8 reasons why your games keep crashing and what you can do about it

Your games keep crashing and you don’t know why? MeinMMO introduces you to 8 reasons why your games can crash and what you can do about it.

Everyone knows the annoying problem: you’re playing your favorite game and just before the boss fight the game crashes – every time. Such a situation is really annoying and has often caused keyboards or controllers to be thrown against the wall.

But what are the reasons for games to crash and what can you do about it? MyMMO explains it to you.

If you actually threw your controller against the wall and are now looking for a new one: You can find the best controllers in our list:

Hardware too weak

What is the reason? If your hardware is too weak for your new game or not at all compatible with it, then the game often crashes or does not even start properly.

Some games also require certain codices or programming interfaces that very old processors no longer support.

Other games may also not support an integrated graphics chip, as some processors from AMD and Intel provide. Check the system requirements for this.

What can you do about it? Basically, you should always inform yourself about the current system requirements before buying a game. For PC games, you can usually find the instructions on Steam and also on the back of the game box.

As a next step, you can try lowering the graphics settings. This way you can at least reduce the load on your hardware and hope that game crashes will be less frequent.

If your hardware is really so old that games no longer start properly, then you should think about an upgrade. From a certain age of your PC, you can even consider whether it might not be worth buying a new gaming PC. Maybe your next gaming PC will even stand up, as a manufacturer currently has on offer.

Overclocking is set too high

What is the reason? With overclocking you can get a few more percentages or a few more FPS out of your hardware. With small tools such as the MSI Afterburner, this is very easy and uncomplicated. However, some games don’t like it when you overclock or when you set the settings too high.

What can you do about it? You should reset settings and stop overclocking. In the best-case scenario, you’ll be rid of the problem for now. If you don’t want to do without overclocking, you can also reduce your settings.

However, sometimes it can also happen that your computer cannot cope with the increased temperatures during overclocking and that this is why your game crashes. You can also find tips and tricks on how to keep your PC cool here on MeinMMO:

8 tips to keep your gaming PC cool and faster

Outdated drivers or software

What is the reason? Manufacturers such as AMD or Nvidia regularly release updates for their graphics card software. Bug fixes or adjustments for games are often included. If you are using an outdated driver and want to play the latest top title and your game keeps crashing, then it could be due to outdated software.

It’s often worth taking a look at the patch notes, since AMD and Nvidia often give hints and innovations for games here.

What can you do about it? First update your graphics card software. With both AMD and Nvidia, you can update the software directly via the software suite. However, some manufacturers also offer their own solutions, for example for notebooks. Alternatively, you can also download the graphics card software directly from the manufacturer’s website. We link the most important download pages for you here:

In a further step, you should also check whether your Windows installation is up to date. Via “Windows Update” you can quickly download and install the latest and most important updates.

A notice: You should keep in mind that Windows 7 is no longer supported by many game developers. If you are still playing on Windows 7, you will in many cases no longer get help or support.

Tip for Windows 11: Are you currently considering switching to Windows 11? MeinMMO explains in a short check for whom the switch to Windows 11 could be worthwhile:

Incorrect game settings

What is the reason? Many modern games offer you a menu where you can make settings in your games. Here you can change the graphics settings or activate or deactivate additional features. However, some settings can cause your game to crash, such as setting the graphics too high or enabling experimental features that don’t work perfectly.

What can you do about it? In most cases it is enough if you deactivate various settings again. If you accidentally activated ray tracing in a game and your game crashes, then remove the option again.

If you are no longer sure what you have changed, you can also reset the settings in many games. But then you have to make all the fine adjustments manually again.

Corrupt game files

What is the reason? In some cases, corrupted game files prevent you from launching your game or cause it to crash at certain points. This happens, for example, when you can download a game before it is released and errors creep into the files. Even large updates can sometimes be faulty and prevent your game from starting.

When a game starts or crashes, there are often messages that a certain file is corrupt or cannot be found.

What can you do about it? If you encounter such errors, it is best to reinstall the game. There are different methods for this:

• Some clients such as Steam or Uplay (Ubisoft Connect) offer you the opportunity to check your game files. That way, you don’t have to download the full game right away. However, it is worth restarting the download, especially for small games.
• If you use GoG or other providers like HumbleBundle, you can use an already downloaded installation file.
• It is also possible to restore your game from a backup. In the most annoying case, you install a version of the game that is no longer up to date.

Your graphics card is too powerful for the power supply

What is the reason? A common reason for game crashes is a problem with the power supply unit (PSU). This is usually related to the graphics card requiring more power than is available. This happens especially when you upgrade your graphics card without thinking about your power supply.

What can you do about it? The only solution in this case is to upgrade to the PSU that will provide enough power for the game. Don’t just use your graphics card as a guide, as the other components such as the processor or RAM also require power.

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DRM or Anticheat will crash your game

What is the reason? With digital rights management (DRM), developers try to protect their games or software so that it cannot be illegally copied. The GameStar in an in-depth review of Denuvo.

However, incorrectly implemented DRM or other problems can cause your game to crash because the DRM cannot connect to the relevant server or the server is not started.

What can you do about it? Some games offer an offline function, in which case anti-cheat or some DRM systems are not used. Many developers are often not interested in whether you cheat yourself offline.

If this option is not available, you can also wait for an update from the developer. Because many manufacturers remove protective mechanisms after the release, because they wanted to have a backup, especially when the game started.

Another alternative is to buy games directly without DRM mechanisms, for example from GoG, if they are offered.

With some games like Dying Light 2, Denuvo has caused a lot of excitement:

Antivirus crashes your system

What is the reason? Antivirus programs are designed to ensure that you don’t catch malicious software when you’re online, surfing strange websites or downloading things. However, antivirus software penetrates deep into your system and constantly uses resources to ensure this protection.

In the most annoying case, your software is scanning a large file and burdens your system with it, or quarantines an innocent file from your current game so that you can no longer play.

What can you do about it? Many antivirus programs provide the ability to pause scanning for specific periods of time. Use this when you want to play or don’t want to be disturbed in an important competitive match.

Alternatively, you can also consider getting rid of your antivirus software and uninstalling it. According to independent tests, the normal Windows Defender is now considered a top product and even better than many third-party programs (via gamestar.de).

More tips and tricks for your gaming PC: Are you looking for more help with your gaming PC? In another article, MeinMMO explains when you notice that your graphics card isn’t going to live much longer. You can read about the 5 most important signs here:

5 signs that warn you that your graphics card is about to die