Horizon Zero Dawn PC Anisotropic Filter Settings Issue Explained

The launch of the Horizon Zero Dawn PC port did not go well. Although not everyone is familiar with it, a good number of players have reported that the game crashes randomly shortly after launch, making it unplayable. Another issue that some gamers have encountered is with the Anisotropic Filtering setting. The issue is a known issue and affects many players. Unfortunately, there is no direct solution to this problem. Those who developed the port, Guerrilla Games, have issued a statement sharing plans to investigate the cause of the crashes and other issues plaguing the port.

Anisotropic filtering is how your computer graphics render your camera's perspective in-game and detail oblique viewing angles. For example, when looking down at the ground, the view up and away from your position usually looks blurry and confusing. In contrast, with anisotropic filtering it's a bit clearer and you can see farther than you normally would. It improves the graphical experience of your standing position, especially when exploring massive open world games.

The developers are aware of the anisotropic filtering issues, described in the announcement post for Horizon Zero Dawn coming to Steam. It is listed under the known issues part and is one of their highest priorities to investigate and resolve. But the post does not provide a snapshot of how long development believes the problem could take. This could range from a week after the game's initial launch on August 7 to several weeks. You can make sure to visit the sites related to Horizon Zero Dawn news feed frequently to be informed of any progress.

Once the issues are resolved, your camera's perspective of where you are standing should improve dramatically and make exploring the robotic dinosaur-filled world of Horizon Zero Dawn much more dynamic and rewarding. There is a lot to explore and hopefully Guerrilla Games can improve on the graphical nightmare that players experience all the time.