Ghostrunner 2 is one of the critically acclaimed games of 2023. Running on Unreal Engine 4, the game not only looks good but also runs and scaled well on various PC configurations. Despite the optimizations, PC users are experiencing errors and issues with the game like it crashing at startup, crashing randomly with UE4 Fatal Error, and more. I have compiled a list of fixes that will resolve the Ghostrunner 2 crash at startup issue on your Windows PC.
Working Fixes for Ghostrunner 2 Crashing at Startup
For some PC users, Ghostrunner 2 is crashing at startup with the Unhandled Exception error, for others, the game just crashes without any error message or does not launch. There are multiple reasons for the game to crash at startup like corrupt or missing game files, compatibility issues with DirectX 12, missing or corrupt Visual C++ components, and more. The following fixes will resolve the Ghostrunner 2 keeps crashing at startup issue on your PC.
Fix #1 – Verify the Integrity of Game Files
Ghostrunner 2 crashing at startup can be fixed by verifying the integrity of game files through your gaming client on PC. It will repalce any corrupt files that are forcing the game to crash at startup. Follow the steps below to verify the game files to fix this error:
- Open Steam Library, right-click Ghostrunner 2, and click Properties.
- Go to the “Installed Files” tab and click the “Verify the integrity of game files” button.
Fix #2 – Use DirectX 11 to Launch the Game
Ghostrunner 2 supports both DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 APIs. Using DirectX 12 allows you to access features like DLSS, but it also causes the game to crash at startup. You can switch to DirectX 11 to fix this error. Follow the steps below to launch Ghpstrunner 2 using DirectX 11.
- Go to Steam Library and right-click Ghostrunner 2.
- Click Properties and go to the General tab.
- Under “Launch Options” type -d311 and close the window.
- Launch Ghostrunner 2 and it will launch with DirectX 11, and it will not crash.
Fix #3 – Make an Exception for Ghostrunner 2 in Anti-virus
Antivirus programs keep your PC safe from viruses and malware. However, they sometimes mark game executables as malicious files and stop them from launching or running. The reason you are experiencing the Ghostrunner 2 keeps crashing at launch on PC issue is because the antivirus is interfering with its executable. You can either disable the antivirus or you can remove Ghostrunner 2 from the program. We recommend you pick the second option. Exclude Ghostrunner 2 from your PC’s antivirus program, verify game files, and it will not crash at startup.
Fix #4 – Disable Fullscreen Optimizations
Windows uses Fullscreen Optimizations by default for every video game you install. However, it is crashing Ghostrunner 2 as soon as it launches. You can fix the error by disabling Fullscreen Optimizations for the game by following the steps given below:
- Go to Steam Library, right-click Ghostrunner 2 > Manage > click “Browse local files”.
- A new window with game files will open. Look for the game’s executable file, right-click it, and open Properties.
- Go to the “Compatibility” tab, check “Disable Fullscreen optimizations”, and save the changes.
- Run Ghostrunner 2 and it will not crash at launch.
Fix #5 – Repair or Install Visual C++ Redistributables
Visual C++ Redistributables are essential to run games on PC, and if any of these files are missing or corrupt, games crash during startup or in-game. Repair or install Visual C++ components, and Ghostrunner 2 will not crash on PC. Here is how to do it:
- Open Steam Library and type “Steamworks” in the search bar.
- Right-click “Steamworks Common Redistributables” > Manage > click “Browse local files”.
- In the window that pops up, open _CommonRedist\vcredist, and you will see a list of folders with names starting from 2010 in it.
- Open each folder one by one and run the VC_redis for both x64 and x86 versions.
- Repair or install Visual C++ Redistributables.
- Restart your PC, launch Ghostrunner 2 and it will work without crashing.
Helpful Tip: There is a chance that the Steamworks Common Redistributables folders will be empty, as Steam deletes the installers. In that case, you can manually download Visual C++ redistributables and install them to fix the crash at startup issue with the game.
Fix #6 – Clear DirectX Shader Cache
As stated, Ghostrunner 2 runs on Unreal Engine 4 which relies heavily on shaders. A corrupt DirectX shader cache can force the game to crash at launch. You can fix it by deleting the shader cache. The game will create a new cache the next time you run it. You can delete the cache by following the steps below:
- Open Windows Settings.
- Go to the “System” tab and go to Storage > Temporary files.
- There will be multiple options. Find “DirectX shader cache” and check it.
- Click the “Remove files” buton at the top.
- Play Ghostrunner 2, and it will launch without crashing.
Fix #7 – Run Ghostrunner 2 in Windows 7 Compatibility Mode
Compatibility issues with the current Windows version is causing the game to crash at startup. You can fix the issue by running Ghostrunner 2 in compatibility mode for Windows 7. Follow the steps below to do it:
- Open Steam Library, right-click Ghostrunner 2, Go to “Manage”, and click “Browse local files”.
- In the new window, right-click the game’s executable file and click Properties.
- Go to the “Compatibility” tab and check the option “Run this program in compatibility mode for”. Open the dropdown menu for this option and select “Windows 7”.
- Run Ghostrunner 2 and it will not crash at startup on your PC.
That is all for our fixes for the crash at startup issues with Ghostrunner 2 on PC. If you are experiencing errors and issues with other games on PC or handhelds, then check our fixes hub for commonly occurring errors.
