In an effort to address the performance issues within the early access version of No Rest for the Wicked, the developers have released three hotfixes that have significantly improved the game's stability and framerates.

The first hotfix focused on addressing concerns regarding the weapon durability system, while the second and third hotfixes targeted optimizations for the prologue's intense ship battle sequence, which previously caused significant performance drops due to the complex sea, rain, and fire effects.

According to reports, players have noticed a remarkable difference in performance, even on older graphics cards. Testing with a GTX 1060 yielded positive results, with the GPU capable of maintaining above 30fps on the lowest quality preset, Performance, at 1080p resolution. Previously, the prologue suffered from sporadic drops to the low 20-25fps range, but now it consistently maintains above 40fps, except for the final rain-soaked fight, which remained playable at 30-35fps. Furthermore, the game performed even smoother on land, averaging at 56fps.

The hotfixes were also put to the test on the Steam Deck, a handheld gaming device, although the improvements were less noticeable due to the default settings targeting a dynamic resolution of 30fps. In challenging sections, the device maintained around 30fps, while in less demanding areas, it achieved around 40fps. However, players observed a decreased frequency in resolution lowering, suggesting that the game is not compromising visual quality as often as before in order to maintain a stable framerate.

While progress has been made in improving the game's performance, there are still some issues that need to be addressed. Stuttering remains a problem, especially on the Steam Deck, and the lack of advanced graphics options is another area that players hope will be expanded upon. Additionally, the framerate drops during cutscenes continue to be a source of frustration for players, though the recent updates have somewhat alleviated this problem.

Overall, the hotfixes have shown promising improvements in No Rest for the Wicked's performance, particularly on low-end GPUs. Players can expect a more stable and enjoyable gaming experience, although further refinements and optimizations are still anticipated before the game's full release.