

This article lists some potential fixes that may help stabilize your FPS, eliminate stuttering and frame drops, and possibly improve overall performance in Killing Floor 3.

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Potential fixes to resolve the low FPS issue in Killing Floor 3

Low FPS or general performance issues in Killing Floor 3 may arise from several factors, including large party sizes, graphical customization, cache problems, and more. Below are some of the workarounds you can try:

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1) Lower the party size

If you're playing in a large party and experiencing FPS drops or stuttering, the issue might be tied to the number of players in the match. Try reducing your party size and check if the performance improves.

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2) Use graphical presets instead of custom settings

Killing Floor 3 pre-caches shaders based on selected graphical presets (Low, Medium, High, or Ultra). If you manually tweak individual settings, the game may generate new shaders, which can cause stuttering. It’s recommended to stick with the default presets for smoother performance.

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3) Lower your graphics settings

The game’s optimization currently needs refinement, so using lower graphics settings can help increase FPS and provide a more stable experience.

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4) Adjust your GPU shader cache settings

Some players have reported extremely low FPS on startup due to their GPU’s shader cache configuration. For NVIDIA users:

• Open NVIDIA Control Panel.
• Go to Manage 3D Settings under the 3D Settings tab.
• Locate Shader Cache Size.
• If it's set to Low, change it to Driver Default.

This change may help the game utilize shaders more efficiently.

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5) Close background applications

Killing Floor 3 is heavily CPU-dependent. If you’re facing performance issues, ensure no unnecessary background applications are running.

Also:

• Turn off NVIDIA Reflex, as it may negatively impact performance otherwise.
• Add the game to your antivirus/firewall’s allow list, as security software can sometimes interfere with performance.

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6) Change the frame cap setting

By default, the game has a frame cap of 60 FPS. To change it:

• Go to Settings and under the Video tab.
• Find Frame Rate Cap.
• Change it to Unlimited or set it according to your monitor’s refresh rate.

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7) Disable Lumen Lighting and Reflections

Lumen-based lighting and reflections can heavily impact performance. Disabling these options from the game's graphics settings can result in a noticeable FPS boost.

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8) Revert to factory default hardware settings

If you’ve overclocked your CPU or GPU (via tools like MSI Afterburner), this could lead to instability or FPS drops. Try reverting your hardware to factory default settings to see if it resolves the issue.

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These are all the known workarounds you can try to address Killing Floor 3’s current low FPS and performance issues.

The developers have acknowledged these problems and confirmed that performance improvements are planned for the first content drop in the Rearmament update, which should further optimize the gameplay experience post-launch.