How to Fix Stuttering, Crashing & Lag in The Last of Us 2 Remastered on PC

 So, you booted up The Last of Us™ Part II Remastered on PC, only to be greeted by stutters, crashes, or weird mouse lag? You're not alone, friend. Early releases can be rough, and this one’s had its share of bumps—but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most common issues players are facing with the PC version of TLOU Part II Remastered, along with the best community-suggested fixes and helpful links. We’ll also throw in the system requirements so you can double-check if your rig’s ready for the apocalypse.


🎮 Minimum and Recommended PC Specs

Before we dive into the issues, let’s make sure your setup isn’t the culprit.

🧩 Minimum Requirements

  • OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit (version 1909 or higher)

  • CPU: Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1300X

  • GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1650 or AMD RX 5500 XT

  • RAM: 16 GB

  • Storage: 150 GB SSD

  • DirectX: Version 12

🚀 Recommended Requirements

  • CPU: Intel Core i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600

  • GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3060 or AMD RX 5700

  • RAM: 16 GB (yep, still 16)

  • Storage: 150 GB SSD

  • Extras: SSD is non-negotiable here. Spinning drives need not apply.


🔧 Common PC Issues (And How the Community Is Fixing Them)

Let’s break down the most widely reported issues, straight from the trenches of Reddit, Steam, and official support forums.


1. 🥶 Stuttering & Frame Drops

The Issue:
You’re walking through Seattle and the game keeps freezing or skipping frames. Totally kills the vibe, right?

Community Fixes:

  • Turn Off Frame Generation: Players using NVIDIA RTX cards report smoother gameplay after disabling Frame Generation.
    Steam Thread Example

  • Set a Frame Cap & Use V-Sync: Locking your FPS to match your monitor (60 or 120 Hz, for example) can cut down on microstutters.

  • Background Apps Be Gone: Close MSI Afterburner, browser tabs, or anything else hogging memory. Some folks even reported that turning off MalwareBytes' ransomware protection fixed things.


Fix_The Last of Us 2, Remastered PC Issues
2. 🐁 Weird Mouse Sensitivity & Input Lag

The Issue:
Your mouse feels floaty or just off. Not ideal when you’re aiming for headshots.

Community Fix:

  • Disable Mouse Smoothing via Registry Edit:

    1. Press Windows + R, type regedit

    2. Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Naughty Dog\The Last of Us Part II

    3. Find EnableMouseSmoothing, set it to 0

Careful in the registry, though. One wrong move and your PC could be toast. Backup first!


3. 💥 Random Crashes (Even on High-End PCs)

The Issue:
Game crashes to desktop—no warning, no error. Just poof.

Fixes That Worked for Some:

  • Update GPU Drivers: Go grab the latest from NVIDIA or AMD. The game is demanding and wants the newest bits.

  • Run in Fullscreen (Exclusive): Some crashes vanish when you switch from borderless to exclusive fullscreen.

  • Add TLOU2.exe to Windows Defender Exclusions: Defender might be stepping on the game’s toes.


4. 🖤 Black Screen on Launch

The Issue:
Game boots, but all you get is a black screen and maybe some music.

Try This:

  • Verify game files through Steam

  • Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables

  • Force DirectX 12 via launch options (Steam > right-click > properties > -dx12)


5. 🎧 Audio & Cutscene Sync Issues

The Issue:
Cutscenes bug out, characters freeze mid-sentence, or audio skips.

Suggested Fixes:

  • Lower audio latency settings in the menu

  • Disable 3D audio if you're not using compatible hardware

  • Set game priority to “High” in Task Manager

Steam Discussion

Reddit Discussion



🛠 Patch Watch – What’s Naughty Dog Doing?

Naughty Dog’s already dropped a couple of patches addressing progression issues and unlockables that broke after Patch 2.0.0. If your weapon holsters or skill trees vanished, grab the 2.0.1 patch.

🧰 Official Patch Notes


💬 Final Thoughts

Look, we all wish every PC launch was perfect, but the truth is... sometimes we’re the beta testers. 😅 Thankfully, the community is strong, solutions are popping up fast, and Naughty Dog seems committed to smoothing things out.

So until the next hotfix drops, these tips should keep you from hurling your mouse at the wall. If you’ve found a workaround that helped, share it in the comments or tag me—I’ll keep this guide updated with new fixes as they roll in.

Related Articles:

Want to get the best performance out of The Last of Us Part II Remastered on your PC? Optimizing your settings can make a huge difference in achieving smooth FPS and an immersive experience. From graphics tweaks to system adjustments, our guide on the best settings to optimize The Last of Us Part II Remastered for smooth FPS covers everything you need to know to boost your game’s performance!

Comments