Civilization 6 crashes on Windows 10 devices are all too common. Some users cannot get the game to play at all since the application crashes at startup, while others only experience problems during gameplay.
Therefore, in this guide, we intend to show you how to resolve the CIV VI constantly crashes at startup issue. Users that came here to learn how to fix related problems running CIV 6 will also find procedures that apply in their case.
We implore you to work your way through the fixes in the order they appear below.
Perhaps, the game crashes on your PC because your computer is still running an old or outdated version of CIV 6. Old versions of programs tend to be buggier than improved (new) releases to which the developers have added patches (to bugs) and improved features or functionalities.
Therefore, you will do well to check for updates to the game application. You can perform the task through Steam – since you launch the game from that platform. If you find anything new after you send a request for updates, then you must download and install it.
Besides updates to the CIV 6 application, Windows updates or lack of system updates might have something to do with the crashes you suffered. If the issues that led to the crash have anything to do with existing bugs or shortcomings in Windows code, then you have to get your computer to run and install the newest update where the problems might have been eliminated.
The latest version is Civilization VI (Civ VI, Civ6 or Civ 6). I have a problem with Civilization Civilization problems last 24 hours. NO I don’t want to take a ticket to report it thanks. I’m fed up reporting a game that you keep breaking with updates! @kray614712 @CivGame @FiraxisGames Babylon DLC does not work for Epic game. Civilization 6 Rise And Fall Startup Troubleshooting Unfortunately, the Civ 6 Rise And Fall DLC is not currently supported on Mac or Linux systems - sorry folks, this one's Windows only for the time being! For some reason, the store page still allows you to buy the DLC, but you can't actually use it yet. Back to Civilization VI DLC (which is short for downloadable content) is available for Civilization VI through Steam. The Aztec civilization is a free DLC that became available to everyone 3 months after the game's release. Immediate access to the Aztecs could be obtained by pre-ordering the game. Also available as preorder bonus. Only available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox.
Microsoft designed Windows 10 to search for, fetch and run Windows updates on its own without much input from users, but we recommend you initiate a manual check for updates. You can launch the Settings program, find your way or navigate to the Updates screen and click on the Check for updates button. Whatever follows, we expect you to deal with it.
Some users got the Civilization 6 application to run on their computers for long without crashes by setting it to run in compatibility mode for a different Windows build. Perhaps, the environment provided by Windows 10 for the game is just not conducive enough for it to function without issues. In that case, you must instruct Windows to mirror the environment for another Windows version or build.
Here are the instructions you must follow:
If the application crashes again, then you must go through the same steps above and try out another Windows build. Since you already used Windows 8, you can try Windows 8.1, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.
Each time you make a selection, you must save the changes and then rerun the Civilization 6 application to see how things play out. Once you stumble on the compatibility settings ideal for the game, then you will have to leave things the way they are and continue to enjoy CIV 6 with that configuration.
Most games crash when the computer involved is using a faulty or damaged graphics driver. Graphics drivers play arguably the most important role when it comes to game operations since they handle and manage the tasks for the displaying of images and rendering of videos. Well, this is why their problems translate to serious issues like crashes.
We will first walk you through a basic reinstallation operation for drivers. By uninstalling and then installing the driver (suspected to be bad), you get to force through changes that should eliminate its problems – if the issues affecting it can be resolved at all. Follow these instructions to do the job:
After the recommended reboot, Windows should detect that your computer is missing an important driver, so it will act to install the necessary software. You might have to click on certain buttons on certain prompts to confirm things; you might have to perform tasks requested by Windows.
In the end, your computer should end up with a good stable version of the driver and everything should be fine. There and then, you can fire up the Civilization 6 application and try to play your game.
If the game app still goes down with crashes like before even after you reinstalled the driver, then it means your driver is old or outdated and no changes to its state or installation can make things right. You have to get a fresh or new driver version. The same thing goes for the scenario where you could not get Windows to reinstall your graphics driver for any reason.
Anyway, regardless of the means through which you found the needed drivers and got Windows to run them, you still have to restart your computer after the installation operations are completed. This way, you ensure that all the changes resulting from the new code become effective (in a positive way). Finally, you can now run the CIV 6 app, try to play the game and see if the crashes manifest themselves again.
