Ubisoft’s XDefiant is an eagerly anticipated free-to-play, first-person arena shooter that has captured the attention of the gaming community. As players immerse themselves in it’s fast-paced online matches, excitement runs high, making XDefiant a potential rival to acclaimed titles like Warzone and Battlefield. However, like any game in it’s beta stage, XDefiant is not without it’s fair share of bugs and errors that might take some time to iron out. Among these issues, players have reported instances where XDefiant keeps crashing on startup, interrupting their gaming experience.
Besides startup crashes, players have also experienced other problems, including black screens, graphical glitches, FPS drops, stutters and more during gameplay sessions. As common as these issues may be among PC gamers, it’s essential to acknowledge that game developers, in this case, Ubisoft, can’t be solely blamed for every instance. Several factors, from hardware configurations to software conflicts, can contribute to these challenges.
In this ultimate guide, we’ll explore a comprehensive array of potential workarounds to help you address XDefiant’s startup crashing and other related issues. By following these detailed troubleshooting methods step-by-step, you’ll be well-equipped to overcome the obstacles and enjoy seamless gameplay. Let’s dive into the solutions to ensure your XDefiant experience is nothing short of thrilling!
Check System Requirements for XDefiant
Before diving into the troubleshooting process, let’s ensure your PC meets the necessary system requirements for XDefiant. Incompatibility between your PC’s specifications and the game’s requirements can be a prime culprit for launch issues. Here are the minimum and recommended system requirements:
Minimum Requirements:
Operating system: Windows 10, Windows 11(64-bit versions)
Processor: AMD Ryzen5 1400 @ 3.2GHz, Intel i7-4790K @ 4.0GHz, or better
RAM: 8 GB(running dual-channel mode)
Video card: AMD Radeon RX 560(4 GB), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti(4 GB), or better
Hard drive: 65 GB available storage
DirectX version: DirectX 11
Recommended Requirements:
Operating system: Windows 10, Windows 11(64-bit versions)
Processor: AMD Ryzen5 1600 @ 3.2GHz, Intel i7-4790K @ 4.0GHz, or better
RAM: 16 GB(running dual-channel mode)
Video card: AMD Radeon RX 580(8 GB), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060(6 GB), or better
Hard drive: 65 GB available storage(SSD recommended)
DirectX version: DirectX 11
Restart the PC
A simple yet often effective step is to restart your PC. It may seem elementary, but a straightforward reboot can resolve temporary system glitches or cache data issues that might interfere with XDefiant’s successful launch. Many users have found that a regular system restart can rectify such temporary issues.
Run XDefiant as Administrator
Running XDefiant as an administrator can resolve user account control privilege issues that might be hindering the game’s launch. Also, consider running the Steam client as an administrator on your PC for smoother gaming experiences. To do this:
- Right-click on the XDefiant application on your PC.
- Select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.
- Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
- Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.
Disable Fullscreen Optimizations
To rule out potential conflicts with the fullscreen display feature, you can disable fullscreen optimizations in Windows. This simple trick has helped some users overcome launch issues. Here’s how to do it:
- Right-click on the XDefiant application on your PC.
- Select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.
- Click on Disable fullscreen optimizations to select it.
- Then click on Apply and select OK to save changes.
Check for XDefiant Updates
Outdated game patches can lead to startup and connectivity issues. Make sure to check for XDefiant updates and install them if available. Follow these steps:
- Launch Ubisoft Connect on the PC.
- Click on the Games tab > Under the My Games section, select the XDefiant game tile.
- Now, click on Update to check for available updates.
- Once done, make sure to reboot the PC to apply changes.
Verify and Repair the Game Files
Verifying and repairing installed game files can fix corrupted or missing data. Use the following steps to do so:
- Open Ubisoft Connect on the PC.
- Go to the Games tab > Click on XDefiant.
- Select Properties > From the Local Files section, click on Verify Files.
- Now, wait for the verification process to finish and then reboot the PC.
Update the Graphics Card Driver
An outdated or missing graphics driver can cause performance problems and game crashes. Update your graphics driver to the latest version using the Device Manager or official websites.
- Right-click on the Start Menu to open up the Quick Link Menu.
- Click on Device Manager from the list.
- Double-click on Display Adapters to expand it.
- Device Manager Update Display Adapter
- Right-click on the dedicated graphics card name that’s active.
- Now, click on Update driver.
- Choose Search automatically for drivers.
- The system will automatically check for the available update.
- If an update is available, it’ll automatically download and install the latest version.
- Once done, you should restart your PC to apply the changes.
