Fix Warzone 2 Crashing at Startup, Won’t Start, and Not Launching on the PC

To this day, Call of Duty: Warzone remains one of the most beloved and played games in the battle royale category. Critics have praised the game’s stunning aesthetics and dynamic multiplayer maps since its introduction during Season 2 of 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare DLC. The players trying to play Warzone 2 are going through similar issues.  Numerous Warzone 2 players have complained about the game launching and gameplay freezes/crashes on Windows PCs. If you’re here because you had a similar problem, you’ve come to the right place.

New fixes are added to the bottom of the post.

How to Fix Warzone 2.0 Crashing on your PC?

This article explains why and how to fix the common issue of Call of Duty: Warzone 2 crashing at startup. But if you already know what causes this bothersome issue, then you can skip forward to our suggested solutions and save yourself some time.

Check the Game’s Minimum System Requirements

In the event that Call of Duty: Warzone 2 consistently crashes or freezes during play; you may want to check that your PC can run it. Take a look at the system requirements for Call of Duty: Warzone 2 on PC down below.

If your PC can run Call of Duty: Warzone 2, then you can proceed on to the next fix.

Check for Game Updates

As is the case with any newly launched game, Warzone 2 has its fair share of bugs. To fix these bugs, the devs periodically release patch updates that are focused on making the necessary changes in the   These new patches fix the issues that cause Warzone 2 to freeze or crash on PC, so players may enjoy the game without interruption.

Following the installation of the most recent patch, if the game is still crashing or freezing, move on to the next fix.

Check for Driver Updates

The drivers for graphic cards are essential to the proper operation of games. It’s more probable that your computer will crash or freeze if you’re using an old or faulty graphics driver. Having the most up-to-date and appropriate graphics driver installed will help prevent crashes in Call of Duty: Warzone 2 and generally enhance the gaming experience.

You can update your graphics driver to the most recent version in two ways: manually and automatically. To manually update your GPU drivers, you can either visit the relevant manufacturer’s website (Intel, NVIDIA, or AMD) or use the built-in Windows Device Manager utility. Alternatively, the automatic approach only requires a few clicks to update all the faulty drivers simultaneously. You can do a quick google search to get the best software for that.

After updating your graphics driver, restart your computer and try playing Call of Duty: Warzone 2 again to check if you still experience crashes. It’s time to move on to the next fix if the problem still isn’t resolved.

The SFC Scan Method

It’s possible that Warzone 2 won’t launch on your Windows 10/11 computer due to issues unrelated to the game files themselves, such as corrupted system files. As a result, you can scan your computer with the help of the System File Checker (SFC).

• On Windows 11/10, launch the Command Prompt as an administrator.

• After typing sfc /scannow, press the Enter key.

Repair the Game Files

There could have been problems with your internet connection as Warzone 2 was being downloaded into your PC, including a slow download speed, packet loss, or temporary disconnection.

As a result of these disruptions, some or all of Warzone 2’s game files may have failed to download entirely or downloaded incorrectly (like corrupted game files). Incomplete or broken save files can cause a wide variety of errors in games. As luck would have it, fixing the game files is as simple as launching the game again. To fix the game files for Warzone 2 when using the Battle.net launcher, do as follows:

• Open up your Battle.net launcher.

• Go to the page where the games are.

• Click on the Warzone 2 game tile.

• To adjust settings, select the gear icon next to the play button.

• Use the “Scan and Repair” button to repair the game files.

Within a few minutes, the process of fixing the game files will be complete. When it’s done, the launcher will let you know if it found and fixed any corrupted or missing files. If the launcher did not detect any issues with the Warzone 2 game files, it will report “All files successfully validated.”

Seeing this warning indicates that the problem is not related to the game files for Warzone 2, so look elsewhere for the root of the problem. Thus, you should go on to our next suggested fix for the problem.

Allow the Game Launcher through Windows Firewall

The issue of Warzone 2 not starting on PC in Windows 11/10 can occur if the Battle.net software is unable to bypass Windows Firewall. Follow the steps below:

• First, go to the search bar and type “firewall.” Next, select “Firewall & network security” from the results.

• Select Allow an app across the firewall and then Change settings.

• Select both the Private and Public checkboxes for Battle.net.

Shut Down Background Tasks and Services

The crashing problem is caused by the excessive use of system resources by unnecessary background tasks and services. Whether you’re experiencing problems with Call of Duty: Warzone 2 crashing on your PC, you may want to try closing any background program to see if a third-party app or piece of software is to blame.

• Start the Task Manager. To access Task Manager, right-click a blank area of the taskbar and pick it from the context menu that appears.

