Best PC Games for GTX 970

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The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 is an older graphics card, but it is still one of the best budget GPUs for 1080p gaming. Even in 2026, many gamers still use the GTX 970 because it can run a large number of popular PC games with good performance when the settings are adjusted properly.

The GTX 970 is much stronger than cards like GTX 750 Ti, GTX 950, and GTX 960. It can handle many older AAA games at 1080p medium or high settings, while newer demanding games may need 1080p low, 900p, or 720p settings for smoother gameplay.

However, the GTX 970 has a well-known VRAM limitation. It has 4GB VRAM, but around 3.5GB is faster memory and the remaining 0.5GB is slower. Because of this, ultra textures are not recommended in many newer games. For best performance, medium textures are usually safer.

In this article, we will look at the best PC games for GTX 970, including open-world games, FPS games, racing games, RPGs, horror games, free-to-play games, recommended settings, and FPS improvement tips.

Can GTX 970 Still Run Games in 2026?

Yes, the GTX 970 can still run many PC games in 2026. It is especially good for older AAA games, esports titles, action-adventure games, racing games, RPGs, and optimized open-world games.

The GTX 970 is not a modern graphics card, so it is not ideal for new heavy AAA games at high settings. But if you use low or medium graphics settings, it can still deliver a very enjoyable gaming experience.

For the best experience, use:

1080p resolution for older and optimized games
900p or 720p resolution for very demanding games
Medium settings for older AAA games
Low settings for newer AAA games
Medium textures instead of ultra textures
16GB RAM for smoother open-world gaming
SSD storage for faster loading
Updated NVIDIA graphics drivers

The GTX 970 is still a very capable budget GPU if you choose the right games and settings.

GTX 970 Gaming Performance in 2026

The GTX 970 is best for 1080p budget gaming. Many older games can run smoothly at medium or high settings, while newer games may need low settings.

Game Type	GTX 970 Performance
Esports Games	Very good
Older AAA Games	Good to very good
Open-World Games	Good with optimized settings
Racing Games	Good
Modern Heavy AAA Games	Low settings recommended
Ray Tracing Games	Not supported
1440p Gaming	Not recommended for demanding games

The GTX 970 is still good for players who want a smooth gaming experience without spending money on a new graphics card.

Recommended PC Specs for GTX 970 Gaming

Component	Recommended
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
VRAM	4GB GDDR5
CPU	Intel Core i5 / AMD Ryzen 3 or better
RAM	8GB minimum / 16GB recommended
Storage	SSD recommended
OS	Windows 10 64-bit / Windows 11 if supported
Best For	1080p low/medium gaming

For newer games, 16GB RAM is strongly recommended. An SSD also helps reduce loading times and texture loading issues.

Best Graphics Settings for GTX 970

Use these general settings for smoother gameplay:

Graphics Option	Recommended Setting
Resolution	1920×1080 for most games
Texture Quality	Medium
Shadow Quality	Low or Medium
Anti-Aliasing	Off, FXAA, or Low
Ambient Occlusion	Off or Low
Reflections	Low or Medium
Motion Blur	Off
V-Sync	Off
Post Processing	Low or Medium
Ray Tracing	Off
Display Mode	Fullscreen
FPS Limit	30 FPS or 60 FPS

If a game feels laggy, reduce shadows, textures, anti-aliasing, reflections, and resolution first. These settings usually give the biggest FPS boost on GTX 970.

Best PC Games for GTX 970

1. Grand Theft Auto V

Genre: Open-world, action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p Medium/High mix
Performance: Smooth with optimized settings

Grand Theft Auto V is one of the best games for GTX 970. The game is well-optimized and offers a huge open world, story missions, vehicles, online gameplay, heists, and many activities.

GTX 970 can run GTA V very well at 1080p with medium to high settings. For better FPS, reduce grass quality, shadow quality, reflection quality, and advanced graphics settings.

Why GTA V is good for GTX 970

Very well-optimized PC version
Huge open-world map
Great story mode
Online gameplay support
Many graphics settings

2. Red Dead Redemption 2

Genre: Open-world, action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p Low or 900p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable with optimized settings

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a very demanding game, but GTX 970 can still run it on low settings. The game has a massive western open world, emotional story, realistic environments, hunting, horses, and detailed missions.

For smoother gameplay, use low textures, low shadows, low reflections, and a 30 FPS target. Avoid ultra settings because GTX 970 can quickly hit VRAM limits.

Why Red Dead Redemption 2 is good for GTX 970

Amazing story
Huge open world
Realistic western setting
Playable with low settings

3. Cyberpunk 2077

Genre: Open-world, RPG, action
Best Settings: 720p/900p Low
Performance: Playable with reduced settings

Cyberpunk 2077 is a very demanding modern open-world RPG. GTX 970 can run it only with low settings and no ray tracing. For smoother gameplay, use low textures, low shadows, low crowd density, and lower resolution.

This game is recommended only if you are okay with reduced visuals and a 30 FPS target.

Why Cyberpunk 2077 is good for GTX 970

Futuristic open world
Strong story choices
RPG character builds
Playable on very low settings

4. Far Cry 3

Genre: Open-world, FPS, action
Best Settings: 1080p High/Ultra mix
Performance: Very smooth

Far Cry 3 is one of the best open-world shooting games for GTX 970. It has a tropical island, hunting, crafting, outposts, stealth, and a memorable villain.

