Hot Wheels Unleashed is a popular racing game which is inspired by Mattel’s iconic Hot Wheels toy line. The game can be played on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. Although the car designs of this game are adequately crazy and highly addictive, some bugs and errors disrupt the overall gaming fun. One of the common errors often reported by a lot of players is the ‘Fatal Error’. The full error message reads – “The UE4-hotwheels game has crashed and will….”. If you are also receiving the same error and have no idea how to get it fixed, this guide will show you all possible solutions to fix it.
How to Fix Hot Wheels Unleashed Fatal Error
According to reports, when players see “Fatal error’ in Hot Wheels Unleashed, the game crashes and locks up the system. Thankfully, there are several steps you can take to resolve this annoying error.
1. Using the –dx11 Launch Option
The very first workaround suggested by several players is to use the –dx11 launch option to fix this error. This will force the game to run using DirectX 11 instead of the default version. Some graphics drivers have issues with DX12 and causing errors including ‘Fatal error’. Here is how you can use the –dx11 launch option.
- Open up the Steam Client and go to your game library
- Find the game and right-click on it
- Then, go to ‘Properties’
- Go to General tab >> Launch Options
- Enter the text –dx11 in the field
- Once done, close the window and relaunch the game.
2. Revert to Windows 23H2
Some players report that the game runs fine without a ‘Fatal’ error on Windows 23H2. So, if your game is crashing on 24J2, simply roll it back to the earlier version and the game will start running smoothly. Here is how you can do it:
- Go to Settings on your Windows
- Go to ‘Update & Security’ >> Recovery
- Under the Go back to the previous version of Windows 10/11 section, click Get Started
- Then, follow the on-screen instructions and complete the rolling-back process
- Once done, reboot your PC and relaunch the game.
3. Update the Game
An outdated game version can also cause several issues and errors including “Fatal Error” so try updating the game to the latest version. So, ensure your game is updated to the latest version. If not, simply update it to the latest version and then relaunch the game.
4. Running the Game without Focus
Some players have managed to resolve this error simply by running the game without Focus, which means running the game in a windowed or borderless window. Follow these steps to run the game without focus:
- Go to Game’s Settings
- Change the screen mode settings to Windowed or Borderless Window
5. Updating Graphics Drivers
For a smoother gaming experience, it is always recommended that your graphics drivers be updated to the latest version. In case the graphics drivers of your system are outdated, you might face several problems including the ‘Fatal’ error. To update them, go to the official website of the manufacturer of your graphics drivers and update the latest version.
6. Disabling Steam Overlay
The Steam Overlay is one of the features that allow players to access the Steam interface while playing games. However, it can sometimes conflict with some online games and cause crashes and errors like “Fatal Errors”. So, try disabling it and check if the error is fixed. To disable it, follow these steps:
- Launch the Steam on your PC and go to Library
- Right-click on the game and select ‘Properties’
- Then, go to the ‘General’ tab and search for the option “Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game” and uncheck it to disable the overlay.
- Once done, relaunch the game.
7. Contact Support Team
If none of these methods work to fix the error, try reaching out to the support team. They might provide you with additional troubleshooting steps to resolve this error.
That’s it for this guide on how to fix Hot Wheels Unleashed fatal error.