• The next step is to click the End task button in the lower-right corner of the window after selecting the apps you wish to close.

After closing all other apps, restart Call of Duty: Warzone 2 to see whether that fixes the crashing/freezing problem. If that doesn’t work, read on for some potential solutions.

Lower the Priority of the Process

Another factor that may have contributed to the crash was a change in the game’s priority system. When a process has a higher priority than others, it can use more resources like CPU and memory. Nonetheless, for unknown reasons, this is triggering occasional crashes in-game. In the task manager, the game has been given the highest priority setting by default. You can fix this by changing the game’s process priority in the Task Manager. In order to accomplish this, please follow these steps:

• When you right-click the taskbar, the option to launch Task Manager will appear.

• The list of processes presently being executed is visible in the Task Manager. You should navigate to the Details tab.

• Right-click on the game’s process to access its menu of options. Select Normal from the list of Set Priority options.

• If you want to modify the current priorities, click Change Priority when prompted.

What you’ve done is effectively shift the game’s focus. Try closing the game and starting it up again to see if the problem persists (make sure the priority is still set to Normal after you open up the game again).

Disable all Overlay Services

Using an in-game interface (overlay feature) supplied by third-party apps like Discord and GeForce Experience is a typical cause of game crashes. If you’re having trouble playing Call of Duty: Warzone 2, you might want to try turning off the in-game overlay to see if it helps. ‘Well show you the ropes.

To Turn Off the Discord Game Overlay:

• Launch the Discord client.

• Once there, go to the settings by clicking the gear symbol in the left pane’s footer.

• Choose Overlay from the App Settings menu on the left, and then off the in-game overlay by toggling the switch next to “Enable in-game overlay” on the right.

To turn off GeForce Experience In-Game Overlay:

• The GeForce Experience software should be launched.

• To change the settings, click the gear symbol in the upper right corner.

• Now, disable the In-game Overlay option by clicking the corresponding button.

To continue troubleshooting Call of Duty: Warzone crashes on Windows PC after deactivating the in-game overlay, try the next fix.

Increase the Size of Virtual Memory

The issue could be caused by a lack of available virtual memory on the drive that contains your game. The term “virtual memory” refers to the amount of storage space on the hard drive that can be accessed by the computer and used in the same way as RAM. A paging file is what this is known as. Therefore, you should expand the drive’s paging size to accommodate the game’s requirements. Here’s the procedure:

• To do this, locate the My Computer icon on your desktop, right-click it, and select Properties from the context menu.

• Select Advanced system settings on the left side to access the configuration options.

• Go to the Advanced tab in the System Properties window.

• The settings button can be found in the Performance section.

• There, select the Advanced tab once more.

• Select the button labeled Change next to Virtual Memory.

• Ensure that “Automatically manage paging files size for all discs” is deselected.

• Be sure to select the drive that contains your game. Then, select “Custom size” from the drop-down menu.

• Make sure there are more than 2GB (2048 MB) between the Minimum and Maximum sizes.

• Followed by clicking OK, select the Set button.

• Select OK once again, and then reboot the computer.

• Try starting the game again after your computer has finished restarting to see if the problem persists.

Adjust In-Game Settings

The Call of Duty: Warzone 2 game has been known to crash when the graphical settings are set too high. The problem can be fixed, and the game’s performance improved by reducing the quality settings.

• Open up Call of Duty: Warzone 2, and then navigate to the menu labeled “Graphics.”

• The next step is to turn off Vertical Sync (V-Sync).

• Finally, select a medium or low value for both the Texture Resolution and Particle Quality sliders.

Restart the game to see if the problem with COD Warzone 2 crashing on the PC has been fixed after decreasing the graphics settings.

Clear Battle.net’s Cache

Deleting the Battle.net Cache is the next best fix if you’re seeing the game crash or not launch while playing Warzone 2 via the Battle.net launcher. To keep the Battle.net launcher running smoothly, important data is cached in the Battle.net Cache folder. Because the launcher can immediately retrieve this data from this location, loading times are drastically reduced. However, the Cache folder gradually fills up with information as you use the Battle.net Launcher. And this information can grow corrupt or old over time. Because of this out-of-date/corrupt information, the launcher has various problems that cause performance failures and game crashes.

For this reason, clearing the drive’s Cache folder is a common workaround for Call of Duty performance issues and crashes. As the information in the Cache folder is immediately restored, the Battle.net launcher and the related games will not be negatively impacted in any way by this. Follow these instructions to clear your Battle.net Cache:

• Disconnect from Battle.net and exit any open games.

• For the Task Manager, hit the Windows Key plus X.