Because the game is older and well-optimized, GTX 970 can run it very smoothly at 1080p.

Why Far Cry 3 is good for GTX 970

Smooth performance
Beautiful island setting
Great story and villain
Fun shooting and exploration

5. Far Cry 4

Genre: Open-world, FPS, action
Best Settings: 1080p High/Medium
Performance: Smooth

Far Cry 4 runs very well on GTX 970. It has a large mountain-based map, vehicles, wildlife, outposts, and action-filled missions.

For better FPS, reduce shadows, vegetation, anti-aliasing, and post-processing.

Why Far Cry 4 is good for GTX 970

Large open-world map
Good shooting gameplay
Beautiful mountain setting
Smooth with optimized settings

6. Far Cry Primal

Genre: Open-world, survival, action
Best Settings: 1080p Medium/High
Performance: Smooth with optimization

Far Cry Primal is a unique open-world survival game set in the Stone Age. You use bows, spears, clubs, animal companions, crafting, and stealth to survive.

GTX 970 can run Far Cry Primal well at 1080p with medium or high mixed settings.

Why Far Cry Primal is good for GTX 970

Unique Stone Age setting
Survival gameplay
Animal companions
Good open-world action

7. Far Cry 5

Genre: Open-world, FPS, action
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable and smooth with optimized settings

Far Cry 5 is more demanding, but GTX 970 can still run it with low to medium settings. It offers a large open world, vehicles, guns, missions, and co-op gameplay.

For smoother FPS, reduce shadows, textures, reflections, and environment details.

Why Far Cry 5 is good for GTX 970

Large open world
Fun shooting gameplay
Co-op support
Playable at 1080p optimized settings

8. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag

Genre: Open-world, action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Smooth

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is one of the best pirate-themed open-world games. You can sail ships, explore islands, fight enemies, hunt treasure, and enjoy naval battles.

GTX 970 can run Black Flag smoothly at 1080p with high settings.

Why Black Flag is good for GTX 970

Pirate open-world adventure
Naval battles
Great story
Smooth performance

9. Assassin’s Creed Rogue

Genre: Open-world, action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Assassin’s Creed Rogue is another great Assassin’s Creed game for GTX 970. It has naval combat, stealth, exploration, and a different story perspective.

The game is not very demanding compared to newer Assassin’s Creed titles, so it runs very well on GTX 970.

Why Assassin’s Creed Rogue is good for GTX 970

Good optimization
Naval gameplay
Interesting story
Smooth open-world gameplay

10. Assassin’s Creed Unity

Genre: Open-world, action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable

Assassin’s Creed Unity is demanding, but GTX 970 can run it with optimized settings. The game features a detailed Paris map, parkour, stealth, combat, and large crowds.

For better FPS, reduce crowd density, shadows, environment quality, and anti-aliasing.

Why Assassin’s Creed Unity is good for GTX 970

Beautiful Paris setting
Good parkour gameplay
Stealth and combat
Playable with optimized settings

11. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

Genre: Open-world, action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable and smooth with optimization

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is set in London and offers open-world exploration, parkour, stealth, combat, and carriage driving. GTX 970 can run it well with low to medium settings.

Why Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is good for GTX 970

Large London map
Fun stealth gameplay
Good story missions
Playable with optimized settings

12. Assassin’s Creed Origins

Genre: Open-world, action RPG
Best Settings: 900p/1080p Low
Performance: Playable

Assassin’s Creed Origins is more demanding than older AC games, but GTX 970 can run it on low settings. The game has a large Egyptian open world, RPG systems, stealth, combat, and exploration.

For smoother gameplay, lower shadows, textures, volumetric clouds, and anti-aliasing.

Why Assassin’s Creed Origins is good for GTX 970

Beautiful ancient Egypt setting
RPG-style gameplay
Large open world
Playable on low settings

13. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Genre: Open-world, action RPG
Best Settings: 720p/900p Low
Performance: Playable with reduced settings

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is a heavy open-world game, but GTX 970 can run it with low settings. The game has a massive Greek world, naval gameplay, RPG choices, and long story content.

For best results, use low graphics settings and a 30 FPS target.

Why Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is good for GTX 970

Huge open world
Ancient Greece setting
RPG choices
Playable with low settings

14. Tomb Raider

Genre: Action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Tomb Raider is one of the best action-adventure games for GTX 970. It has exploration, puzzles, combat, survival elements, and cinematic story moments.

GTX 970 can run Tomb Raider smoothly at high settings. Turn off heavy hair effects if you want higher FPS.

Why Tomb Raider is good for GTX 970

Great story
Smooth performance
Good graphics
Fun action and exploration

15. Rise of the Tomb Raider

Genre: Action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p Medium
Performance: Smooth with optimization

Rise of the Tomb Raider is more demanding, but GTX 970 can run it well at 1080p with medium settings. The game has beautiful environments, tomb exploration, crafting, and strong action gameplay.

For better FPS, use medium textures and low shadows.

Why Rise of the Tomb Raider is good for GTX 970

Strong adventure gameplay
Beautiful locations
Good story
Smooth with optimized settings

16. Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Genre: Action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p Low or 900p Medium
Performance: Playable

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is demanding, but GTX 970 can run it on low settings. The game includes jungle exploration, tombs, stealth, combat, and cinematic moments.

For smoother gameplay, use low shadows, medium textures, and lower resolution if needed.

