RSI Launcher 2.19.1: shader compilation before play and a reworked download panel (November 4, 2026)

In the release notes published on November 3 on Spectrum, CIG details the RSI Launcher 2.19.1. The update introduces a shader compilation phase before entering the game, new settings, a fully revised download panel and an improved data patcher.

Compile shaders now or at the next launch

At the end of an installation or update, the game can now compile its shader cache before the player enters it. This step is optional. The player can also launch the game immediately and let the compilation finish at the next launch.

CIG warns that the operation can take from 7 to over 30 minutes depending on the machine. It only works fully from version 4.10.3 of the game, which is still on PTU. On 4.10.2, currently on Live, the step is therefore not fully usable.

The launcher also gains new settings, accessible from its options, to delete shaders or compile them.

A reworked download panel

The header popover now shows the installation in progress, with:

• the version and channel concerned;
• step-by-step progress;
• pause, resume and cancel controls;
• network, disk, processor and memory usage.

A Reddit thread shows the new pop-up window that appeared during an update.

A more detailed data patcher

The patcher reports its progress more smoothly. Its verification pass now repeats until clean files are obtained. It also provides more detailed error information, and a dedicated dialog box appears if the disk is full during a download.

CIG also indicates that the presence status of the guidance system is synchronized between the launcher and the website.

Fixes

Two fixes are listed in the notes. The download panel now only redraws the values that change, which reduces the load on the interface during installations. During a double launch, the launcher no longer mutes itself or minimizes before displaying the "already running" message.

Context

At the end of October, a Wave 1 build of PTU 4.10.3 removed the 4 GB limit on the Vulkan shader cache.

In practical terms, at the end of an installation or update, the player can either wait for the compilation before playing, or enter right away by deferring this work to the next launch.

PTU 4.10.3 also received a new "All Backers" build on November 3. It brings fixes for visual overlap in personal hangars and for client crashes. Live remains on 4.10.2 for now.

What we still don't know

Several points remain open:

• the date when 4.10.3 moves to Live, which will determine the real value of the compilation;
• the measured effect of this precompiled cache on in-game smoothness.

The next signal to watch is this week's series of official publications. CIG has announced the PU Monthly Report and the Roadmap Update/Roundup for Wednesday, November 4, then the weekly RSI newsletter for Friday the 6th.