Death Stranding launched on PC in 2020; however, in 2023, PC players are experiencing crashes with the game. Some players report that the game crashes at launch, and some report in-game crashes. In this guide, we will help you how to fix the Death Stranding crash on your PC.
Last updated on March 8th, 2023 at 07:57 pm
Death Stranding Crash Fixes You Can Try
Death Stranding has multiple reasons to crash, like using third-party tools, in-game overlays, anti-virus, and more. Sometimes corrupt files can cause the game to crash. The following are the fixes for the Death Stranding crashing issue.
General Fixes
Before we start with targeted fixes, maybe try these general fixes that might fix the crashing issue. Run the game as an administrator. Right-click Death Stranding in Steam library > Manage > Browse local files. A new window will open with Death Stranding files. Right-click the executable > properties > Compatibility tab > check “Run this program as an administrator.”
Another reason for the game to crash could be your GPU driver. Update/reinstall your GPU driver and perform a clean installation to fix the crashing game issue.
Sometimes, corrupt game files can cause the game to crash, which can be easily fixed by verifying game files. Right-click Death Stranding in Steam library > properties > Local Files > Verify integrity of game files. Steam will verify and replace any corrupt game files.
For Epic launcher, go to the Library > click on the three dots under Death Stranding > Manage > click on “Verify.” Let the scan complete, launch the game, and it won’t crash.
Using third-party tools/software like MSI Afterburner, RGB software, driver/software for a peripheral, or more can cause the game to crash. Disable any third-party programs you have installed and ensure no background process is open to fix the crashing issue.
Disable In-game Overlay
Using in-game overlays like Steam in-game overlay, GeForce Experience in-game overlay, or MSI Afterburner overlay (RTSS) if installed. Disable any in-game overlay you have enabled, and Death Stranding will stop crashing. For Steam users, open Settings > In-game > uncheck “Enable the Steam overlay while in-game.”
To disable GeForce Experience > click on the gear icon next to your username > General > turn off the “IN-GAME Overlay” options.
Disabling in-game overlays will fix the Death Stranding PC crash if they are causing it.
Clean Temporary Files
Windows stores temporary files and can corrupt over time or cause games and other applications to crash on your PC. Delete temporary files, and Death Stranding will stop crashing. Press Win + R keys > type %temp% and press enter. A new window will open with some files. Delete all these files, launch the game, and it won’t crash.
Update DirectX
Outdated DireectX is another cause for the Death Stranding crash and can even lead to DX12-ErrorCode: 0x887a0005 error. Download the latest DirectX Web Installer and update DirectX. Once the web installer is downloaded, run it, follow the on-screen prompts, and it’ll install. Restart your PC, launch Death Stranding, and the game won’t crash.
Allow The Game Through Windows Firewall Or Anti-virus
Anti-virus software is another reason why Death Stranding is crashing. Sometimes, anti-virus software or Windows firewall falsely detects the game as a virus or Trojan and blocks it, which causes it to crash at startup or not launch.
First, exclude Death Stranding from the anti-virus and Windows Security if you use it. The procedure varies from anti-virus to anti-virus. For Windows Security, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection > click Manage settings under “Virus & Threat Protection settings” > click on “Add or remove exclusions” under “Exclusions” > click on “add an exclusion” and select Folder > browse to the Death Stranding’s folder and add it. After that, verify game files, launch Death Stranding, and it won’t crash.
Allowing Death Stranding through Windows Firewall is the next step. Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security > Firewall & Network protection > click “Allow an app through firewall” > change settings > Allow another app > Browse and locate Death Stranding executable and click Open and add it > check both Private and Public. This will fix the Death Stranding not launching or crashing at startup issue.
That is all for our fixes for the Death Stranding crash. If you are facing errors and issues with other PC games or your PC, see our hub for commonly occurring PC errors and their fixes.