Phasmophobia: Best config.json for VR Ghost Hunting

The primary goal for Phasmophobia VR optimization is Frame-Rate Synchronization. Unlike flat-screen play, any dip below your headset’s native refresh rate (90Hz, 120Hz, or 144Hz) in VR creates a disorienting stutter. This configuration focuses on disabling the “Volumetric Lighting” and “Ambient Occlusion” layers that are notoriously unoptimized for stereoscopic rendering, while keeping the textures sharp enough to read the EMF Reader and Writing Book.

Hardware Compatibility & Expectations

• VRAM Overhead: VR requires significant VRAM to hold high-resolution textures for both eyes. A minimum of 8GB VRAM is recommended for “High” textures.
• CPU Core Speed: The game’s ghost AI and physics are single-thread heavy. Ensuring your “Process Priority” is high in the config helps prevent AI-related lag spikes.
• The RenderDragon/Unity Shift: Phasmophobia receives frequent engine updates. These tweaks are focused on the current stable build’s rendering pipeline.

File Location

Phasmophobia stores its configuration in the Windows Registry and a local configuration file within the AppData directory:

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Kinetic Games\Phasmophobia\SaveFile.es3 (Note: While the SaveFile handles gameplay, graphics settings are often cached in the Windows Registry at: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Kinetic Games\Phasmophobia)

Technical Configuration (Code Block)

For VR, we prioritize Refresh Rate over Shaders. Use these settings (via the in-game menu or by forcing them through the registry/config) for the best VR stability:

{
  "Graphics": {
    "ResolutionScale": 1.0,      // Keep at 1.0; use Headset SuperSampling instead
    "Vsync": 0,                  // Mandatory Off for VR
    "AntiAliasing": 2,           // 2 = MSAA (Sharper for reading text in VR)
    "TextureQuality": 3,         // 3 = Full Resolution
    "ShadowResolution": 1,       // 1 = Medium (Large VR performance boost)
    "VolumetricFog": false,      // Disabling this is vital for FPS in VR
    "AmbientOcclusion": false,   // AO causes "ghosting" artifacts in many headsets
    "Bloom": false,
    "AnisotropicFiltering": 16   // Keeps floor and wall textures crisp at angles
  }
}

Strategy for VR Ghost Hunting

To ensure you can hunt ghosts without the threat of “Sim-Sickness”:

• MSAA over TAA: In VR, “Temporal Anti-Aliasing” (TAA) makes the world look like it’s covered in grease. Switching to MSAA (Multi-Sample Anti-Aliasing) keeps the edges sharp and makes reading the temperature on the thermometer much easier.
• The Volumetric Fog Tax: While volumetric fog looks great on a monitor, it is the #1 performance killer in VR. Turning it off can gain you 20–30 FPS, which is often the difference between a smooth experience and a nauseating one.
• Shadow Resolution Balance: Set shadows to Medium. High-resolution dynamic shadows in VR require double the draw calls. Medium shadows still provide enough atmosphere to tell when the ghost is manifest without killing your GPU.

Key Performance Parameters

Parameter	Recommended Value	Impact
Volumetric Fog	OFF	Massive FPS gain; removes “haze” that causes blur in VR.
Anti-Aliasing	MSAA (2x or 4x)	Sharpens text on equipment and makes clues more visible.
Shadow Resolution	Medium	Balances atmospheric horror with render performance.
Resolution Scale	100%	Prevents the Unity engine from double-scaling with SteamVR.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion and Expected Results

By manually refining your Phasmophobia configuration to prioritize MSAA sharpness and disabling volumetric overhead, you are creating a professional-grade VR ghost hunting environment. You can expect rock-solid frame rates, crystal-clear text on your gear, and a significantly reduced risk of motion sickness during those long hunts in the dark.