Fix Black Ops 6 Crashing on Startup

Black Ops 6 open beta is officially underway, and players who preordered the game or have the Game Pass subscription can start playing the game right now. However, not all players have a smooth experience. Many players report Black Ops 6 crashing issues on Battle.Net, Steam, and Game Pass. If you are struggling with these issues, there are a wide range of solutions you can try that have helped players in previous Black Ops games.

Update 07 Sep

1. Roll Back Your BIOS

Some players suggest rolling back your BIOS can help you fix the game crashing issue and get stuck on the loading screen. Some gamers have found that reverting to the second most recent BIOS update can resolve these issues, while others have had success by simply updating to the latest version. It worked for some players so it might work for you too. Give it a try.

2. Install Easy Gamer Utility

Another best solution to fix the BO6 crashing issue is to install the Easy Gamer Utility tool which will help to optimize your system settings for gaming, fix common issues with the game and ultimately enhance overall gaming performance. To get it, simply click here to install it on your system, and then relaunch the game.

3. Perform Clean Boot

One of the players suggests performing the clean boot has worked for him so try this. Here are the steps to do that:

1. Open up the Run dialogue box by pressing the Windows key + R
2. Then, type msconfig, and press Enter
3. In the System Configuration window, go to the Services tab
4. Check the box that says Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all and click Apply
5. Next, go to the Startup tab and click on Open Task Manager
6. In Task Manager, disable all startup applications by right-clicking each one and selecting Disable
7. Close Task Manager and click OK in the System Configuration window
8. Once done, restart your PC

4. Delete “Shadercache” Folder

If you are still experiencing a crashing issue, try deleting the “Shadercache” folder from your game installation directory. To do this:

1. Go to the folder where the game is installed on your system such as C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Call of Duty HQ
2. Then, go into the mp24 folder and delete the “shadercache” folder
3. After deleting, relaunch your game.

5. Switch the Game to Windowed Mode

Another best workaround you can try is to change the game to Windowed mode instead of Fullscreen to fix the crashing issue. This step will help to reduce the strain on your system and improve the overall gaming experience. To do that is pretty simple: Just press the “Alt + Enter” shortcut keys to switch between Fullscreen and Windowed mode.

That’s everything you can try fixing Black Ops 6 crashing on startup and stuck on loading screen issue.

New Fixes for Black Ops Crash

1. Wait for Shader Loading and Play in Windowed Mode
2. Delete Steam and redownload. Verify the game files and check if the game works.

Fix Black Ops 6 Crashing on Startup and Stuck on Loading Screen

Most problems arise due to the PC not meeting the minimum requirements to play the game. If you are above the minimum specifications, these are the fixes you can try.

Reboot the PC

A simple reboot may resolve the crashing issues if you have just downloaded the game and have not rebooted the PC. So, go ahead and reboot the PC before attempting the other fixes.

Ensure the Game is Installed on an SSD

Most modern games require installation on an SSD for faster processing. If you haven’t already, move the game to the SSD drive due to its demanding nature.

Disable App Superposition

Many applications, such as the Razer Optimization Tools and Nvidia drivers, enable the app superposition by default, which can cause games to crash. Try disabling them and see if the game works. Every application has a different step to disable them. So, check online for the application you are using.

Disable the Windows Game Mode

While the Game Mode on your PC is designed to help run the games better, it can sometimes cause game crashes. So, it’s a good idea to disable the Game Mode and then attempt to play the game. If the issue persists, you can re-enable the Game Mode. Here are the steps you can follow. Press Windows Key + I > Gaming > Game Mode > Toggle it Off.

Unplug Any AUX Cable and Reboot the PC

Sometimes, the AUX connection, such as speakers or headphones, can cause game issues. Disconnect any of these connections and reboot the PC.

Uninstall the Razer Chroma Drivers

Razer Chroma has been known to cause issues in many games. Try uninstalling the drivers and the program before you play the game. After uninstall, reboot the PC and check if the game works.

Verify Game Files

Some files may have become corrupted while installing the game. Both the Xbox App on PC and Steam provide features to verify and repair the game files quickly. Here are the steps for both.

Verify and Repair on the Xbox App

1. Open the Xbox Game Pass library and click on Black Ops 6
2. Click on the three dots next to Play and choose Manage
3. Go into Files and click on Verify and Repair.
4. Wait for the process to complete.

Verify the Game Files on Steam

Steam Library > Right-click on Black Ops 6 > Properties > Installed Files > Verify Integrity of Game Files.

Delete the Config File

An issue with the game’s config file can also lead to many issues, such as Black Ops 6 crashing. Before you delete the save and config file, ensure that you have taken a backup of both.

Edit the Game Settings (If the Crashing is In-Game)

If you can access the game settings, there are many things you can do to improve the game’s performance and avoid crashes. Here is a list of things you need to do:

1. Change to Windowed Fullscreen Mode
2. Lower the Resolution
3. Limit the FPS to 60
4. Disable Vsync
5. Lower the Graphics Settings
6. Disable Ray Tracing

Clean Install the GPU Driver

If you already have the latest graphics driver, ensure you have performed a clean install. If not, do it now. Download the latest GPU Driver, and during the installation process, choose Custom Install and then check the field for ‘Perform a clean install.’ You can download the GPU drivers from the links below.