If you can’t find any pending updates then just head over to the official website of Nvidia website below and search manually for the latest update. If a new version is available for the graphics card, just download the driver and install it on your PC. You can jump to the link below to do so:
Log Out of the Ubisoft Account and Log Back In
Logging out of your Ubisoft account and signing back in may resolve issues related to account privileges and connectivity. Follow these steps:
- Open Ubisoft Connect on the PC.
- Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
- Select Log out > After signing out, you should sign back into your account.
Update Windows
Ensure that your Windows OS is up to date, as outdated versions can cause multiple issues with games and overall system performance. Check for updates through Windows Settings.
- Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
- Click on Update & Security.
- Select Check for updates under Windows Update.
- If there is a feature update available, select Download and Install.
- Wait for a while to complete the software update process.
- Once done, restart your computer to install the update.
Allow XDefiant in Windows Firewall
Ensure that XDefiant and Ubisoft Connect are allowed through Windows Firewall to prevent blocking connections to Ubisoft services. Follow these steps:
- Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
- Click on Update & Security > Click on Windows Security from the left pane.
- Click on Virus & threat protection > Click on Firewall & network protection.
- Go to Allow an app through firewall > Click on Change settings.
- Scroll the list and select XDefiant for both the Private & Public domains.
- If the game isn’t on the list, click on Allow another app.
- Browse and add XDefiant in Firewall > Click on OK to save changes.
- Once done, you can also add Ubisoft Connect to Firewall.
- Finally, reboot your computer to change the effects.
Temporarily Disable Windows Defender(Antivirus)
Temporarily disabling Windows Defender or any other antivirus software can help identify if the issue is related to the antivirus blocking the game application. Follow these steps:
- Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
- Now, click on Update & Security > Click on Windows Security from the left pane.
- Click on the Open Windows Security button.
- Go to Virus & Threat Protection > Click on Manage Settings.
- Just Turn Off the Real-time protection option.
- If prompted, click on Yes to proceed further.
- Install Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables
- Install Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables to ensure compatibility with vc_redist files. Follow these steps:
- Open Ubisoft Connect on your PC.
- Go to Games > Click on XDefiant.
- Click on Properties > Select Local Files.
- Select the Open Folder option to open the XDefiant installation folder.
- Open the Tools folder > Open the vc_redist folder.
- Then you can install the following programs:
- vc_redist_2015.x64.exe
- vc_redist_2015.x86.exe
- vcredist_x64_2010.exe
- vcredist_x64_2012.exe
- Finally, restart your PC to apply changes.
Close Unnecessary Background Tasks
Closing unnecessary background tasks and programs can free up system resources, improving performance and reducing conflicts during startup. Use Task Manager to end unnecessary processes.
Press the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.
Now, click on the Processes tab > Click to select tasks that are unnecessarily running in the background and consuming enough system resources.
- Click on End Task to close processes one by one.
- Once done, restart your system.
- Check the Ubisoft Connect Server Status
Check the Ubisoft Connect Server Status to ensure that the issue isn’t related to server problems. Wait for some time if the servers are experiencing difficulties.
Turn Off Overlay Applications
Disable overlay applications like Discord, Xbox Game Bar, Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay and Ubisoft Connect Overlay to avoid conflicts with the game. Follow these steps:
Disable Discord Overlay:
Launch the Discord app > Click on the gear icon at the bottom.
- Click on Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
- Click on the Games tab > Select XDefiant.
- Finally, Turn Off the Enable in-game overlay option.
- Make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.
Disable Xbox Game Bar:
- Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
- Click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar.
- Turn Off the Record game clips, screenshots and broadcast using Game bar option.
If in case, you’re unable to find out the Game Bar option then just search for it from the Windows Settings menu.
Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:
- Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Head over to Settings.
- Click on the General tab > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
- Finally, restart the PC to apply changes and launch the game again.
- Disable Ubisoft Connect Overlay:
- Launch the Ubisoft Connect app on your PC.
- Make sure that you’re signed in to your Ubisoft account.
- Next, click on the hamburger menu icon at the top left corner.
- Select Settings > Go to the General tab.
- Then Uncheck the Enable in-game overlay for supported games checkbox to disable it.
Also do keep in mind that you should disable some other overlay apps like MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, or any other third-party overlay apps that run in the background always.
Conclusion
By following these comprehensive troubleshooting steps, you can resolve XDefiant startup crashes on your PC and tackle various related issues. Remember to ensure that your system meets the game’s requirements and is up to date with the latest updates and drivers. Additionally, always play games using legitimate copies to support developers and avoid any legal issues. If you encounter any further issues or have any questions, feel free to leave a comment for further assistance. Now, armed with this ultimate guide, dive back into the world of XDefiant and unleash your gaming prowess! Happy gaming!
Experiencing difficulties with your Device, check out our “How To” page on how to resolve some of these issues.
