Watch Dogs 2 with DXVK: setup, overlay and warnings

Install (both DLLs)

To undo it, delete the DLLs you copied (F12): see the uninstall guide. The general steps, with the checklist and warnings, are on the Windows install page.

What DXVK already does for this game

DXVK’s profile matches WatchDogs2.exe:

We have not tested what it changes. Release notes name Watch Dogs 2 in DXVK 2.4 (listed there as “Watch Dogs / Watch Dogs 2”), 2.6 and 2.7, so use a current version.

Ubisoft Connect overlay

Reports on GitHub (issues 870 and 2655) describe conflicts between launcher overlays and DXVK. If the game crashes or goes black, turn off the in-game overlay in Ubisoft Connect’s settings and try again. We tested no overlay; see overlay and mod conflicts.

Does it help?

We cannot say: we have no measurement. Watch Dogs 2 is a heavy 64-bit Direct3D 11 game, so it is the kind of title where people try DXVK for CPU-bound slowdowns, and the kind where it can also hurt. See Does DXVK increase FPS? for how to test before and after yourself.

Issues users report on GitHub include flickering on AMD under Windows (issue 4146), a system crash (issue 5259) and crashes on Intel Iris Xe (issue 5809). We could not check their current status, so we cannot say whether they still apply to 3.1.1.

Shader compilation stutter

Direct3D 11 games compile shaders as they appear, so the first visit to an area can hitch. DXVK 3.x keeps a shader cache on disk (F19), so repeat visits should be better. We did not measure first and second runs in the game.

Watch Dogs 1 and Legion

Watch Dogs 1 is a different game; the release notes name it alongside Watch Dogs 2 in DXVK 2.4 and 2.6. We did not verify its API, so use the Game Checker before copying anything. Watch Dogs: Legion is reported to use Direct3D 11 or 12; Direct3D 12 is not DXVK’s job, see DXVK vs vkd3d-proton. See the games database for rows.

Remove DXVK

Delete both DLLs from the game folder (F12). Do this before going online.

What we have not tested

• Any run of the game: FPS, stutter and crashes are unmeasured, so we make no speed claim.
• Which anti-cheat, if any, the online modes use.
• The Ubisoft Connect overlay behaviour with DXVK.
• Whether the AMD flicker, system crash and Iris Xe issues still apply to 3.1.1.
• Watch Dogs 1 and Legion APIs.

Check your own copy

The Game Checker reads your .exe on your device and tells you its bitness and Direct3D version. Our checker also flags files in the game folder that use the same name as DXVK’s DLLs.