Why Shadow of the Tomb Raider is good for GTX 970

Beautiful adventure locations
Strong exploration
Good stealth and combat
Playable on low settings

17. Sleeping Dogs

Genre: Open-world, action
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Sleeping Dogs is a stylish open-world action game set in Hong Kong. It includes driving, fighting, shooting, and a strong crime story.

GTX 970 can run Sleeping Dogs smoothly at high settings, making it one of the best GTA-style games for budget PCs.

Why Sleeping Dogs is good for GTX 970

Great hand-to-hand combat
Stylish city environment
Strong story
Smooth performance

18. Mafia II

Genre: Open-world, crime, action
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Mafia II is a story-driven crime game with a classic gangster atmosphere. It includes driving, shooting, and emotional story missions.

GTX 970 can run Mafia II very smoothly at high settings.

Why Mafia II is good for GTX 970

Excellent crime story
Classic atmosphere
Smooth performance
Good for older PCs

19. Mafia III

Genre: Open-world, crime, action
Best Settings: 1080p Low or 900p Medium
Performance: Playable

Mafia III is more demanding than Mafia II, but GTX 970 can still run it with low to medium settings. The game has a large open world, driving, shooting, and a revenge-based crime story.

For smoother gameplay, lower shadows, textures, and post-processing.

Why Mafia III is good for GTX 970

Large open-world city
Strong crime story
Driving and shooting gameplay
Playable with optimized settings

20. Max Payne 3

Genre: Third-person shooter, action
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Max Payne 3 is a cinematic third-person shooter with intense gunfights and bullet-time gameplay. It still looks good and runs very well on GTX 970.

Why Max Payne 3 is good for GTX 970

Excellent shooting mechanics
Cinematic action
Strong story
Smooth gameplay

21. Batman: Arkham City

Genre: Action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Batman: Arkham City is one of the best superhero games for PC. It includes open-world exploration, stealth, combat, detective missions, and a strong Batman story.

GTX 970 can run Arkham City very smoothly.

Why Arkham City is good for GTX 970

Great combat system
Strong superhero story
Smooth performance
Fun open-world gameplay

22. Batman: Arkham Origins

Genre: Action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Batman: Arkham Origins is another excellent Batman game that runs well on GTX 970. It has a winter city setting, boss fights, stealth gameplay, and smooth combat.

Why Arkham Origins is good for GTX 970

Good story
Great combat
Smooth performance
Works well on older hardware

23. Batman: Arkham Knight

Genre: Open-world, action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable with optimized settings

Batman: Arkham Knight is more demanding than older Batman games, but GTX 970 can run it well with optimized settings. For smoother FPS, reduce smoke effects, shadows, texture quality, and NVIDIA GameWorks effects.

Why Arkham Knight is good for GTX 970

Beautiful Gotham City
Great combat and stealth
Batmobile gameplay
Playable with optimized settings

24. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Genre: Open-world, RPG, fantasy
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Skyrim is one of the best RPG games for GTX 970. It offers a huge fantasy world, dragons, magic, weapons, quests, and character customization.

The original version runs very well. Skyrim Special Edition is also playable with adjusted settings.

Why Skyrim is good for GTX 970

Huge open world
Many quests
Great RPG experience
Smooth performance

25. Fallout 4

Genre: Open-world, RPG, survival
Best Settings: 1080p Medium/High mix
Performance: Smooth with optimization

Fallout 4 is a great open-world RPG with exploration, crafting, settlements, shooting, and story choices. GTX 970 can run it well at 1080p with medium or high mixed settings.

For smoother FPS, reduce god rays, shadows, and draw distance.

Why Fallout 4 is good for GTX 970

Large open world
RPG choices
Settlement building
Good performance with optimized settings

26. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

Genre: RPG, fantasy, action
Best Settings: 1080p High/Medium
Performance: Smooth if UberSampling is off

The Witcher 2 is a story-rich fantasy RPG with strong characters and beautiful visuals. GTX 970 can run it very well, but UberSampling should be turned off because it can heavily reduce FPS.

Why The Witcher 2 is good for GTX 970

Strong story
Deep RPG gameplay
Beautiful fantasy world
Good performance with correct settings

27. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Genre: Open-world, RPG, fantasy
Best Settings: 1080p Medium or Low/Medium mix
Performance: Smooth with optimized settings

The Witcher 3 is one of the best RPG games ever made. It has a huge open world, excellent quests, memorable characters, monsters, magic, and deep storytelling.

GTX 970 can run The Witcher 3 well at 1080p with medium or low/medium settings. Turn off NVIDIA HairWorks and reduce shadows for better FPS.

Why The Witcher 3 is good for GTX 970

Huge open world
Excellent story
Deep RPG gameplay
Playable at 1080p optimized settings

28. Dragon Age: Inquisition

Genre: RPG, fantasy, action
Best Settings: 1080p Medium
Performance: Smooth with optimization

Dragon Age: Inquisition is a fantasy RPG with large maps, party-based combat, story choices, and exploration. GTX 970 can run it well with medium settings.

Why Dragon Age: Inquisition is good for GTX 970

Large fantasy world
Party-based RPG gameplay
Strong story choices
Good performance

29. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Genre: Open-world, stealth, action
Best Settings: 1080p High/Medium
Performance: Very smooth

Metal Gear Solid V is one of the best optimized open-world games for GTX 970. It offers stealth missions, tactical freedom, weapons, vehicles, and a large mission-based world.

