How to Fix STALKER 2 Crashing on Startup Issue

If you’re facing STALKER 2 game crashes on startup issue, this guide has got you covered. Regarding the bugs and errors in a newly released title, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl has done a great job so far with not many problems happening that become a barrier between you and the game.

Since it’s a human produced application and despite the hard efforts of GSC Game World, the players are still encountering minor errors. Despite powerful rigs and updated systems, fans reported issues they are facing such as shader compilation failures, unreal engine errors, or even memory-related crashes. This page acts as a comprehensive guide with possible working fixes to resolve such bugs and crashing problems in STALKER 2.

Related: Stalker 2: How to Get the Weird Bolt Artifact from Tornado

1. Clear Temporary Files and Close Background Processes

Overloaded temporary files or unnecessary background processes can cause memory and CPU usage conflicts that may result in game crashes. Rather than this, many files can conflict with the game itself and cause it to behave improperly

Follow these steps to clear temporary files:

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type %temp% and press Enter.
3. Press Ctrl + A to select all files, right-click, and choose Delete to clean the Temp folder.

You can follow this process to end background tasks:

1. Right-click the Taskbar and choose Task Manager.
2. Under the Processes tab, identify unnecessary tasks (e.g., browser tabs, background apps).
3. Right-click each task and select End Task.

💡 Tip: Use Task Manager’s “Startup” tab to disable programs automatically running when Windows boots.

2. Verify Game Files Integrity (Steam)

If files are corrupted or incomplete, STALKER 2 may fail to launch or crash immediately. Thankfully, Steam Client has a built-in feature to verify the game files that analyze all the content and report back if there are any corrupted ones. It usually happens that a few game files are gone from the folder or some become corrupted due to apps conflict in the system.

So, it is also an important method to try, and here’s the process to do that:

1. Open Steam and head over to Library.
2. Right-click on STALKER 2 and select Properties.
3. Navigate to the Installed Files tab.
4. Click Verify Integrity of Game Files.

Let the process run and scan, it will take some time and repair any missing or damaged ones if that is the case.

3. Address GPU-Related Issues

Many players with high-end GPUs (e.g., RTX 4080, RTX 4090) report crashes stating “out of video memory” errors. Here’s how to address issues related to the graphics cards.

Update or Reinstall Graphics Drivers:

1. Press Windows + X and choose Device Manager.
2. Expand the drop down list of Display Adapters.
3. Right-click on your GPU (e.g., NVIDIA or AMD card) and choose Uninstall Device.
4. Restart your PC and visit the GPU manufacturer’s website to download and install the latest drivers.

Disable Overclocking: If you’ve overclocked your GPU, revert it to stock speeds using software like MSI Afterburner. Overclocking can destabilize the system, leading to crashes.

4. Adjust Windows Power Plan

Windows power settings can restrict the performance of your GPU and CPU. Changing the power settings to default has done the work for a couple of players. You can adjust your system power options by this:

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Go to Hardware and Sound > Power Options.
3. Select High Performance for optimal resource usage.

Tip: If this setting causes overheating, try balancing between “Power Saver” and “High Performance” modes as needed.

Related: STALKER 2 In the Name of Science Mission Walkthrough

5. Disable Windows Game Mode

Windows Game Mode is designed to prioritize games to get the best possible performance but sometimes conflicts with hardware drivers or specific titles like STALKER 2. You can disable this option and relaunch the game to see if it works.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Head over to Gaming > Game Mode.
3. Toggle Game Mode to Off.

6. Update BIOS for Intel 13th/14th Gen CPUs

Users with Intel’s latest CPUs have faced shader compilation issues due to outdated motherboard BIOS firmware. It’s recommended to keep your Windows, BIOS, and all drivers always up to date but updating BIOS is a very risky option. If you don’t do it right and if the PC disconnects from power or is turned off during the update process, you will end up losing your whole system. But successfully installing the latest version has solved the problem for some. Here’s the way to do it:

1. Visit your motherboard manufacturer’s website and search for your model.
2. Download the latest BIOS update and copy it to a USB drive.
3. Restart your computer and enter the BIOS (press Del, F2, or the specified BIOS key during boot).
4. Use the BIOS update utility to install the new firmware.

⚠️ Warning: Updating BIOS is advanced. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions carefully and back up important files before proceeding.

7. Fix Shader Compilation Crashes

A shader compilation error can occur during the first game launch. Interruptions during this process are another possible reason for the startup crash of STAlKER 2.

1. Let the game fully compile shaders during its first launch. Avoid minimizing or tabbing out of the game.
2. If crashes persist, try running the game in DirectX 11 mode:
   • In Steam, right-click STALKER 2 > Properties.
   • Under Launch Options, type -dx11.

Running the game in DirectX 11 mode minimizes shader-related instability at the cost of some graphics adjustments.

8. Increase Virtual Memory/Page File

If there is no sufficient system virtual memory available, STALKER 2 tries to behave abnormal, especially during shader compilation or large map loads. Here’s how to customize virtual memory settings:

1. Press Windows + R, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter.
2. Go to Advanced > Performance > Settings.
3. Under Advanced, click Change (Virtual Memory section).
4. Set Custom Size with the following values:
   • Initial Size: 1.5x your RAM (e.g., 16GB RAM = 24,000 MB).
   • Maximum Size: 3x your RAM (e.g., 16GB RAM = 48,000 MB).
5. Restart your PC and run the game again to check.

This allocates enough virtual memory for the game to function even if the main memory is consumed and is not enough for system resources.

9. Reinstall STALKER 2 on a Different Drive

Sometimes, installation issues remain even after verifying files. A clean reinstall on a different storage drive can possibly fix deep-rooted errors.

1. Uninstall STALKER 2 from Steam.
2. Restart your PC.
3. Reinstall the game on an SSD if possible. SSDs load data faster and reduce errors during startup.

10. Community Tips for Regular Crashes

Players on forums like Steam Discussions and Reddit have shared some useful ways:

• Run as Administrator: Right-click the game’s executable file and select Run as Administrator.
• Disable Fullscreen Optimization:
  • Go to Properties > Compatibility for the game’s .exe file.
  • Check Disable Fullscreen Optimizations.
• Rollback Drivers: If a new GPU driver raises concerns, roll back to a previous stable/working version.

11. Check System Requirements

Ensure your hardware meets or exceeds STALKER 2’s requirements:

• OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
• Processor: Intel Core i7 / AMD Ryzen 7
• RAM: 16 GB minimum
• Graphics: RTX 2070 / RX 6700 XT or better
• Storage: 150 GB SSD

If you have borderline hardware, it’s better to reduce in-game graphics settings for stability and decent game performance.

Related: STALKER 2: How to Get High-Capacity Saiga D-12 Drum Magazine

Final Thoughts

STALKER 2 crashing on startup can happen because of many issues from corrupted files to GPU conflicts or shader compilation errors. However, trying the above solutions can help you to fix the bug or error as these are the most common fixes for such game-crashing errors. If none of them works for you, stay active in community forums like Steam and Reddit to find real-time solutions and wait for the developers to release new patches with bug fixes.