• AMD GPU Driver
• NVIDIA GPU Driver

Revert the Overclock

Black Ops 6 crashing may be due to your overclocks. CoD does not handle overclocks very well. If you have performed any overclocks, revert them and check if the game works. If you use an Intel CPU, particularly a 13th-generation processor, the next fix may help you the best.

Lower Performance Per Core Tuning (Intel CPUs)

Recently, many Intel CPUs have been crashing in-game, especially with the memory error. One solution that has been effective in resolving these crashes is to lower the per-core tuning in Intel CPUs. To do this, you must download the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility. Once downloaded and installed the software, go to the “Performance Core Ratio” and lower it from 55x to 54x. 

Enter Steam and Battle.Net Launch Options

The following fix you can try is to force the game to run on DirectX 11 and DirectX 12. Go to the game Properties in Steam > General > Launch Options. Enter the launch option -dx11 and close the window. Now, attempt to play the game. If the game still crashes, paste -dx12 and close the window. Now, try to play the game. If the game is still failing to start, try the next fix.

Install Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

If there is an issue with the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, the game will not start. Go to the MS website for Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable and downlaod both the x86 and x64 versions and install them.

Unplug All External Devices

External devices can cause a lot of issues in games. Ensure that all external devices are disconnected such as controllers, joysticks, multiple monitors, Razer Tartarus, Hotas, Wheel, Pedals, etc.

Perform a Clean Boot

Besdies the external devices, third-party programs can also cause issues in games. Programs such as Razer Synapse, MSI Dragon Center, Corsair Software, and more. You can perfrom a clean boot to disable all third-party programs and then launch the game. Here are the steps you need to follow.

1. In the Widnows Search, type Run and open it
2. Write msconfig and hit Enter
3. Go to the Services tab and check Hide All Microsoft Services
4. Now, click on Disable All
5. Go to the Startup tab and open Task Manager
6. Disable all startup tasks, one at a time
7. Reboot the PC.

Once the PC boots up, run the game and check if Black Ops 6 is still crashing on startup or is stuck at loading screen. If the problem still persists, try the next fixes.

Disable Steam Overlay

You must disable all overlays, but the clean boot takes care of most software except the Steam client. To disable the Steam Overlay, go to Black Ops 6 Properties > General > toggle off ‘Enable the Steam overlay while in-game.’

Increase the Virtual Memory

The next fix you can try is to increase the virtual memory so the game has more VRAM that it can use and could prevent crashes in case the game is poorly optimized or the VRAM is running out. Here are the steps you can follow.

1. In the Windows Search, type and click on View Advanced System Settings
2. In Advanced, under Performance, click on Settings
3. Go to the Advanced tab and click on Change under Virtual Memory
4. Uncheck Automatically manage paging file size for all drives
5. Check Custom Size and enter the below values
   • Initial Size (MB) – 1.5 X Total RAM (For 16 GB RAM, 16 x 1024 MB = 16,384 MB, 16,384 MB x 1.5 = 24,576 MB)
   • Maximum Size (MB) – 3 X Total RAM (For 16 GB RAM, 16 x 1024 = 16, 384 MB, 16,384 MB x 3 = 49,152 MB)
6. Click on Set and OK.

Run the Game As Admin, In Compatibility Mode, and Disable Fullscreen Optimizations

Try running the game in compatibility mode and as an admin to fix the Black Ops 6 crashing and stuck on loading screen. Here are the steps you can follow.

1. Open Steam Library > Right-lick on Black Ops 6 > Properties > Installed Files > Browse > find the Helldivers2 Application file
2. Right-click on Helldivers2 executable > Properties and go into Compatibility
3. Check Run the program as an administrator > Apply > Ok (try to run the game. If the game does not work, go back)
4. Check Run this program in compatibility mode for and set it to Windows 8 > Apply > Ok (if the game still fails to launch)
5. Go back and check Diable fullscreen optimizations > Apply > Ok

For, users on Game Pass, you can find the .exe file of the game at this location – C:\XboxGames\Senua-s Saga- BlackOps6\Content

Set Exception for the Game on your Antivirus/Windows Defender/Widnows Firewall

If the Widnows Defender/Firewall is seeing the game as a malware, it may prevent it from launching. Ensure that you have created an exception on your antivirus porgram as well as the Widnows Defender and Firewall. We have an article that shows the steps for all antivirus and firewall and to set exception. Click the link for steps.

Reinstall the Game

Finally, if none of the above fixes have helped to resolve the Black Ops 6 crashing on startup and stuck on loading screen, you may need to uninstall the game. Uninstall the game and delete the game folder from:

1. C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Local
2. If there is a game folder in Documents
3. C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common

Reinstall the game from scratch and attempt to launch the game. Hope that these fixes helped resolve the issue. We will update this post with new fixes as we test the game further.