Why MGSV is good for GTX 970

Excellent optimization
Open-world stealth gameplay
Smooth performance
Great mission variety

30. Watch Dogs

Genre: Open-world, action, hacking
Best Settings: 1080p Medium/Low
Performance: Playable and smooth with optimization

Watch Dogs is an open-world action game with hacking mechanics, driving, stealth, and shooting. GTX 970 can run it with optimized settings.

For better FPS, lower shadows, reflections, and anti-aliasing.

Why Watch Dogs is good for GTX 970

Unique hacking gameplay
Open-world city
Driving and stealth missions
Good for action fans

31. Watch Dogs 2

Genre: Open-world, action, hacking
Best Settings: 900p/1080p Low
Performance: Playable

Watch Dogs 2 is more demanding than the first game, but GTX 970 can run it on low settings. It has a colorful open world, hacking tools, stealth, driving, and modern-style missions.

For smoother gameplay, reduce shadows, textures, reflections, and geometry quality.

Why Watch Dogs 2 is good for GTX 970

Fun hacking mechanics
Large open world
Stylish missions
Playable on low settings

32. Just Cause 2

Genre: Open-world, action
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Just Cause 2 is a fun open-world action game with explosions, vehicles, parachutes, and a huge map. GTX 970 can run it very smoothly at high settings.

Why Just Cause 2 is good for GTX 970

Huge open world
Fun destruction
Vehicles and stunts
Smooth performance

33. Just Cause 3

Genre: Open-world, action
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable

Just Cause 3 is more demanding than Just Cause 2, but GTX 970 can run it with low to medium settings. The game has a large open world, explosions, wingsuit flying, and chaotic action.

For better performance, reduce textures, shadows, water quality, and anti-aliasing.

Why Just Cause 3 is good for GTX 970

Big explosions
Wingsuit gameplay
Large open world
Playable with optimized settings

34. Mad Max

Genre: Open-world, action, driving
Best Settings: 1080p High/Medium
Performance: Smooth

Mad Max is a well-optimized open-world action game with car combat, desert exploration, melee fighting, and vehicle upgrades. It runs very well on GTX 970.

Why Mad Max is good for GTX 970

Smooth performance
Fun car combat
Open-world exploration
Good action gameplay

35. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

Genre: Open-world, action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p High/Medium
Performance: Smooth

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is a great action game with sword combat, stealth, open-world missions, and the Nemesis system. GTX 970 can run it well at 1080p.

Why Shadow of Mordor is good for GTX 970

Excellent combat
Unique Nemesis system
Open-world missions
Smooth performance

36. Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Genre: Open-world, action, adventure
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable

Middle-earth: Shadow of War is more demanding than Shadow of Mordor, but GTX 970 can run it with low to medium settings. It has large battles, fortress attacks, orc armies, and an improved Nemesis system.

Why Shadow of War is good for GTX 970

Large battles
Improved Nemesis system
Open-world missions
Playable with optimized settings

37. BioShock Infinite

Genre: FPS, story, action
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

BioShock Infinite is a story-driven first-person shooter with a unique world, emotional story, and stylish combat. It runs very well on GTX 970.

Why BioShock Infinite is good for GTX 970

Great story
Unique art style
Smooth gameplay
Good FPS performance

38. Borderlands 2

Genre: FPS, RPG, looter-shooter
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Borderlands 2 is a fun looter-shooter with colorful graphics, many weapons, and co-op gameplay. GTX 970 can run it very smoothly.

Why Borderlands 2 is good for GTX 970

Many weapons
Fun co-op gameplay
High replay value
Excellent performance

39. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel

Genre: FPS, RPG, looter-shooter
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Smooth

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is another good choice for GTX 970 users. It has similar gameplay to Borderlands 2 with new environments, weapons, and low-gravity movement.

Why Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is good for GTX 970

Fun shooting gameplay
Co-op support
Many weapons
Smooth performance

40. Borderlands 3

Genre: FPS, RPG, looter-shooter
Best Settings: 720p/900p Low
Performance: Playable

Borderlands 3 is much more demanding than Borderlands 2, but GTX 970 can run it on low settings. The game has many weapons, co-op gameplay, colorful worlds, and fast shooting action.

For better FPS, use low textures, low shadows, and lower resolution.

Why Borderlands 3 is good for GTX 970

Huge weapon variety
Co-op gameplay
Fast shooting action
Playable on low settings

41. Crysis 2

Genre: FPS, action
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Smooth

Crysis 2 is a visually impressive FPS game with suit powers, action missions, and strong graphics. GTX 970 can run it very well.

Why Crysis 2 is good for GTX 970

Great FPS action
Good graphics
Fun suit abilities
Smooth on GTX 970

42. Crysis 3

Genre: FPS, action
Best Settings: 1080p Medium/Low
Performance: Playable and smooth with optimization

Crysis 3 is still a demanding game, but GTX 970 can run it with optimized settings. The game has excellent visuals, bow combat, stealth, and action gameplay.

For better performance, lower anti-aliasing, shadows, textures, and post-processing.

Why Crysis 3 is good for GTX 970

Impressive graphics
Fun FPS gameplay
Stealth and action mix
Playable with optimized settings

43. Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Genre: FPS, action
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Call of Duty: Black Ops II is one of the best COD games for GTX 970. It includes campaign, multiplayer, and zombies mode.

