Dark And Darker Keeps Crashing PC [Simple Fixes]

For many players, dark and Darker keep crashing or freezing on the PC platform. The crashing is so prominent that Ironmace Games addressed the issue in a Reddit comment. However, it is possible that the statement does not apply to your case, as crashing problems are common and occur from the user’s end most of the time. This is why it is worth solving the crashing issue yourself before the playtest phase ends.

Minimum System Requirements

First, ensure your PC can even run Dark and Darker in the first place. Crashing also occurs when the hardware isn’t up to the requirements. Check out these minimum system requirements for Dark and Darker and compare them with your PC specifications.

GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB or AMD Radeon RX 580 4 GB
CPU: 3.0 GHz Quad Core
RAM: 4 GB
OS: Windows 10 or 11 | 64-bit versions

Turn Off MSI Afterburner And Other FPS Indicators

You should disable any application that can show your in-game FPS or any other GPU statistic. This is one of the first things you should attempt, as it is a bug that causes your game to crash.

The applications that utilize Rivatuner’s Statistics Servers to run in-game overlays can cause your game to crash. These applications need to directly hook into your GPU to display in-game FPS and other GPU statistics, which might be the reason why Dark and Darker is crashing.

This usually does not happen and is only a bug with the Dark and Darker playtest. Optimistically, this bug should be resolved by the time the next playtest rolls out. But just to be safe, keep such application overlays disabled until the full game comes out in late 2023.

Cap FPS On Driver Level

This is another common reason Dark and Darker might be crashing and freezing, especially if you have a low to mid-end PC. Uncapping your FPS will make the game unstable, and you will run into trouble if your monitor has a low refresh rate.

This fix is also working for several players across this Steam Forum post. This is why it’s always a good idea to cap your FPS according to what your hardware can handle. If your PC is relatively weak, you must keep your FPS capped at 30. Mid-end PC users should limit their FPS to 60.

Here is how to cap FPS in AMD Radeon Settings:

1. Right-click anywhere on your desktop and open the AMD Radeon Software.
2. Click on the Gaming tab and find Dark and Darker.
3. Click on it to open its settings.
4. Scroll down to the graphics section and enable Radeon Chill.
5. Use the sliders to adjust the FPS number.
6. The minimum FPS should be the lowest number, while the maximum should be determined based on what your hardware can handle.

How to cap FPS in NVIDIA Control Panel Settings:

1. Right-click on your desktop and open the NVIDIA control panel.
2. Click on the Manage 3D settings section.
3. Make sure you are in the Global Settings tab.
4. Find the Max Frame Rate settings from the list of options and turn it on.
5. Slide the frame rate to the applicable number.

Verify Dark and Darker Game Files

You will encounter frequent crashing or freezing if Dark and Darker’s game files are corrupted or missing. Even if a single game file gets corrupted or accidentally deleted, the game will no longer be able to function properly and will likely crash. Steam offers a convenient and efficient tool to verify and repair these game files.

I have experienced crashing and freezing issues in many games. One of the first things I do to fix the problem is verify game files, which manages to fix the issue almost every time.

New to verifying game files? Check out our detailed guide on it.

Disable Windows Firewall & Other Antivirus Software

This is a common culprit behind crashing games, including Dark and Darker. In our particular situation, If the antivirus software is mistaking Dark and Darker as a threat, it will naturally cause the game to crash every time you attempt to start it.

But first of all, you must confirm if the antivirus software is responsible for the crashes. To do this, you should disable the software and launch Dark and Darker to see if it crashes.

Here’s how to disable your antivirus for the time being:

1. Press the Windows button on your keyboard to open the start menu.
2. Click on the gear icon in the start menu and open Windows settings.
3. Select Update & Security to access the Windows Security section.
4. Here, select Firewall & Network Protection. This will open a different window.
5. You must now disable all three network options in this new window.

If you use different antivirus software, follow similar steps to disable them simultaneously. Now, you can launch Dark and Darker to see if the crashing has stopped. If it has, your culprit was the antivirus software all along. You should now whitelist Dark and Darker in your antivirus software.

My Thoughts On The Crashing In Dark And Darker

Given that the playtests of Dark and Darker are in the beta phase, it is natural to encounter a few crashing or freezing issues. I understand you might be frustrated by these problems since the game is fun. For me, the solution was simply to disable MSI Afterburner and other FPS-indicating applications.

I also thoroughly researched the internet for players’ issues and came up with a few effective solutions after testing. This is why I can confidently assure you that once you’ve implemented these solutions, the crashing issue in Dark and Darker will be fixed permanently.

Next:

• Dark And Darker: Tips & Tricks 
• Dark And Darker Not Connecting To Server