To play PC games on a vertical display, you’ll typically need to adjust your display settings within your operating system and potentially some game settings to accommodate the portrait orientation.
Have you ever thought about playing your favorite PC games in a completely different way? It’s time to explore the exciting world of vertical gaming! Many gamers have been curious about how to play pc games on vertical display, and it might seem complicated, but it’s quite achievable. You can change the orientation of your monitor for a unique gaming experience.
Setting up a vertical screen for gaming provides a new visual perspective. Certain games, particularly those with vertical scrolling or simple interfaces, can actually benefit from this setup. Plus, it looks pretty cool! You should definitely give it a try if you have an extra monitor.
How to Play PC Games on Vertical Display
Ever wondered if you could play your favorite PC games on that tall monitor you use for coding or reading? It’s not just a quirky idea; playing games vertically can actually be really fun and offer a fresh perspective! But, it’s not as simple as just turning your monitor sideways. Many games aren’t designed for this layout, and you might face some challenges. Don’t worry; we are here to guide you through the process of setting up your PC games for a vertical display. Let’s dive into the world of playing games differently!
Understanding Vertical Displays
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of gaming, let’s understand what a vertical display is and why it’s different. A normal monitor is set up horizontally, where the width is more than the height. A vertical display, also known as portrait mode, is when you flip that around, making the height more than the width. This setup is popular for tasks that involve lots of scrolling, like writing, reading long documents, or coding. It lets you see more content at once. However, games are generally made for horizontal displays, so we need some extra steps to get them working nicely on a vertical one.
Aspect Ratios and Why They Matter
Aspect ratio is like the shape of your screen. It’s the relationship between the width and height of your display. Most monitors use a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is wide. When you rotate your monitor for a vertical setup, you’re changing the aspect ratio drastically. This new shape is not the standard for most games, which can cause some big problems. You might see black bars on the sides, stretched images, or even parts of the game cut off. This happens because games expect a wide view and vertical displays give them a narrow and tall one. Therefore, we need to manipulate the game settings or the computer’s settings to adjust for this aspect ratio difference, or we’ll end up with a game that’s not really playable, or enjoyable.
Preparing Your System for Vertical Gaming
Getting your system ready for vertical gaming isn’t too hard, but it’s an essential step to make sure everything runs smoothly. Here’s what you should do:
Rotating Your Display
First, you need to tell your computer that your monitor is now vertical. Both Windows and MacOS have settings that allow you to change the display orientation. Here’s how to do it:
- Windows: Right-click on your desktop and choose “Display settings.” Scroll down to “Display orientation” and select “Portrait.” Click “Apply” and your screen will rotate. You might need to confirm the changes.
- MacOS: Go to “System Preferences,” then “Displays.” Under the “Arrangement” tab, find the rotation option. Pick “90 Degrees” or “270 Degrees,” depending on how you physically turned your monitor. Click “Apply”.
Make sure your monitor is physically rotated correctly. Some monitor stands have a pivot function to help with this, but if not, you’ll need to prop it up carefully to prevent it from falling over.
Adjusting Your Game Settings
Many games are built to use specific screen resolutions and aspect ratios, so you can not always get the best experience even after rotating the monitor using the setting we previously discussed. Here’s how to manipulate in-game settings to get vertical aspect ratio experience.
- Look for Aspect Ratio Settings: Many games allow you to change the aspect ratio within their settings menus. Look for options like “Aspect Ratio,” “Screen Ratio,” or “Display Ratio.” Change it to something like 9:16 or whatever is closest to your vertical setup. Sometimes, you might need to experiment to find the best setting.
- Screen Resolution Settings: Check the resolution setting. Games usually give you a list of options. Select the most appropriate resolution for your vertical setup. For example, if you typically use 1920×1080 horizontally, then 1080×1920 is a good starting point for your vertical display.
- Windowed Mode: If you’re having trouble with full screen mode, try playing in windowed or borderless windowed mode. This can sometimes make it easier for the game to adapt to the unusual aspect ratio. You can resize or move the window as needed.
Dealing with Game Compatibility Issues
Not every game will work perfectly on a vertical display. Some games might have very strong limitations on how you can change their aspect ratios. You might face different issues like cut-off images, incorrect UI scaling, and unplayable scenarios. Here’s a breakdown of common problems and how to solve them:
Black Bars and Letterboxing
Sometimes, even after changing the resolution, you might still see black bars on the sides. This is called letterboxing, and the game isn’t using the full area of your screen. It can happen when the game doesn’t support the aspect ratio of your screen.
Here is a solution:
- Use Third-Party Tools: You can use tools like Borderless Gaming or similar utilities that can force games to run in a borderless window. While it may not completely remove the black bars, it can fill up the screen better, giving you a larger view, and also keep your window borderless so that you have no other distractions
- Game-Specific Mods or Fixes: Sometimes, the game community might come up with a solution. Look for game-specific mods, plugins, or fixes that tackle the aspect ratio problem. You might find these on forums, communities or websites dedicated to game modifications.
Stretched or Distorted Images
Another common problem is when the game’s images look stretched or distorted. This can be because the game tries to fill the screen horizontally and does not take care of the vertical screen requirements. Here is how to tackle the issue
- Adjust Graphic Settings: Sometimes, tweaking other graphic settings like field of view (FOV) or image scaling can help improve how the game appears. Play with these settings to get your screen to display in a more desirable fashion.