Why Black Ops II is good for GTX 970

Great campaign
Zombie mode
Smooth FPS
Good replay value

44. Call of Duty: Ghosts

Genre: FPS, action
Best Settings: 1080p High/Medium
Performance: Smooth

Call of Duty: Ghosts can run well on GTX 970 with medium to high settings. It offers cinematic missions, action gameplay, and multiplayer modes.

Why Call of Duty: Ghosts is good for GTX 970

Cinematic campaign
Smooth action
Good FPS gameplay
Playable on optimized settings

45. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

Genre: FPS, action
Best Settings: 1080p Medium
Performance: Smooth with optimization

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is more demanding than older COD titles, but GTX 970 can run it well with optimized settings. The futuristic movement, weapons, and campaign make it fun for FPS fans.

Why Advanced Warfare is good for GTX 970

Futuristic combat
Fast movement
Good campaign
Playable at 1080p optimized settings

46. Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Genre: FPS, action
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable

Call of Duty: Black Ops III is heavier than Black Ops II, but GTX 970 can run it with low to medium settings. It includes campaign, multiplayer, and zombies content.

For smoother performance, reduce texture quality, shadows, and anti-aliasing.

Why Black Ops III is good for GTX 970

Zombies mode
Futuristic weapons
Fast FPS gameplay
Playable with optimized settings

47. Call of Duty: WWII

Genre: FPS, action, war
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable

Call of Duty: WWII is a good choice for GTX 970 users who enjoy war shooters. It has a cinematic campaign, multiplayer, and classic World War II-style combat.

For smoother FPS, use low shadows, medium textures, and reduced effects.

Why Call of Duty: WWII is good for GTX 970

World War II campaign
Classic COD shooting
Multiplayer modes
Playable on optimized settings

48. Battlefield 3

Genre: FPS, action
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Battlefield 3 is a great military shooter with cinematic missions, large battles, vehicles, and multiplayer gameplay. GTX 970 can run it very smoothly.

Why Battlefield 3 is good for GTX 970

Large-scale battles
Vehicle combat
Good graphics
Smooth performance

49. Battlefield 4

Genre: FPS, action
Best Settings: 1080p High/Medium
Performance: Smooth

Battlefield 4 is a great FPS game for GTX 970. It offers large maps, vehicles, destruction, and strong multiplayer gameplay.

For better FPS, reduce effects and anti-aliasing.

Why Battlefield 4 is good for GTX 970

Large maps
Vehicle combat
Good multiplayer action
Smooth with optimized settings

50. Battlefield Hardline

Genre: FPS, action
Best Settings: 1080p Medium/High
Performance: Smooth

Battlefield Hardline is a police-themed Battlefield game with campaign missions, vehicles, and multiplayer action. GTX 970 can run it well.

Why Battlefield Hardline is good for GTX 970

Police vs criminal theme
Smooth FPS gameplay
Vehicles and large maps
Good performance

51. Battlefield 1

Genre: FPS, action, war
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable and smooth with optimization

Battlefield 1 is more demanding than Battlefield 4, but GTX 970 can run it with low to medium settings. The game has large war battles, vehicles, weapons, and cinematic visuals.

For smoother gameplay, use low lighting, low effects, and medium textures.

Why Battlefield 1 is good for GTX 970

Large battlefield action
Great atmosphere
Vehicles and weapons
Playable with optimized settings

52. Battlefield V

Genre: FPS, action, war
Best Settings: 720p/900p Low
Performance: Playable

Battlefield V is more demanding than Battlefield 1. GTX 970 can run it on low settings, but performance depends heavily on your CPU and RAM.

For best results, use low settings, no ray tracing, and lower resolution if needed.

Why Battlefield V is good for GTX 970

Large war battles
Good gunplay
Multiplayer action
Playable on low settings

53. Metro 2033 Redux

Genre: FPS, survival, horror
Best Settings: 1080p Medium/High
Performance: Smooth

Metro 2033 Redux is a dark atmospheric FPS with survival horror elements. GTX 970 can run it well with medium or high settings.

Why Metro 2033 Redux is good for GTX 970

Strong atmosphere
Good FPS gameplay
Survival horror elements
Smooth performance

54. Metro: Last Light Redux

Genre: FPS, survival, horror
Best Settings: 1080p Medium/High
Performance: Smooth

Metro: Last Light Redux is another excellent FPS game for GTX 970. It has a dark story, tense combat, stealth, and beautiful underground environments.

Why Metro: Last Light Redux is good for GTX 970

Great atmosphere
Strong story
Good stealth and shooting
Smooth performance

55. Dying Light

Genre: Open-world, zombie, survival
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable and smooth with optimization

Dying Light is a zombie survival game with parkour, melee combat, crafting, and an open world. GTX 970 can run it well with low to medium settings.

For better FPS, reduce view distance, shadows, and post-processing.

Why Dying Light is good for GTX 970

Parkour movement
Zombie survival gameplay
Open-world exploration
Playable with optimized settings

56. Resident Evil 2 Remake

Genre: Survival horror, action
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable and smooth with optimization

Resident Evil 2 Remake is a great survival horror game with modern graphics, tense gameplay, puzzles, and action. GTX 970 can run it well if texture memory usage is controlled.

Use medium textures carefully and avoid high VRAM settings.

Why Resident Evil 2 Remake is good for GTX 970

Excellent horror atmosphere
Good story and puzzles
Playable on optimized settings
Great single-player experience

57. Resident Evil 3 Remake

Genre: Survival horror, action
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable

Resident Evil 3 Remake is more action-focused than Resident Evil 2 Remake. GTX 970 can run it with low to medium settings.

