Getting Outward 2 to Run on Your Ancient Rig: The Ultimate Potato Graphics Guide

Overview

When Nine Dots Studio announced the Early Access release of Outward 2 on July 7, they made headlines not just for the co-op survival RPG's launch date, but for a graphics preset that goes below the already low minimum system requirements. Dubbed the "Potato" setting, this preset is designed for PCs that are barely clinging to life—think a GeForce GTX 750 Ti with 8GB RAM. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the Potato preset, how to enable it, and how to further optimize Outward 2 for the most humble of hardware.

Whether you're a veteran of the original Outward or a newcomer eager to explore its harsh world, this tutorial ensures your potato-powered machine can still adventure without becoming a baked potato.

Prerequisites

Before diving into the Potato setting, make sure you have the following:

• A legitimate copy of Outward 2 – The game is available on Steam Early Access. Pre-purchase or wait for launch day.
• Steam client installed – You’ll need it to launch the game and adjust launch options if needed.
• Basic knowledge of your PC specs – Know your GPU, RAM, and CPU model. The Potato preset is designed for GPUs like the GTX 750 Ti, but it works on anything weaker than the minimum spec (which requires a GTX 960).
• Administrator access – Some configuration file edits may require write permissions in the game’s install folder.

If you're unsure of your specs, press Windows + R, type dxdiag, and check the Display tab for GPU information.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Potato Preset

1. Launch the Game and Access Settings

Start Outward 2 from Steam. On the main menu, navigate to Options > Graphics. By default, the game will auto-detect your hardware and set a preset. If it doesn’t automatically choose Potato, you’ll see a dropdown menu near the top of the graphics settings.

2. Select the "Potato" Preset

In the Graphics menu, locate the Quality Preset dropdown. It usually lists options like Ultra, High, Medium, Low, Very Low, and finally Potato. Click on Potato. The game will immediately adjust dozens of parameters: texture quality, shadow resolution, draw distance, post-processing effects, and more. You’ll notice a significant drop in visual fidelity, but framerates will skyrocket on ancient hardware.

3. Verify the Changes

After applying, click Apply and then OK. The screen may flicker as new settings take effect. Exit the menu and run around the starting area to test performance. Use a tool like MSI Afterburner or the in-game FPS counter (if available) to monitor frame rates.

4. Manual Tuning for Extra Performance

The Potato preset is a great baseline, but you might squeeze out more FPS by manually adjusting a few settings:

• Resolution Scale – Lower this to 75% or 50% (renders at a lower internal resolution and upscales). This is easier on the GPU.
• Shadow Quality – Set to Off or Low if Potato didn’t disable them entirely.
• Anti-Aliasing – Turn off completely. The game will look jagged but run faster.
• Texture Quality – Potato already uses the lowest textures, but ensure it’s set to Low and not Very Low (some presets confuse the two).
• V-Sync – Disable. It caps FPS unnecessarily on low-end rigs.

After each change, test performance again.

5. Edit Configuration Files for Even Lower Settings (Advanced)

In some cases, the Potato preset doesn’t go as low as possible. You can manually edit the config file to push limits further. Be careful – backup the original file first!

1. Navigate to %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Outward 2\ (or the game’s install folder under steamapps\common\Outward 2).
2. Open settings.ini (or similar) with Notepad. The exact filename may vary, but look for a .ini file with graphics parameters.
3. Find lines like TextureQuality=, ShadowResolution=, PostProcessQuality=. Set them to 0 (lowest).
4. Add or modify: RenderScale=0.5 to render at half resolution.
5. Save the file and set it to Read-only to prevent the game from overriding your changes.

Launch the game again. If it crashes, restore the backup and try more moderate values.

6. Launch Options for Extra Memory Savings

You can pass parameters via Steam to reduce memory usage. Right-click Outward 2 in Steam, go to Properties > General > Launch Options. Add the following (separate by spaces):

-USEALLAVAILABLECORES -lowmemory -noasync

• -USEALLAVAILABLECORES – Forces the game to use all CPU cores.
• -lowmemory – Tells the engine to expect limited RAM.
• -noasync – Disables asynchronous loading (can reduce stutter on HDDs).

Launch the game and enjoy slightly smoother performance.

Common Mistakes

• Confusing Minimum Specs with Potato Preset – The Potato preset is below Minimum. Minimum specs (GTX 960, 8GB RAM) already run the game on Very Low. Don’t expect Potato to look good; it’s for playability.
• Not Updating GPU Drivers – Even on old hardware, driver updates can improve performance. Visit NVIDIA or AMD website for legacy drivers.
• Ignoring Background Processes – Close browsers, Discord overlays, and other apps. They eat RAM and CPU cycles.
• Forgetting to Disable Overlays – Steam overlay, Discord, etc., can cause stuttering. Disable them in the overlay settings.
• Trying to Force Higher Settings Than Potato – If your PC is below minimum, only use Potato. Increasing any setting may cause crashes or single-digit FPS.
• Not Verifying Game Files After Edits – If you edit configs improperly, the game may not launch. Use Steam’s “Verify integrity of game files” to restore defaults.

Summary

The Potato graphics preset in Outward 2 is a lifesaver for players with truly ancient hardware. By selecting this preset, manually tuning a few options, and editing config files for extreme low-end optimization, you can make the game playable on rigs as old as a GTX 750 Ti with 8GB RAM. Remember the common pitfalls, and your potato PC will still get to explore the dangerous world of Aurai. Stay frugal, stay alive.