Overwatch 2 is revamping the franchise with a fresh new coat of paint along with a much-needed revival. The original Overwatch was a smash hit on release, and no wonder fans of the IP have much reason to be excited about the brand new attention this game has been getting.
However, with every new release, there’s bound to be a bunch of bugs and glitches. Luckily though, we’ve compiled a list of various fixes that’ll help you out in case your game is facing crashes and startup issues.
Startup Crash Fixes
Here is a list of solutions you can attempt to stop Overwatch 2 from crashing on launch or load and ensure your game runs smoothly:
Ensure You Meet Minimum Requirements
You need to make sure your PC is able to handle the game smoothly. Overwatch was a fairly low-requirement game, but with the new overhaul, some of the requirements have increased a fair bit.
As it stands, the minimum system requirements are as follows:
- Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
- Processor: Intel Core i3 or AMD Phenom X3 8650
- Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 600 series or AMD Radeon HD 7000 series
- Memory: 6 GB RAM
- Storage: 50 GB available hard drive space
- Internet: Broadband internet connection
- Resolution: 1024 x 768 minimum resolution
For the recommended system requirements, we have:
- Processor: Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 5
- Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 600 series or AMD Radeon HD 7000 series
- Memory: 6 GB RAM
If you meet the requirements, then it is not likely to be an issue with your system’s hardware, and we need to look at software solutions.
Download The Latest Graphics Drivers
You need to make sure your graphics drivers are up to date, as older outdated software will cause crashes and bugs. You can search for these drivers online or use the relevant graphics driver software to receive the necessary updates. For example, if you have an Nvidia graphics card, Geforce Experience can be used to update your graphics drivers as needed conveniently.
- Navigate to Device Manager
- Click on Display Adapters
- Right-click on your graphics device
- Select Update Drivers
- Wait for your updates to download and install
There are also game-specific graphic driver packs. As of the writing of this article, AMD has not released any specific driver pack for Overwatch 2, but Nvidia has rolled out a graphics driver package specifically tailored for playing Overwatch 2.
This pack is available on the Geforce Experience app that comes bundled with Nvidia cards. This kind of pack can help smoothen out your experience and improve both gameplay and load times.
Run The Game As Administrator
Running the game as an administrator might allow you to bypass any pesky issues being caused by Windows priority or your firewall setup. Here’s how you can do that:
- Right-click the game icon
- Head over to properties
- Go to the Compatibility Tab
- Check the Run this program as an administrator option.
Disable Fullscreen Optimizations
Often times fullscreen optimizations cause a lot of glitches at the launch of programs. It is better to have these disabled if your game is not running smoothly and is giving lengthy launch times. Disabling them can also provide a boost to your game performance and a decent increase to your FPS.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you disable fullscreen optimizations:
- Right-click the game icon
- Head over to properties
- Go to the Compatibility Tab
- Check the Disable fullscreen optimizations option
Delete the Config File
This will essentially allow you to reset your game settings and any other display configurations that may have been resulting in a crash. To delete your configuration file, you will need to:
- Head to windows explorer
- Open Documents
- Open the Overwatch 2 Folder
- Open Settings Folder
- Delete the configuration file
- Relaunch Overwatch 2
When you relaunch the game, it will create a brand new configuration file, so there is no need to worry about that.
Try To Repair Game Files
It could be possible that your installation of the game has been corrupted or damaged. Luckily, Battle.net provides a handy way of quickly diagnosing and repairing any damaged installs. Here’s how:
- Launch the Battle.net client on your Desktop.
- Click on the Overwatch 2 icon
- Click on the settings icon (gear shape) next to the Play button.
- Select Scan and Repair
- Click on Begin Scan.
- Wait for the repair to finish.
- Once done, close the Battle.net desktop, and restart your device to apply the repairs.
Update the Game Files
Since Overwatch 2 is a live service game in the early stages of its release, it is to be expected that Blizzard will be launching frequent updates with both major and minor bug fixes and updates.
Try to make sure you are always playing on the latest version of the game if the updates do not automatically install. Luckily the process for this is fairly straightforward and similar to the repair procedure.
- Launch the Battle.net client on your Desktop.
- Click on the Overwatch 2 icon
- Click on the settings icon(gear) next to the Play button.
- Click on the Check for Updates button
- Allow any updates to finish downloading and installing.
Contact Blizzard
If all else fails, you will have to go on the Blizzard Technical Support Forums or contact them directly via email regarding your issues. They respond fairly quickly and should be able to answer any queries regarding your problems.
We hope you found this troubleshooting guide helpful and were able to resolve any launch crash issues that you may have been facing.
Wrapping Up
Overwatch 2 is a brand new game and might face some technical issues upon launch. Blizzard, however, will most likely provide the game with a lot of support to ensure the launch is successful, and you should be on the lookout for updates as all sorts of bugs and glitches get hotfixes.
Read More From Get On Stream:
