Ultrawide Support for Old PC Games: Step-by-Step

Adding ultrawide (21:9 or 32:9) support to older PC games lets you play them without black bars on the sides or stretched, distorted images. This guide covers the most reliable methods—from simple config file edits to community patches and hex edits—so you can get your favorite classic running fullscreen on a modern monitor. Before starting, back up any files you plan to modify and know your monitor’s native resolution (e.g., 3440×1440 or 5120×1440).

What You’ll Need

• A PC with the game installed and a monitor set to its native ultrawide resolution.
• Administrator access to the game’s installation folder (usually under Program Files or Steam\steamapps\common).
• A text editor like Notepad++ (plain Notepad works too).
• Optional but helpful: WSGF (Widescreen Gaming Forum) for game-specific fixes, and a hex editor like HxD.

Step-by-Step

1. Check the game’s native options. Launch the game and look in the video/graphics settings. Some older games already have a resolution list that includes ultrawide, especially if they were patched later. If you see your resolution, select it and skip to the troubleshooting section if there are issues.
2. Find the configuration file. Most games store display settings in a .ini, .cfg, .txt, or .xml file. Common locations: the game’s install folder, Documents\My Games\[Game Name], or %AppData%\[Studio or Game]. Look for files named settings.ini, config.cfg, or user.ini.
3. Edit the resolution manually. Open the config file in a text editor. Look for lines like Resolution=1920x1080, ScreenWidth=1920, ScreenHeight=1080, or DisplayMode=. Change the width to your monitor’s native ultrawide width and the height to its native height. For example, for a 3440×1440 monitor, set ScreenWidth=3440 and ScreenHeight=1440. Save the file, then launch the game.
4. For games with fixed aspect ratios (like 16:9 only), try a hex edit. This is more advanced. First, locate the game’s executable (.exe) file. Make a backup copy. Open the .exe in a hex editor (like HxD). Search for the hex values of common resolutions, e.g., for 1920×1080, the hex is 80 07 38 04 (1920 = 0x780, 1080 = 0x438). Replace the width and height with your target resolution’s hex values. For 3440×1440, 3440 = 0xD70, so hex is 70 0D A0 05 (1440 = 0x5A0). This is fragile and only works if the game reads the resolution from a fixed table. Test carefully.
5. Use a community patch or tool. Check the WSGF forums and sites like Flawless Widescreen or Widescreen Fixes Pack for your specific game. These tools often provide one-click fixes for ultrawide, including correct field of view (FOV) and cutscene alignment. Download the patch, run it, and follow its on-screen instructions.
6. Force ultrawide via GPU driver settings. If the game has a borderless window mode, you can sometimes force a custom resolution. In NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Settings, create a custom resolution matching your monitor’s native ultrawide. Then in the game, select that resolution if it appears. If not, set the game to windowed mode and use a tool like Windowed Borderless Gaming to stretch the window to fullscreen.
7. Adjust the Field of View (FOV) if needed. Ultrawide often makes the game zoom in too much. Look for FOV settings in the config file or in-game. Increase the horizontal FOV to compensate. Some games have a console command like fov 90 (e.g., in Source engine games). For others, you may need a mod.

Common Mistakes

• Editing the wrong config file. Some games have multiple config files; the one in the install folder might be overwritten by the one in Documents. Always edit the one that the game actually reads (check timestamps after launching).
• Forgetting to back up. A hex edit gone wrong can corrupt the executable. Always keep a backup.
• Using the wrong hex values. Endianness matters. The hex for 3440 is 70 0D (little-endian), not 0D 70. Double-check your conversion.
• Setting a resolution the monitor doesn’t support. Ensure your monitor’s native resolution is exactly what you enter. If you enter a non-native resolution, the image may be blurry or the game may crash.
• Ignoring the UI/HUD. Many older games will stretch the UI or leave it at the edges. This is often acceptable, but some patches fix it.

Tips

• Always run the game in borderless windowed mode if available—it avoids fullscreen exclusive issues and makes resolution changes more forgiving.
• For games with a fixed 16:9 aspect, try using a tool like WSGF’s Ultrawide Fix which automates hex edits for many titles.
• If the game uses DirectX, you can try using a wrapper like d3d8to9 or DXWrapper to enable custom resolutions that the game originally didn’t support.
• Check PCGamingWiki—it has per-game ultrawide support pages with exact config file locations and known issues.
• If the game has a letterboxed cutscene, that’s normal; don’t waste time trying to fix it unless a patch specifically addresses it.

Troubleshooting

• The game crashes on launch after editing config. Revert the config file to the backup. If you didn’t back up, reset the game’s settings by deleting the config file (the game will recreate it with defaults).
• The game runs but the image is stretched. This means the game is rendering at a 16:9 resolution and stretching it to fill the screen. You need to set the actual resolution in the config, not just the window size. Look for a separate Fullscreen or Resolution option.
• The game runs but has black bars on the sides. This is the default behavior for games that don’t support ultrawide. You haven’t successfully changed the resolution. Double-check the config file and try a different method (e.g., hex edit or patch).
• The game runs but the UI is cut off. The HUD is often placed at the edges of the 16:9 area. Some patches move it inward. If no patch exists, you may have to accept it or use a smaller ultrawide resolution (e.g., 2560×1080 instead of 3440×1440) to reduce the cutoff.
• The hex edit didn’t work. Not all games have a fixed resolution table. If the game still shows 1920×1080, the resolution is likely stored elsewhere (e.g., in a registry key or a separate settings file). Search the registry for the game’s name and look for Resolution values.
• The game’s FOV is too zoomed in. This is common when the aspect ratio changes but the horizontal FOV stays the same. Look for a FOV slider in the game options, or use a console command if available. For some games, you can edit the FOV in the config file (e.g., FOV=90).

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this work for every old game?

No. Some games have hardcoded resolution limits or use engines that don’t support arbitrary resolutions. Community patches exist for many popular titles, but for obscure games you may be out of luck.

Is it safe to hex edit the executable?

If you back up the original file, it’s safe. A wrong edit can cause the game to crash, but you can restore the backup. Antivirus software might flag modified executables, so you may need to add an exception.

Why does the game still show black bars in cutscenes?

Cutscenes are often pre-rendered at a fixed aspect ratio (like 16:9). There’s no way to change that without re-rendering the video, which is beyond the scope of this guide. Some patches skip cutscenes or stretch them, but that looks worse.

I have a 32:9 monitor (5120×1440). Will these steps work?

Yes, the same principles apply. Just use your native resolution in the config or hex edit. Be aware that 32:9 is even less supported than 21:9, so you may need more aggressive patching.

Can I use this to get ultrawide on games that only support 4:3?

Yes, but it’s more difficult. You’ll need to find the resolution table and replace the 4:3 entries with your ultrawide resolution. Often you’ll also need to adjust the FOV, or the game will look like a fisheye.

What if the game has an online multiplayer mode?

Modifying the game’s executable or config may trigger anti-cheat software. It’s best to only apply these fixes to single-player modes. If you’re unsure, check the game’s online policy or use a separate installation for modded play.

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