If the game crashes have anything to do with Windows inability to execute operations in a specific period or perform tasks as demanded, then our recommendations here will go a long way to improve things. Perhaps, you have set the parameters for the game to figures or values too high for your computer to handle effectively and efficiently.
For example, if the game keeps crashing while you try to run it with the highest graphics properties available, then you must make the switch to the medium equivalent or even lower settings. Even if you are sure your device (given its specifications) can handle what you are throwing at it, it is still wise to go for low settings to learn the effects that result from their usage.
Here are the instructions you must follow to make the relevant changes to the game settings:
Windows Defender is a security utility Microsoft built into Windows to protect computers from threats or malicious items. It does a decent job for the most part, but it is not above mistakes. Sometimes, it interferes with or disrupts operations it has no business disturbing; it acts against harmless applications in error.
Some reports indicate the Windows Defender application played a role in causing the issues that force the CIV 6 application to go down with crashes on certain computers. In those scenarios, users managed to resolve the problem by adding an exclusion for the game app and, in some cases, going on to add an exclusion for Steam too.
There is a good chance the same or similar events have been playing out on your computer as regards the crashes. In that case, you have to do what other users did. Follow these instructions:
While the addition of the entirety of the Steam folder might constitute a security threat or leave your computer a bit more vulnerable than before, you can always reverse the changes you made after you test out things.
For one, if you find out that the crashes had nothing to with Windows Defender’s actions against Steam or Civilization 6, then you must get rid of the exclusions you added for those programs.
However, if things get better after you instructed Windows Defender to stop interfering with or disrupting Steam or Civilization 6 operations, then you might have to disable the Windows Defender application completely – since you know it is causing issues for you. In that case, we recommend you consider Auslogics Anti-Malware – which is programmed to function and protect your system from threats without causing trouble or complications – as a replacement for Windows Defender.
If the previous procedures fail to do enough to resolve the issues causing the game to crash, then you have to reinstall it at this point. Considering the processes that make up the reinstallation operation itself, the procedure should bring about a wide variety of changes, which should be sufficient to eliminate the problems whose resolution have eluded you for quite some time.
You must understand that you are going to lose your files and progress made in the game. Of course, we know the means through which you can reinstall Civilization 6 and not lose your data, but we are against you doing the job that way. For the procedure to be effective as it should be, you must be prepared or willing to lose the faulty components, entries for bad settings, and so on.
Here are the instructions you must follow to reinstall Civilization 6 (the way we want you to):
Follow the instructions as they come up on your screen to uninstall CIV 6. Once the processes in Steam reach completion, you must continue with the instructions below to perform the last task:
If you are still struggling with CIV 6 crashes on Windows, then this procedure might bring you some reprieve. Some users found out that the game application goes down less frequently with crashes (or does not go down at all) when it is running in offline mode. You can take advantage of this knowledge to great effect.
If you have no reason for wanting the game to use your internet, then you will be fine with offline mode. Even if you prefer that CIV 6 connects to the internet, you might still enjoy playing the game offline – if the crashes are absent in the proposed condition.
Anyway, here are the instructions you must follow to instruct Steam to run the game in offline mode:
If you still have not found a way to get the Civilization 6 application to stop crashing on your Windows device or if you are yet to fix a related problem that brought you here, then you might want to go through this additional list of procedures, recommendations, and workarounds to the issues affecting the game.
Here, you get to instruct Steam to go through the entries used by CIV 6 and compare them with standard or regular files. During the verification process, if inconsistencies or mismatches get detected, then Steam will resolve the issues by replacing the altered files with good copies.
If the crashes were down to the game using bad or corrupted data, then this procedure will rectify things, which means the CIV 6 application will become able to operate for long without problems on your computer.
If your computer is equipped with a discrete or dedicated GPU manufactured by NVIDIA, then you have to get rid of Lucid Virtu – if you have this application or any similar program installed on your computer now. Some users reported the game had stopped crashing after they had uninstalled Lucid Virtu, so our recommendation here is very much in order.
It seems Lucid Virtu components are incompatible or interfere with CIV 6 (or Steam) processes. Either way, it seems both programs cannot function together on a single device in peace. If you have to do away with one of them, then it will probably be Lucid Virtu, since another utility can replace it.