Marvel Rivals is one of those fast-paced, hero shooter games where every millisecond counts. As someone who’s been playing it since launch day, I know how frustrating lag can be — especially when you’re mid-combo and your screen stutters or your character rubber-bands out of nowhere. In this guide, I’ll walk you through every proven fix I’ve tested or learned from others in the community to eliminate lag and improve performance across all platforms: PC, Steam Deck, and consoles.
Quick summary
Here’s a brief rundown of what works best when Marvel Rivals starts lagging:
- Use wired internet and select the nearest server to fix network latency.
- Lower your graphics settings and cap the FPS to stop stuttering.
- Turn on Windows Game Mode, disable Xbox Game Bar, and keep drivers updated.
- Steam Deck users: use -PSOCompileMode=1 and try unplugging the charger.
- Console players: clear cache, update firmware, and use LAN instead of Wi-Fi.
Platform-Specific Fixes Table
| Platform | Quick Fixes |
| PC (Windows) | Game Mode ON, High Performance GPU, disable overlays, wired internet |
| Steam Deck | -PSOCompileMode=1, unplug charger, turn off FSR, use GE-Proton 9.26 |
| PS5/Xbox | Clear cache, use LAN, close background apps, update firmware & game |
Now let me break down each fix so you can follow exactly what I did to make the game run smooth like butter.
Understanding the Type of Lag You’re Facing
Before we start changing settings, it helps to know which kind of lag you’re dealing with:
- Network Lag (Ping/Latency)
I noticed this when enemies started teleporting or when my shots weren’t registering in real-time. That’s classic high ping—the game feels out of sync.
Many players search “Why is Marvel Rivals lagging or freezing online?”—that usually points to network lag caused by poor connection or wrong server. - FPS Lag (Low Frames/Stuttering)
My screen would freeze during team fights or when new scenes loaded. That’s a hardware or settings issue.
If you’re searching “Why is Marvel Rivals stuttering or FPS dropping?”—you’re most likely dealing with graphics lag. - Input Lag
When I pressed a button but saw the action happen a second later, that’s input lag—sometimes caused by overlays or wrong display settings.
Knowing this helped me fix the exact root problem instead of guessing.
🎉 Diagnosis Complete!
Now that you know your lag type, apply the right fixes—network tweaks, graphics settings, or display optimizations.
Fix Network Lag in Marvel Rivals
Here’s how I fixed my high ping:
- Switched to Ethernet: Wi-Fi caused spikes. Wired internet gave me stable ping under 30ms.
- Selected closest server in settings: Even if another server had lower ping shown, I chose the physically closest one. Helped reduce teleporting.
- Closed bandwidth-heavy apps: No Netflix, no cloud sync. Just the game running.
- Rebooted router before gaming: Sounds basic but fixed random spikes.
- Tried LagoFast and GearUp Booster: These tools reroute traffic and reduce lag during peak hours.
- Skipped VPN unless absolutely needed. Some VPNs made lag worse.
Fix FPS Lag and Stuttering (Graphics Lag)
My system met the requirements, but it still lagged until I did this:
- Lowered these in-game settings:
- Shadows: Low
- Effects: Medium
- Textures: Medium
- View Distance: Low
- Set frame cap to 60 FPS: Prevented wild FPS swings and microstutters.
- Used the in-game “Optimize” feature first, then manually adjusted.
- Turned on V-Sync (my monitor supported it).
- Forced dedicated GPU usage: On my laptop, I made sure the game didn’t default to the integrated chip.
- Checked my specs: Turns out my RAM was getting maxed, so I upgraded from 8GB to 16GB.
“Reducing shadows and capping FPS made a huge difference.” — comment from Steam forum
Optimize Windows Settings for Smooth Gameplay
These tweaks made a visible difference:
- Game Mode ON: Enabled from Windows search > “Game Mode settings”
- Xbox Game Bar OFF: Disabled from Settings > Gaming > Xbox Game Bar
- Graphics settings set to High Performance:
- Searched “Graphics Settings” in Windows
- Added Marvel Rivals
- Set it to High Performance GPU
- Fullscreen optimization disabled:
- Right-clicked game EXE > Properties > Compatibility
- Checked “Disable fullscreen optimizations”
- High Performance Power Plan:
- Control Panel > Power Options > Set to High Performance
- Updated drivers regularly: Especially GPU (NVIDIA/AMD)
Reduce Input Lag
Input delay was killing my aim until I fixed this:
- Disabled overlays:
- Turned off Steam overlay, Discord overlay, and GeForce Experience overlay.
- Turned off V-Sync if it added delay on my 60Hz monitor.
- Switched to a wired controller and mouse.
- Disabled mouse acceleration in Windows:
- Control Panel > Mouse > Pointer Options > Uncheck “Enhance pointer precision”
Steam Deck and Linux Fixes
Tested and confirmed fixes that worked on my Deck:
- Added -PSOCompileMode=1 to launch options:
- Stopped stuttering due to shader recompilation.
- Disabled FSR: Improved clarity and removed weird frame pacing.
- Unplugged charger while gaming: Somehow made the game smoother.
“Unplugging my charger on Steam Deck actually fixed the lag. No clue why.” — u/marvel_gamer420 on Reddit
- Switched Proton version to GE-Proton 9.26: Better compatibility.
Console-Specific Fixes (PS5, Xbox)
For my friend who plays on PS5, this helped a lot:
- Cleared console cache: Restarted in Safe Mode and rebuild database.
- Closed all background apps: No downloads, no media running.
- Used LAN instead of Wi-Fi: Dramatic improvement.
- Manually picked server if allowed.
- Updated both the game and console firmware.
Fixes After Game Updates
After a recent update, lag came back:
- Recompiled shaders with -PSOCompileMode=1 again.
- Reset graphic settings to default and re-optimized.
- Checked Reddit and Steam forums for patch-specific tips.
💡 Pro Tip: After every game update, revisit launch options and check community threads. Some patches override your settings!
Advanced and Riskier Fixes (Optional)
Tried only when other fixes didn’t work:
- Registry tweaks:
- Created the restore point first.
- Adjusted CPU/GPU priority using Registry Editor.
- Used DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller): Clean installed GPU drivers.
- Slight GPU overclock using MSI Afterburner (only if temps were safe).
- Disabled core parking: Using tools like ParkControl.
Conclusion
From personal experience, the best combination for me was:
- Using a wired internet connection
- Reducing shadows and effects in graphics settings
- Disabling overlays and background apps
- Setting the game to run on High Performance GPU
- Adding -PSOCompileMode=1 if I faced stuttering after an update
If Marvel Rivals is still lagging after all of this, it could be on the server side. I recommend keeping an eye on patch notes and checking forums like Reddit for fresh fixes. This game evolves fast — and so do its bugs.
Before you go…
If this helped, share it with someone rage-quitting from lag right now. I’m constantly testing new tweaks and tools for Marvel Rivals, so hit that bookmark or come back after the next patch. Got a fix that worked for you and isn’t listed here? Drop it in the comments — I’ll shout you out in the next update.
Let me know which fix worked for you!