For smoother FPS, keep textures and shadows at safe levels.

Why Resident Evil 3 Remake is good for GTX 970

Action-horror gameplay
Good visuals
Short but exciting campaign
Playable with optimized settings

58. Resident Evil 7

Genre: Survival horror, action
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Smooth with optimization

Resident Evil 7 is a first-person horror game with strong atmosphere, exploration, puzzles, and survival gameplay. GTX 970 can run it well with optimized settings.

Why Resident Evil 7 is good for GTX 970

Strong horror experience
Good performance
Great atmosphere
Interesting story

59. Alien: Isolation

Genre: Survival horror, stealth
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Alien: Isolation is one of the best horror games for older PCs. It has excellent atmosphere, stealth gameplay, and a terrifying alien enemy.

GTX 970 can run it very smoothly at high settings.

Why Alien: Isolation is good for GTX 970

Excellent horror atmosphere
Stealth-based gameplay
Smooth performance
Great single-player experience

60. Valorant

Genre: Competitive FPS
Best Settings: 1080p High/Medium
Performance: Very smooth

Valorant is one of the best modern competitive games for GTX 970. It is very well-optimized and does not require a powerful GPU.

Why Valorant is good for GTX 970

Free-to-play
Well-optimized
Competitive gameplay
Smooth on budget PCs

61. Counter-Strike 2

Genre: Competitive FPS
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable depending on CPU and RAM

Counter-Strike 2 is more demanding than older Counter-Strike games, but GTX 970 can run it with low or medium settings. Performance depends heavily on your CPU, RAM, and graphics settings.

For smoother gameplay, use low shadows, low effects, and performance-focused settings.

Why Counter-Strike 2 is good for GTX 970

Competitive FPS gameplay
Popular multiplayer game
Playable with optimized settings
Good for esports fans

62. Fortnite

Genre: Battle royale, shooter
Best Settings: 1080p Performance Mode or Low
Performance: Smooth with optimized settings

Fortnite can run well on GTX 970 if you use Performance Mode or low settings. It is a good choice for players who want a modern multiplayer game on older hardware.

For better FPS, use low shadows, low effects, and lower view distance if needed.

Why Fortnite is good for GTX 970

Free-to-play
Popular battle royale
Performance Mode available
Good for multiplayer gaming

63. Apex Legends

Genre: Battle royale, FPS
Best Settings: 720p/900p Low
Performance: Playable

Apex Legends is more demanding than Valorant and Fortnite, but GTX 970 can run it with low settings. For smoother performance, use low textures, low effects, and lower resolution.

Why Apex Legends is good for GTX 970

Fast FPS gameplay
Battle royale action
Team-based characters
Playable with low settings

64. PUBG: Battlegrounds

Genre: Battle royale, shooter
Best Settings: 720p/900p Low
Performance: Playable

PUBG can run on GTX 970 with low settings, but performance depends on CPU, RAM, and game updates. Lower shadows, effects, foliage, and view distance for smoother gameplay.

Why PUBG is good for GTX 970

Battle royale gameplay
Tactical shooting
Large maps
Playable with optimized settings

65. League of Legends

Genre: MOBA
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

League of Legends is lightweight and runs very smoothly on GTX 970. It is perfect for players who enjoy competitive online games.

Why League of Legends is good for GTX 970

Low system requirements
Smooth performance
Popular multiplayer game
Good for long-term play

66. Dota 2

Genre: MOBA
Best Settings: 1080p Medium/High
Performance: Smooth

Dota 2 can run well on GTX 970. For smoother performance during big team fights, lower shadows and effects quality.

Why Dota 2 is good for GTX 970

Free-to-play
Deep strategy gameplay
Good performance
High replay value

67. Minecraft

Genre: Sandbox, survival, creativity
Best Settings: 1080p High without heavy shaders
Performance: Smooth

Minecraft runs very well on GTX 970 as long as you avoid very heavy shaders and high-resolution texture packs. It is a great choice for survival, building, and modding.

Why Minecraft is good for GTX 970

Creative freedom
Survival gameplay
Lightweight
Huge modding community

68. Euro Truck Simulator 2

Genre: Simulation, driving
Best Settings: 1080p Medium/High
Performance: Smooth

Euro Truck Simulator 2 is a relaxing driving simulation game that runs well on GTX 970. You can deliver cargo, customize trucks, and drive across Europe.

Why Euro Truck Simulator 2 is good for GTX 970

Relaxing gameplay
Good optimization
Large driving map
Great for casual gamers

69. Need for Speed: Most Wanted

Genre: Racing
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Smooth

Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a fun arcade racing game with fast cars, open-world driving, and police chases. GTX 970 can run it smoothly.

Why Most Wanted is good for GTX 970

Fast racing action
Police chases
Smooth performance
Great for budget PCs

70. Need for Speed: Rivals

Genre: Racing
Best Settings: 1080p Medium
Performance: Smooth with optimization

Need for Speed: Rivals is a more demanding racing game, but GTX 970 can run it with medium settings. It offers fast races, police chases, and beautiful roads.

Why NFS Rivals is good for GTX 970

Fast cars
Police vs racer gameplay
Beautiful map
Playable with optimized settings

71. Forza Horizon 4

Genre: Open-world racing
Best Settings: 1080p Low/Medium
Performance: Playable and smooth with optimization

Forza Horizon 4 is a beautiful open-world racing game. GTX 970 can run it with low to medium settings. For the best results, use medium textures carefully and lower shadows and reflections.

