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What does 'Play Valheim using Vulkan' mean?

Here's everything you need to know about the 'Play Valheim using Vulkan' setting that appears on Steam when launching the game.

Josh Hawkins

March 17, 2021 5:15 PM

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If you’ve been playing Valheim since release, then you probably already know what to expect when you go to launch your game. After an update in late February, though, many users started seeing a new option pop up when starting the game, an option that has left some a little confused. If you’re trying to play Valheim and you’re not sure what the ‘Play Valheim using Vulkan’ option means, then we can help.

What does ‘Play Valheim using Vulkan’ mean?

Vulkan is a type of 3D graphics API which was built by the Khronos Group. This group includes several leading industry companies like Apple, AMD, Epic Games, Intel, Google, Valve, and Nvidia. As a direct alternative to Microsoft DirectX 11 and DirectX 12, it has become more and more popular in video games recently.

Of course, like any alternative, there are pros to using Vulkan, as it offers a lower overhead and promises a more efficient API than both versions of DirectX. Because of this, some users have found that using Vulkan to run games provides a much smoother experience overall, including a higher FPS.

Looking for more help in Valheim? Check out our guide on how to build a boat.

If you’re playing Valheim and you haven’t already, you should absolutely give Vulkan a try. For me, personally, it increased performance in the game and made it run smoother in every area. Little spikes in FPS that could pop up during intense battles were fewer and less frequent. So, if you’re someone that has been struggling to keep a solid FPS in the game, you might want to select that ‘Play Valheim in Vulkan’ option next time you load up the game.

Now that you know what ‘Play Valheim using Vulkan’ means, you can jump into the open world Viking adventure game and start laying waste to all the Trolls, Greydwarfs, and bosses that await you. You can also check our out other Valheim guides for even more useful info to help you tackle the wilds that await you.

Josh Hawkins

Guides Editor

Joshua holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and has been exploring the world of video games for as long as he can remember. He enjoys everything from large-scale RPGs to small, bite-size indie gems and everything in between.