The latest patch to Blizzard’s online collectible card game Hearthstone just launched earlier today. New features include Naga in Battlegrounds, bug fixes, and… a new FPS setting which is set to low by default. Here’s an explanation for the frame rate lag and how to fix it!
Interestingly enough the new option wasn’t included in Blizzard’s recent patch notes, which left some players scratching their head as to way their game now acted as if they were playing on a hand-me-down toaster. This lag is especially noticeable in the Battlegrounds mode where players are constantly selling, shifting, and playing cards in time-limited rounds.
Thankfully, inquisitive players spotted the new option and have begun spreading the word to fellow Hearthstone players. For anyone who needs a helping hand: just hit Options, and crank that Frame Rate set to High or whatever your computer or mobile device can handle (if you’re playing on PC, that’ll probably be High).
This new option (or at least setting the default to Low) isn’t the first questionable decision Blizzard has made with their popular card game. Earlier this year they began selling a “Diamond Drek’thar” card for $25. That’s right, one single card for $25. It’s admittedly a nice card, Hearthstone added Diamond cards as a tier above Golden in terms of rarity and aesthetics. For Magic: The Gathering players in the audience it’d be like a borderless foil.
Hearthstone was also the center of a controversy when Hong Kong based player Blitzchung was punished for speaking out about the actions of China’s mainland government and a recent bill at the time which would limit the freedoms enjoyed by citizens of Hong Kong.
So if you found yourself frustrated with Hearthstone after the recent patch because of the choppy framerate, take a minute to fix your settings before hopping into your next match.
Hearthstone is available now on Windows PC, Mac OS, Android, and iOS.