Why Forza Horizon 4 is good for GTX 970

Beautiful open-world racing
Many cars
Fun driving gameplay
Playable with optimized settings

72. Forza Horizon 5

Genre: Open-world racing
Best Settings: 720p/900p Low
Performance: Playable with reduced settings

Forza Horizon 5 is more demanding than Forza Horizon 4, but GTX 970 can run it on low settings. Use low textures, low shadows, and lower resolution for a more stable experience.

Why Forza Horizon 5 is good for GTX 970

Beautiful Mexico map
Many cars
Fun racing gameplay
Playable on low settings

73. Dirt 3

Genre: Racing, rally
Best Settings: 1080p High
Performance: Very smooth

Dirt 3 is a great rally racing game that runs very smoothly on GTX 970. It still looks good and offers fun off-road racing.

Why Dirt 3 is good for GTX 970

Very smooth performance
Good rally gameplay
Nice graphics
Great for older PCs

74. Rocket League

Genre: Sports, racing, multiplayer
Best Settings: 1080p High/Medium
Performance: Smooth

Rocket League is a fun competitive game that combines football and cars. It runs very well on GTX 970 and is great for online multiplayer.

Why Rocket League is good for GTX 970

Fast and fun gameplay
Online multiplayer
Smooth performance
Easy to play, hard to master

More Good Games for GTX 970

Here are more PC games that can run well on GTX 970:

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Hitman: Absolution
Hitman: Blood Money
Hitman 2016
Hitman 2 on low settings
Saints Row: The Third
Saints Row IV
Dead Space
Dead Space 2
Dead Space 3
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil Revelations
Resident Evil Revelations 2
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Mirror’s Edge
Mirror’s Edge Catalyst on low settings
Team Fortress 2
Warframe
Terraria
Stardew Valley
Don’t Starve
Limbo
Inside
Burnout Paradise
GRID 2
GRID Autosport
Alan Wake
Sniper Elite V2
Sniper Elite 3
Sniper Elite 4 on low/medium settings
The Evil Within
The Evil Within 2 on low settings
Dishonored
Dishonored 2 on low settings
Payday 2
Paladins
Brawlhalla
Control on low settings
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order on low settings
Monster Hunter: World on low settings
Nier: Automata
Dark Souls III
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice on low settings

Best Open-World Games for GTX 970

If you like open-world games, these are some of the best choices:

GTA V
Red Dead Redemption 2 on low settings
Cyberpunk 2077 on very low settings
Far Cry 3
Far Cry 4
Far Cry Primal
Far Cry 5 on low settings
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Assassin’s Creed Rogue
Assassin’s Creed Unity
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
Assassin’s Creed Origins on low settings
Sleeping Dogs
Skyrim
Fallout 4
The Witcher 3
Mafia II
Mafia III on low settings
Watch Dogs
Watch Dogs 2 on low settings
Metal Gear Solid V
Just Cause 2
Just Cause 3 on low settings
Mad Max
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Middle-earth: Shadow of War on low settings

These games are great for exploration, missions, driving, combat, stealth, and long gameplay hours.

Best Shooting Games for GTX 970

For FPS and shooting game fans, try these titles:

Valorant
Counter-Strike 2
Fortnite Performance Mode
Apex Legends on low settings
PUBG on low settings
Battlefield 3
Battlefield 4
Battlefield Hardline
Battlefield 1
Battlefield V on low settings
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Call of Duty: WWII
Crysis 2
Crysis 3
BioShock Infinite
Borderlands 2
Borderlands 3 on low settings
Metro 2033 Redux
Metro: Last Light Redux
Left 4 Dead 2

These games offer strong action and can run well with adjusted settings.

Best Racing Games for GTX 970

For racing lovers, these games are recommended:

Need for Speed: Most Wanted
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Need for Speed: Rivals
Forza Horizon 4
Forza Horizon 5 on low settings
Dirt 3
GRID 2
GRID Autosport
Burnout Paradise
Euro Truck Simulator 2
Rocket League

Most older racing games can run smoothly at 1080p, while newer racing games may need low settings and lower resolution.

Best RPG Games for GTX 970

If you like RPG games, try these:

The Witcher 3
The Witcher 2
Skyrim
Fallout 4
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Dark Souls III
Nier: Automata
Assassin’s Creed Origins on low settings
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey on low settings
Cyberpunk 2077 on very low settings

These games are good for long story campaigns, exploration, character progression, and replay value.

Best Horror Games for GTX 970

For horror game fans, these are good choices:

Resident Evil 2 Remake
Resident Evil 3 Remake
Resident Evil 7
Alien: Isolation
The Evil Within
The Evil Within 2 on low settings
Metro 2033 Redux
Metro: Last Light Redux
Dead Space
Dead Space 2
Dead Space 3

Many horror games are well-optimized and can run nicely on GTX 970 with the right settings.

Best Free Games for GTX 970

If you want free games, try these:

Valorant
Fortnite
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Dota 2
Team Fortress 2
Warframe
Brawlhalla
Roblox
Paladins
Rocket League
PUBG: Battlegrounds on low settings
Apex Legends on low settings

Free-to-play games are a good option for GTX 970 users because many of them are optimized for a wide range of PCs.

