diff --git a/@miSim/initialize.m b/@miSim/initialize.m
index 056136b..b6568d9 100644
--- a/@miSim/initialize.m
+++ b/@miSim/initialize.m
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-function obj = initialize(obj, domain, objective, agents, timestep, partitoningFreq, maxIter, obstacles)
+function obj = initialize(obj, domain, objective, agents, timestep, partitoningFreq, maxIter, obstacles, makeVideo)
     arguments (Input)
         obj (1, 1) {mustBeA(obj, 'miSim')};
         domain (1, 1) {mustBeGeometry};
@@ -8,11 +8,15 @@ function obj = initialize(obj, domain, objective, agents, timestep, partitoningF
         partitoningFreq (:, 1) double = 0.25
         maxIter (:, 1) double = 1000;
         obstacles (:, 1) cell {mustBeGeometry} = cell(0, 1);
+        makeVideo (1, 1) logical = true;
     end
     arguments (Output)
         obj (1, 1) {mustBeA(obj, 'miSim')};
     end
 
+    % enable/disable video writer
+    obj.makeVideo = makeVideo;
+
     % Define simulation time parameters
     obj.timestep = timestep;
     obj.maxIter = maxIter - 1;
diff --git a/@miSim/miSim.m b/@miSim/miSim.m
index 4742c84..2fe9a25 100644
--- a/@miSim/miSim.m
+++ b/@miSim/miSim.m
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ classdef miSim
         partitioningTimes;
 
         % Plot objects
+        makeVideo = true; % enable/disable VideoWriter (performance implications)
         f = firstPlotSetup(); % main plotting tiled layout figure
         connectionsPlot; % objects for lines connecting agents in spatial plots
         graphPlot; % objects for abstract network graph plot
diff --git a/@miSim/run.m b/@miSim/run.m
index 391057d..bf027d9 100644
--- a/@miSim/run.m
+++ b/@miSim/run.m
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@ function [obj] = run(obj)
     end
 
     % Start video writer
-    v = obj.setupVideoWriter();
-    v.open();
+    if obj.makeVideo
+        v = obj.setupVideoWriter();
+        v.open();
+    end
     
     for ii = 1:size(obj.times, 1)
         % Display current sim time
@@ -41,10 +43,14 @@ function [obj] = run(obj)
         obj = obj.updatePlots(updatePartitions);
 
         % Write frame in to video
-        I = getframe(obj.f);
-        v.writeVideo(I);
+        if obj.makeVideo
+            I = getframe(obj.f);
+            v.writeVideo(I);
+        end
     end
 
-    % Close video file
-    v.close();
+    if obj.makeVideo
+        % Close video file
+        v.close();
+    end
 end
diff --git a/test/test_miSim.m b/test/test_miSim.m
index 65bff46..594b383 100644
--- a/test/test_miSim.m
+++ b/test/test_miSim.m
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ classdef test_miSim < matlab.unittest.TestCase
         % System under test
         testClass = miSim;
 
+        % Debug
+        makeVideo = false; % disable video writing for big performance increase
+
         % Sim
         maxIter = 250;
         timestep = 0.05
@@ -204,7 +207,7 @@ classdef test_miSim < matlab.unittest.TestCase
             end
 
             % Initialize the simulation
-            tc.testClass = tc.testClass.initialize(tc.domain, tc.domain.objective, tc.agents, tc.timestep, tc.partitoningFreq, tc.maxIter, tc.obstacles);
+            tc.testClass = tc.testClass.initialize(tc.domain, tc.domain.objective, tc.agents, tc.timestep, tc.partitoningFreq, tc.maxIter, tc.obstacles, tc.makeVideo);
         end
         function misim_run(tc)
             % randomly create obstacles
@@ -338,7 +341,7 @@ classdef test_miSim < matlab.unittest.TestCase
             end
 
             % Initialize the simulation
-            tc.testClass = tc.testClass.initialize(tc.domain, tc.domain.objective, tc.agents, tc.timestep, tc.partitoningFreq, tc.maxIter, tc.obstacles);
+            tc.testClass = tc.testClass.initialize(tc.domain, tc.domain.objective, tc.agents, tc.timestep, tc.partitoningFreq, tc.maxIter, tc.obstacles, tc.makeVideo);
 
             % Run simulation loop
             tc.testClass = tc.testClass.run();
@@ -382,7 +385,7 @@ classdef test_miSim < matlab.unittest.TestCase
             tc.agents{3} = tc.agents{3}.initialize(tc.domain.center + dh - [0, d, 0], zeros(1, 3), 0, 0, geometry3, sensor, @gradientAscent, 3*d, 3, sprintf("Agent %d", 3));
 
             % Initialize the simulation
-            tc.testClass = tc.testClass.initialize(tc.domain, tc.domain.objective, tc.agents, tc.timestep, tc.partitoningFreq, tc.maxIter);
+            tc.testClass = tc.testClass.initialize(tc.domain, tc.domain.objective, tc.agents, tc.timestep, tc.partitoningFreq, tc.maxIter, tc.makeVideo);
             close(tc.testClass.fPerf);
         end
         function test_single_partition(tc)
@@ -412,7 +415,7 @@ classdef test_miSim < matlab.unittest.TestCase
             tc.agents{1} = tc.agents{1}.initialize([tc.domain.center(1:2), 3], zeros(1,3), 0, 0, geometry1, sensor, @gradientAscent, 3, 1, sprintf("Agent %d", 1));
 
             % Initialize the simulation
-            tc.testClass = tc.testClass.initialize(tc.domain, tc.domain.objective, tc.agents, tc.timestep, tc.partitoningFreq, tc.maxIter);
+            tc.testClass = tc.testClass.initialize(tc.domain, tc.domain.objective, tc.agents, tc.timestep, tc.partitoningFreq, tc.maxIter, tc.makeVideo);
             close(tc.testClass.fPerf);
         end
         function test_single_partition_basic_GA(tc)
@@ -442,7 +445,7 @@ classdef test_miSim < matlab.unittest.TestCase
             tc.agents{1} = tc.agents{1}.initialize([tc.domain.center(1:2)-tc.domain.dimensions(1)/3, 3], zeros(1,3), 0, 0, geometry1, sensor, @gradientAscent, 3, 1, sprintf("Agent %d", 1), true);
 
             % Initialize the simulation
-            tc.testClass = tc.testClass.initialize(tc.domain, tc.domain.objective, tc.agents, tc.timestep, tc.partitoningFreq, tc.maxIter);
+            tc.testClass = tc.testClass.initialize(tc.domain, tc.domain.objective, tc.agents, tc.timestep, tc.partitoningFreq, tc.maxIter, tc.makeVideo);
             
             % Run the simulation
             tc.testClass.run();
@@ -482,7 +485,7 @@ classdef test_miSim < matlab.unittest.TestCase
             tc.agents{2} = tc.agents{2}.initialize(tc.domain.center - d, zeros(1,3), 0, 0, geometry2, sensor, @gradientAscent, 3, 2, sprintf("Agent %d", 2));
 
             % Initialize the simulation
-            tc.testClass = tc.testClass.initialize(tc.domain, tc.domain.objective, tc.agents, tc.timestep, tc.partitoningFreq, tc.maxIter);
+            tc.testClass = tc.testClass.initialize(tc.domain, tc.domain.objective, tc.agents, tc.timestep, tc.partitoningFreq, tc.maxIter, tc.makeVideo);
             
             % Run the simulation
             tc.testClass.run();