NVIDIA driver 621.01 launched on October 21, 2026 as a WHQL GeForce Game Ready release. It adds Advanced Shader Delivery for supported Modern Warfare 4 and Gears of War: E-Day PC installations, brings new game optimisations and fixes seven specific problems.
NVIDIA followed it with an optional 621.12 hotfix on October 27. Phantom Blade Zero developer S-GAME also advised affected players to use driver 617.42 instead. Both updates matter when choosing the right driver for your own games.
What’s new in NVIDIA driver 621.01?
The main Game Ready additions cover Phantom Blade Zero and Modern Warfare 4, with support for the latest graphics features in NBA 2K27, Cyberpunk 2077 and Crimson Desert Enhanced: Charting the Unknown. NVIDIA also enables Microsoft’s Advanced Shader Delivery on compatible RTX systems for Modern Warfare 4 and Gears of War: E-Day.
Advanced Shader Delivery lets a supported Xbox PC app game download precompiled shaders for the installed graphics card and driver. NVIDIA describes a near-100 percent cache hit rate in the supported games. That’s a measure of shader coverage, not a 100 percent increase in average FPS.
The Microsoft feature requires Windows 11 24H2 or newer and a compatible game delivery path. Although the GeForce driver also has Windows 10 downloads, driver compatibility does not give Windows 10 access to Advanced Shader Delivery.
NVIDIA driver 621.01 fixes: games and hardware
| Fix | Affected game or device | Bug ID |
|---|---|---|
| Freestyle and DLSS Frame Generation crash | Wuthering Waves | 5747079 |
| Vulkan API crash | Star Citizen | 6680590 |
| Crash after R595 updates | Surviving Mars: Relaunched | 5965452 |
| Occasional black flashes | QHD monitors at 360Hz | 4846825 |
| FPS dropping to around 320 | 360Hz G-SYNC Pulsar displays | 6408986 |
| USB stream freezing | Meta Horizon Link | 6292679 |
| Intermittent display dimming after R620 | Certain ASUS notebooks | 6807011 |
NVIDIA names three game crashes and four general issues in its release notes. Each bug ID above identifies the specific problem the driver addresses. The Wuthering Waves fix, for example, concerns a crash when Freestyle filters and DLSS Frame Generation are used together.
The two 360Hz entries are separate: one fixes occasional black flashes on QHD displays, and the other addresses frame-rate drops on G-SYNC Pulsar monitors.
How to download and install the driver
To install NVIDIA driver 621.01, open NVIDIA App and select Drivers, or get the correct package from NVIDIA’s website for your GeForce card and Windows version. Close running games and start the installer. A brief display flicker during installation is normal.
Restart if the installer requests it, then check the installed version in NVIDIA App or NVIDIA Control Panel’s System Information page. A normal installation is suitable for an ordinary update. A clean installation resets some driver settings and is better reserved for a particular installation problem.
621.01 versus the 621.12 hotfix
NVIDIA driver 621.01 was followed by the optional 621.12 hotfix on October 27. It fixes video playback freezes and black screens affecting certain RTX 50 systems, alongside specific Unreal Engine and display faults. Our separate 621.12 guide covers those fixes.
A stable PC doesn’t need an optional hotfix simply because it exists. NVIDIA driver 621.01 also isn’t the right choice for every game.
Phantom Blade Zero compatibility warning
Although NVIDIA driver 621.01 was released as Game Ready for Phantom Blade Zero, S-GAME subsequently reported instability in its own testing. The developer recommended 617.42 for the launch build and advised a clean installation when rolling back from a newer driver.
For Phantom Blade Zero problems, use the developer’s driver guidance and official NVIDIA packages. The game also has a separate day-one patch.
Should you install NVIDIA driver 621.01?
If you use an eligible GeForce RTX card with Modern Warfare 4 or Gears of War: E-Day through the supported Xbox PC app route, this driver brought the required shader-delivery support. It is also relevant if you need one of the specific fixes in the table.
Start with the game or fault you want to address. For Modern Warfare 4 or E-Day, use a compatible driver with the shader-delivery feature. For the seven fixed bugs, check 621.01 or a subsequent suitable release. For Phantom Blade Zero instability, follow S-GAME’s 617.42 advice.
Related Guides
Official source: NVIDIA GeForce Game Ready 621.01 official release highlights and fixes.
