The Blood of Dawnwalker Director Questions 120 FPS Demands As PC Optimization Continues

The conversation surrounding PC performance in modern AAA releases remains a highly debated topic, and The Blood of Dawnwalker has recently found itself at the center of this exact discussion. As players continue exploring the gothic, cursed landscapes of Vale Sangora, the game’s heavy reliance on Unreal Engine 5 features has caused some friction for users expecting sky-high frame rates on top-tier hardware.

In a recent interview with Eurogamer, Rebel Wolves director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz addressed these performance complaints directly, offering a candid perspective on what frame rates are actually necessary for a story-driven role-playing game, while simultaneously reassuring fans that further PC optimization is on the way.

The 120 FPS Debate: Director Responds

For years, the PC gaming community has treated 60 FPS as the baseline and 120 FPS or higher as the gold standard for premium hardware. However, Tomaszkiewicz expressed confusion over demands for 120+ FPS in The Blood of Dawnwalker. According to his statements, while high frame rates are vital for competitive twitch-shooters, an atmospheric, narrative-focused RPG does not inherently benefit from them in the same way.

The director emphasized that the studio’s primary goal was to ensure the game is “perfectly playable” and visually striking at a locked 60 FPS. The visual fidelity required to render the dual nature of the game—the bright, highly detailed human world during the day and the volumetric fog-drenched, heavily shadowed vampire world at night—pushes modern hardware to its limits. Rendering the complex geometry of Vale Sangora alongside intensive global illumination means that chasing 120 FPS would likely require massive compromises to the game’s artistic vision and environmental density.

Despite his stance on ultra-high frame rates, Tomaszkiewicz did not dismiss the ongoing performance issues affecting some users. He confirmed that the team at Rebel Wolves is still actively working on optimizing the PC build. The focus is currently on eliminating stuttering, smoothing out frame pacing during the transition between day and night, and ensuring that those playing on the recommended specifications can maintain a stable 60 FPS without sudden drops during heavy combat sequences.

Embracing 30 FPS for Cinematic Immersion

Interestingly, while a vocal portion of the PC community chases higher frame rates, a different subset of players is moving in the exact opposite direction. Across community forums, several dedicated players have reported manually locking their games to 30 FPS.

Why choose a lower frame rate? For many, it comes down to cinematic immersion. The Blood of Dawnwalker features heavy, deliberate animations, cinematic camera angles during execution moves, and a heavily stylized art direction. Some players feel that the ultra-smooth motion of 60 or 120 FPS makes the game look artificially sped up, detracting from the weighty, grim atmosphere of the dark fantasy setting.

One prominent community member noted that switching to a 30 FPS quality mode made them feel completely immersed, stating it felt like “being in a movie.” This player also praised the game’s lack of hand-holding and its 30-day time limit mechanic, pointing out that if you plan your upgrades and quest routes correctly, completing the entire world within the strict timeline is incredibly rewarding.

What to Expect in the October Update

For players who are holding off until the technical edges are smoothed out, the upcoming October patch promises significant changes. According to recent reports, this patch will be a major milestone for the game’s post-launch support.

While the exact release date in October is still pending, the patch notes reportedly include:

• A New Story Difficulty: Designed for players who want to experience the rich narrative and character interactions without being severely punished by the game’s demanding combat encounters.
• Reworked Combat Targeting: The lock-on system, which has drawn some criticism when fighting groups of fast-moving enemies like feral ghouls, is being overhauled for smoother target switching.
• Improved Combat Escapes: Fleeing a fight that has gone horribly wrong will be made slightly more manageable, preventing enemies from endlessly chaining attacks as you try to disengage.
• PC Optimization: Further tweaks to memory management to address the frame-pacing issues mentioned earlier.

These adjustments indicate that Rebel Wolves is closely monitoring feedback regarding the combat system, particularly from players who felt certain encounters suffered from “HP bloat” on standard difficulties.

Community Discoveries: All Four Broad Swing Manual Locations

While waiting for the October patch to tweak combat targeting, players can significantly improve their crowd-control capabilities right now by tracking down hidden skill manuals.

The Broad Swing technique is arguably one of the most vital upgrades in the game, allowing your character to hit multiple enemies in a single arc. This is essential when you are surrounded by smaller, weaker enemies and need to clear space to focus on a larger threat. The community has managed to track down four different locations where these manuals can be found.

If you are missing the Broad Swing manual, check these four specific camps:

1. Leslea Glean (Outlaw Gorge Shrine): Fast travel to the Outlaw Gorge Shrine. Head slightly north to find a small bandit encampment. You will need to take out the bandits and loot the body of the bandit leader to claim the manual.
2. Verdera Marsh: Fast travel to the Verdera Marsh Shrine and head directly north. You will encounter a heavily guarded bandit camp in the swamp. The manual is not on a body this time; look for a reinforced chest near the main tents.
3. Soldier Camp (Wood Cutter Camp Shrine): Head south from the Wood Cutter Camp Shrine until you stumble upon a military encampment. Inside the camp, locate the main supply tent. The manual is stored inside a large chest at the back of the tent.
4. Lower Maragir Wealds: Near the Lower Maragir Wealds Shrine, track down the local bandit camp hidden in the dense foliage. Search the chests in the area to secure the final spawn location for the manual.

Acquiring this manual early in your playthrough drastically reduces the difficulty of mid-game encounters and is highly recommended before tackling the higher-tier bounty missions.

Looking Ahead: Sequels and Feature Wishlists

Rebel Wolves has already been transparent about their intentions to create a sprawling, century-spanning franchise. With The Blood of Dawnwalker establishing a strong foundation, the community is already compiling feature wishlists for the inevitable sequel.

Top requested features include a dedicated, robust stealth system. Currently, players have a basic crouch and a “Death From Above” strike, but for a game where you play as a nocturnal apex predator, the community feels true stalking mechanics are missing. Additionally, players are questioning the need for torches when playing as a vampire, requesting innate night vision mechanics instead.

There is also intense speculation regarding the game’s lore. One particular side quest heavily teases the existence of werewolves within this universe, though they never make a physical appearance. Fans are hoping that the sequel will fully introduce lycanthropes as a major faction or enemy type, perhaps exploring how they clash with the established vampire hierarchies. As the timeline moves forward closer to the Renaissance era, players are also anticipating the introduction of early firearms to mix up the established swordplay and hex magic.

For now, players have their hands full navigating the deadly politics of Vale Sangora. With the October patch right around the corner, The Blood of Dawnwalker is poised to offer an even more refined experience for both returning veterans and newcomers alike.