How to Make PC Games Load Faster (5 Steps)
By Marie Cartwright
There are few things that irritate gamers more than a game that won't load properly. While slow load times can often be remedied by altering some computer use habits, sometimes the problem lies within the system hardware or software. By reducing the number of programs competing for processing power and keeping a computer up to date, the load time of games can be dramatically increased.
Step 1
Shut down any other open programs. This will free up RAM to dedicate to running games. While some programs may be lightweight enough to not cause any load time issues, applications such as instant messaging clients, media players, torrent downloading clients or browsers playing streaming media can be a serious drain on a computer's processing power.
Step 2
If the game connects to the Internet, check the firewall settings to make sure that access is not being blocked. The steps for granting firewall exceptions will be different for each type of firewall software, but generally there will be an option labeled "Trusted Programs," "Program Access," or something similar. If the game is being blocked by the firewall, follow the firewall's on-screen instructions to grant access.
Step 3
Visit the game developer's support website to learn if your antivirus software has compatibility issues with the game. While shutting down antivirus software can compromise computer security, some gamers prefer to disable antivirus programs while in game play. However, it is recommended that you find a program that can run alongside the game without problems. Some antivirus programs come with a "Game Mode" option built in.
Step 4
Open the "Start" menu and click "All Programs." Click the "Windows Update" icon to check for driver updates. An outdated video or sound driver can cause load time and performance issues for games. If there are driver updates available, follow the on-screen prompts to download the files.
Step 5
Search the game developer's technical support site to determine if there are known issues between the game and your model of graphics card. If the graphics card is several years old, it is likely that most newly released games will have trouble running on it. It may be time to invest in new hardware.
References
Writer Bio
Marie Cartwright began writing in 2010. Her work has appeared on various websites. Having held office jobs in copywriting and editing, Cartwright now works from her home in Northern California. She also maintains an events website geared toward the science and technology community.