• Check for “agent.exe” and “Blizzard Update Agent” in the Processes tab in Task Manager.

• If you can identify these background processes, you can end them with a left click and the End Task option in the window’s lower right corner.

• Close up the Task Manager.

• Pressing the Windows key plus R simultaneously brings up the Run window.

• Just press the enter key after typing %appdata%.

• View the Blizzard Entertainment File

• Extract the Battle.net folder.

• Navigate to the Cache folder, right-click everything inside of it, and select the Delete option.

• After you have deleted the Cache folder, you can relaunch Warzone 2 through the Battle.net launcher.

Fix Warzone 2.0 Crashing with Error Code 0x00001338 (0) N

The is a wide range of errors that you can run into Warzone 2.0, and while the exact cause is difficult to pinpoint, there are solutions you can try to fix these errors. To fix the Warzone 2.0 Crashing with Error Code 0x00001338 (0) N, start by rebooting the PC and game. CoD games have been known to glitch with certain skins. So, if you have anything other than the default, try returning to the default skin. If you still run into the issue, you can read the MW2 Error Code 0x00001338 (0) N guide. Also, keep an eye for a new guide on this topic for Warzone 2.0.

Fix Warzone 2.0 game_ship.exe

This is likely the most common crash error you can get in both MW2 and Warzone 2.0, and the fixes are quite exhausting; the error occurs due to poor game optimization, and even the best PCs struggle and crash. This error mainly occurs when the PC cannot handle the game’s load, but it can also occur due to server issues. The solutions you can try are:

1. Disable Razer Synapse, other RGB, and overclock software
2. Update the GPU driver – In our case, we reverted to an older GPU driver after Nvidia confirmed an issue with their driver in MW2. After a while, the game crashed a lot, and as soon as Nvidia fixed the issue with their driver, we updated and have not run into the error since.
3. Turn off in-game voice chat
4. Enable On-Demand Texture Streaming and DLSS in Settings. Also, try to limit the FPS to something such as 75.
5. Lower the Render Resolution. The game will not look so good, but the crashing may stop. This is especially true if your system barely meets the requirement to play the game.

Fix Warzone 2.0 Error Code 0x887A0006 and 0x887a0005

If you have run into this error, it’s another indication that your PC may not be capable enough to run the game or the game is simply not optimized enough. The first fix you should try is to change the upscaling technique. Switch from NVIDIA’s DLSS to AMD’s FSR in the settings. You can also try this the other way around. The other fixes you should try are to set the game as admin and update the GPU driver. Most of the solutions above can also help with the error. So, ensure you have tried all.

Fix Warzone 2.0 Error Code 0xc0000005(0) N

You can refer to our linked guide if you have run into the Warzone 2.0 Error Code 0xc0000005(0) N. It would be best if you also watched for a new post on the topic, which we intend to publish in a few days.

Warzone 2.0 Error Code BLZBNTBGS000003F8 Fix

When you get the Warzone 2.0 Error Code BLZBNTBGS000003F8, the first thing you should do is check the status of the server. If the servers are fine, try launching the game from Battle.Net instead of the desktop shortcut. Try to play the game using a VPN. For more, refer to the linked guide.

This article covers every fix to prevent Call of Duty: Warzone 2 from crashing on PC. We hope you found this article helpful and are no longer experiencing the freezing issue with Warzone upon startup or while playing the game. Feel free to leave a remark if you have any queries or recommendations. If you want to have a look at more COD content, click on this link. Thank you for reading this article.

Update 18 Nov 2022: Fix Warzone 2 Crashing

Here are some fixes collected from forums and Reddit that seem to help users fix the crashing issues in Warzone 2.0.

1. Restart Shader Optimization. Doing this has helped users avoid crashing issues. But, some users have reported that they cannot perform the restart as nothing happens or the option is greyed out. if that’s the case, go to Documents > Call of Duty > Players. Delete the Players folder and start the game again.

2. If you have not tried, verify the game files for corruption. Both Battle.Net and Steam provide this option.

3. Disable the NVIDIA Reflex from the Settings > Quality tab. However, you can skip this step if you are on an AMD GPU. This fix seems to work with Nvidia GPUs.

4. Lower the Shader quality. If the Shader quality is set to too high, it can lead to Warzone 2.0 crashing. Hence, please set it to a lower value than what it’s set currently.

5. Turn Off On-Demand Texture Streaming. This is a great feature brought by IW, but ever since it was introduced, it’s been often linked to crashing issues. it was the same when Valguard launched.

We hope the above fixes helped, if not, we will be updating this post with more fixes tomorrow, so watch for the update.