The new GeForce 337.88 WHQL, Game Ready Watch Dogs Drivers are now available to download from GeForce.com, and automatically through GeForce Experience. For gamers jumping into the world of Watch Dogs , the 337.88 WHQL drivers are optimizing single GPU and multi-GPU SLI performance in the open-world title. In addition to day-of-launch Watch Dogs enhancements, 337.88 WHQL also includes upgrades and optimizations that boost system performance and improve existing features. Namely, system-wide DirectX 11 and SLI performance optimizations of up to 75%, new technology that reduces game load times, new and updated SLI profiles, and 3D Vision enhancements that optimize DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 3D titles. The new 337.88 WHQL drivers build upon the optimizations introduced in April's GeForce 337.50 Beta drivers, boosting performance in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Batman: Arkham Origins, Battlefield 4, BioShock Infinite, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Far Cry 3, Hitman Absolution, Sleeping Dogs, Sniper Elite V2, Star Swarm, Thief, Titanfall, Tomb Raider, and Total War: Rome 2, to name but a few examples. In 337.88 WHQL Nvidia has also reduced multi-GPU CPU overhead, resulting in considerable performance gains in CPU-bound games, and additional performance gains in the majority of SLI-enabled titles.

As with 337.88 WHQL's single-GPU optimizations, SLI CPU overhead reductions apply globally, benefitting the majority of DirectX 9, DirectX 10, and DirectX 11 games the instant they go on sale.

337.88 WHQL also introduces 15 new and updated SLI profiles:

• Battlefield 4 - updated profile to support test client
• Bound by Flame - updated profile
• Call of Duty: Online - added profile
• Dark Souls II - added profile, added NVCPL anti-aliasing support
• Daylight - added profile
• Diablo III - updated profile
• Everquest: Landmark - updated profile
• Icarus - added profile
• Smite - added profile
• Sniper Elite 3 - added profile
• Total War: Rome 2 - added profile
• War Thunder - updated profile
• Watch Dogs - updated profile
• Wildstar - added profile
• Windborne - added profile
• World of Tanks - updated profile

The 337.88 WHQL drivers also introduce a new NVIDIA Control Panel feature called "Shader Cache", which saves compiled shaders to a cache on your hard drive. Following the compilation and saving of the shader, the shader can simply be recalled from the hard disk the next time it is required, potentially reducing load times and CPU usage.

By default the Shader Cache is enabled for all games, and saves up to 256MB of compiled shaders in %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Temp\NVIDIA Corporation\NV_Cache. This location can be changed by moving your entire Temp folder using Windows Control Panel > System > System Properties > Advanced > Environmental Variables > Temp, or by using a Junction Point to relocate the NV_Cache folder. To change the use state of Shader Cache on a per-game basis simply locate the option in the NVIDIA Control Panel.

In 334.89 WHQL Nvidia introduced a new proprietary 3D Compatibility rendering mode for 3D Vision that has enabled the ongoing improvement of the 3D experience in key DirectX 10 and 11 games. With the launch of 337.88 WHQL Nvidia's engineers have enhanced this new feature, increasing game support and adding a toggle key to dynamically enable and disable the mode in-game.

Games with 3D Compatibility Mode will launch in this new mode by default. To change the rendering mode back to standard 3D Vision press CRTL-ALT-F11 while in-game; to reenable 3D Compatibility Mode press CRTL-ALT-F11 once more. To use this toggle please ensure that "advanced in-game Settings" is enabled in the NVIDIA Control Panel before you start a game. To activate the option, navigate to NVIDIA Control Panel > Stereoscopic 3D > Set up stereoscopic 3D > Set Keyboard Shortcuts > Show advanced in-game settings, and check "Enable advanced in-game settings".

In addition, 337.88 WHQL adds 14 new and updated profiles for the following games:

 

• Assassin's Creed Liberation - previously "Not Recommended", now rated as "Excellent"
• Call of Duty: Online - rated "Good"
• Dark Souls II - rated "Good"
• DayZ - rated "Good"
• Goat Simulator - rated "Excellent"
• Halo: Spartan Assault - rated "Good"
• KickBeat - rated "Excellent"
• Loadout - rated "Fair"
• MXGP - rated "Good"
• Path of Exile - rated "Good"
• Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army - previously "Good", now rated as "Excellent"
• Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army 2 - previously "Good", now rated as ?Excellent?
• Strike Suit Zero - previously "Not Recommended", now rated as "Good"
• Watch Dogs - rated as "Good"

Note, 3D Vision Surround configurations are not supported in 3D Compatibility Mode at this time.

Nvidia has also released a Watch Dogs Graphics, Performance, & Tweaking Guide for more information about the new game, its performance, and how to tweak it.