GTX 970 vs GTX 960 for Gaming

The GTX 970 is much better than the GTX 960 for gaming. It gives higher FPS, better 1080p performance, and can handle more demanding games.

GPU	Gaming Performance
GTX 960	Good for 1080p low/medium gaming
GTX 970	Better for 1080p medium gaming and some newer titles

If you have a GTX 970, you can play more AAA games smoothly compared to GTX 960.

GTX 970 Limitations in Modern Games

The GTX 970 is still useful, but it has some limitations:

It has a 4GB VRAM design with a well-known 3.5GB fast memory limitation.
Ultra textures are not recommended in newer games.
Ray tracing is not supported.
Some modern AAA games may need 720p or 900p.
Newer games may require very low settings.
CPU and RAM can strongly affect performance.
Some newer games may need modern GPU features.

For best results, focus on 1080p low to medium settings and avoid ultra graphics options.

Tips to Improve FPS on GTX 970

Use these tips to improve performance:

Update your NVIDIA graphics driver.
Close unnecessary background apps before gaming.
Use fullscreen mode.
Lower shadows and reflections.
Turn off motion blur.
Disable heavy anti-aliasing.
Use medium textures instead of ultra textures.
Use 900p or 720p resolution for demanding games.
Install games on SSD for faster loading.
Keep your PC clean from dust.
Avoid heavy mods, shaders, and high-resolution texture packs.
Limit FPS to 30 in heavy open-world games for stable gameplay.
Turn off NVIDIA HairWorks in supported games.
Reduce view distance in open-world games.
Turn off ray tracing in all supported games.
Use performance mode in competitive games when available.
Keep Windows background tasks low while gaming.

Small graphics changes can make a big difference on older GPUs like GTX 970.

Is GTX 970 Good for Gaming in 2026?

Yes, the GTX 970 is still good for budget gaming in 2026 if you play the right games. It is especially good for older AAA games, esports titles, racing games, RPGs, horror games, and optimized open-world games.

It is not recommended for modern heavy AAA gaming at high settings, but it can still run many demanding games at low settings. If you are okay with 1080p low/medium settings or 900p in heavier games, the GTX 970 can still provide a fun gaming experience.

Safe Download and Installation Note

Always download or install games from official and trusted platforms such as Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, Ubisoft Connect, EA App, Battle.net, or the official game website. This helps avoid malware, unsafe installers, corrupted files, and broken game versions.

Before installing any game, check the minimum system requirements and make sure your PC has enough RAM, storage space, and driver support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can GTX 970 run GTA V?

Yes, GTX 970 can run GTA V smoothly at 1080p using medium or high mixed settings. For better FPS, reduce shadows, grass quality, reflections, and advanced graphics settings.

Can GTX 970 run Red Dead Redemption 2?

Yes, GTX 970 can run Red Dead Redemption 2 on low settings. For smoother gameplay, use 1080p low or 900p low/medium settings and target 30 FPS.

Can GTX 970 run Cyberpunk 2077?

Yes, GTX 970 can run Cyberpunk 2077 on very low settings, but it is a demanding game. Use 720p or 900p, low textures, low shadows, and no ray tracing.

Can GTX 970 run The Witcher 3?

Yes, GTX 970 can run The Witcher 3 well with medium or low/medium settings. Turn off NVIDIA HairWorks and lower shadows for better performance.

Can GTX 970 run Battlefield 1?

Yes, GTX 970 can run Battlefield 1 with low to medium settings. Performance depends on CPU, RAM, and multiplayer map size.

Can GTX 970 run Forza Horizon 4?

Yes, GTX 970 can run Forza Horizon 4 with low to medium settings. Use medium textures carefully and lower shadows and reflections for better FPS.

Can GTX 970 run Forza Horizon 5?

Yes, GTX 970 can run Forza Horizon 5 on low settings, but lower resolution may be needed for smoother gameplay.

Can GTX 970 run Valorant?

Yes, Valorant runs very smoothly on GTX 970. It is well-optimized and does not need a very powerful GPU.

Can GTX 970 run Counter-Strike 2?

Yes, GTX 970 can run Counter-Strike 2 with low or medium settings. Performance depends heavily on CPU, RAM, and graphics settings.

Is GTX 970 good for 1080p gaming?

Yes, GTX 970 is still good for 1080p gaming in older and optimized games. For newer heavy games, low settings or 900p may be better.

How much RAM is recommended with GTX 970?

8GB RAM is the minimum, but 16GB RAM is recommended for open-world games, newer games, and smoother multitasking.

Is GTX 970 better than GTX 960?

Yes, GTX 970 is much better than GTX 960. It provides stronger 1080p performance and can run more demanding games smoothly.

Is GTX 970 still worth using in 2026?

Yes, GTX 970 is still worth using for budget gaming if you mainly play older AAA games, esports games, racing games, RPGs, and optimized titles. For modern heavy games, a newer GPU is recommended.

Conclusion

The GTX 970 is still a strong budget graphics card for 1080p gaming in 2026. Games like GTA V, Far Cry 3, Far Cry 4, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Sleeping Dogs, Tomb Raider, Skyrim, Fallout 4, Battlefield 4, Metal Gear Solid V, Valorant, Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3, and Red Dead Redemption 2 on low settings can run well with the right configuration.

For the best experience, use low or medium graphics settings in demanding games, avoid ultra textures, keep your drivers updated, and lower the resolution when needed. If you choose optimized games, the GTX 970 can still provide a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience on a budget PC.

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