- Check Community Forums: If other players have had the same issues, they will certainly find a solution. Check Reddit and Steam community pages for solutions specific to your game.
Cut-Off Content
Sometimes you can find that the game is cutting off some parts of the image, especially the UI. This happens because the game’s interface isn’t designed for the vertical view. Usually, you don’t have much choice, but there are things you can try
- User Interface Mods: If you can’t fix it using in-game settings, check for user interface (UI) mods. These mods can be found on websites dedicated to modding or the game’s community forums.
- Adjust Display Scaling: Another option is to tweak the display scaling in Windows or macOS settings. This can sometimes make the game content more readable.
Best Types of Games for Vertical Displays
Certain types of games are more suited to vertical displays than others. Games with menus that are vertical or have a top-down or side scrolling view often feel natural on this orientation.
Arcade and Retro Games
Classic arcade games that were originally designed to be played on tall monitors or in portrait mode work incredibly well on a vertical display. Games like classic shooters, retro platformers, and pinball games will look good and fit well.
- Shooters: Games like “Galaga” or “Space Invaders” can be very nostalgic and fun on vertical setups.
- Platformers: Titles like “Donkey Kong” or “Pac-Man” will fit very naturally on your rotated screen.
Pinball Games
Pinball games really shine on a vertical display, as the shape is similar to actual pinball machines. With a vertical view, it feels more like playing the real thing.
- Digital Pinball Titles: Games like “Pinball FX” or “Zen Pinball” become immersive on a vertical display.
Puzzle Games
Many puzzle games fit very well on vertical screens because they often have a vertical view to begin with. Puzzle games like Sudoku or Tetris can offer a comfortable experience on this unusual aspect ratio.
- Match-3 Puzzles: Games like “Candy Crush” or “Bejeweled” are very good when played vertically.
- Tile-Based Puzzles: Titles like “Threes” and “2048” will also work perfectly.
Side-Scrolling Games
Side-scrolling games can offer a different experience on vertical screens, showing you more of the playing area above and below, instead of left and right.
- Platformers with Vertical Levels: Some platformers that have tall maps will be fun to play on the vertical display, giving you an immersive experience.
- Side Scrollers with Lots of Height: Games where you move vertically more often than horizontally are excellent candidates for a vertical screen.
Games That Might Not Work Well
Some games are simply not designed for vertical screens and can be difficult or impossible to play:
- First-Person Shooters (FPS): Games that are designed for a wide view can look very unnatural when you try to play them vertically.
- Strategy Games: The UI and gameplay elements of strategy games are typically made for horizontal views, making them difficult to manage on vertical screens.
- Driving or Racing Games: These games usually rely on the wide screen to give you a sense of speed and view the upcoming turns, which can be challenging to see on vertical screens.
- MMORPGs: Massive multiplayer online role playing games usually have a complex UI that is not designed for a vertical screen, making it impossible to play on such monitors.
Using Multiple Monitors for Vertical Gaming
You can have more than one vertical display for gaming, this can further improve the immersion. This gives you a larger field of view, and it’s possible to extend the screen across multiple monitors.
Setting Up Multiple Vertical Monitors
To set this up, you will need to connect the monitors to your PC. Then, go into your display settings. Here you will arrange the monitors vertically, depending on the physical arrangement of the monitors.
- Connect Your Monitors: Hook up your monitors to your PC using the correct cables.
- Arrange the Monitors: Go into the display settings of your operating system, and arrange the virtual representation of the screens to match their physical layout.
Dealing with Multi-Monitor Issues
When you use multiple monitors, games can behave in different ways. Here are some things to remember:
- Game Compatibility: Most games don’t officially support multiple monitors that are connected vertically. You will need to check if the game supports multiple monitors before trying to play them in this way.
- Bezel Correction: If you have bezels in between your monitors, they may cut-off the view. You will need to find a way to compensate for the bezels, which may not be possible, depending on the game you are playing.
- Screen Splitting: Sometimes, games will split their view across multiple monitors, even if they shouldn’t. You will need to look for workarounds for the game you are playing, since there is no standard way to fix this issue.
Tips for Better Vertical Gaming
Here are some extra tips to make your vertical gaming experience better:
- Adjust Your Seating: Make sure your chair and desk are at the correct height so that your posture will be good for long gaming sessions.
- Test Various Games: Experiment with various types of games to see which ones fit best on your vertical screen.
- Look for Communities: Join online communities for vertical gaming to learn from others and discover new ideas.
- Be Patient: Getting things just right for vertical gaming will require trial and error. Be patient and experiment with your game and monitor setup until you get the best experience.
Playing PC games on a vertical display may seem like a small thing, but it has the potential to bring a whole new perspective into your gameplay. It’s not always perfect, but it can be very enjoyable. By setting up your system correctly, trying out different games, and being ready to deal with the minor quirks you may face, you can have a unique gaming experience and also make use of your vertical monitors.
Minecraft on a vertical monitor?
Final Thoughts
To play PC games on vertical display, adjust game settings for resolution and window mode. You might need third-party software to rotate the display output if the game doesn’t natively support it. This often results in a different game experience.
Specific software or system settings can enable a 90-degree rotation. Some games may require user modifications or ini file edits. Remember, this is how to play pc games on vertical display.
