Players experiencing unexpected game crashes on Windows 11 following a recent update may find their issues are widespread. Microsoft has acknowledged that a limited number of games have begun to exhibit problems, including the application becoming unresponsive, closing without notice, displaying an 'EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION' error, or causing unexpected device restarts. The company is currently investigating the cause.
While Microsoft has confirmed crashes affecting Arc Raiders, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and The Finals, players who have encountered similar issues since the update are encouraged to submit feedback through the Feedback Hub app. The problem appears to be isolated to Windows 11 client versions 25H2 and 24H2, with version 26H1 currently unaffected.
Embark, the developer behind Arc Raiders, has identified the issue as relating to the file inpoutx64.sys, which was modified by the recent Windows update. While a permanent fix will likely require a future Windows update, Embark has shared a potential temporary workaround. Players can open Command Prompt and execute the commands 'sc stop inpoutx64' followed by 'sc delete inpoutx64', and then manually delete the inpoutx64.sys file from the drivers folder. Users should proceed with this workaround at their own risk, as it has not been personally verified by external outlets.
The update in question, KB5121003, reportedly includes over 400 security updates, though it remains unclear which specific changes are responsible for the game instability. Some users have also reported graphical corruption issues, with one user noting that uninstalling KB5121003 resolved black screen problems in games like Valorant and Roblox, regardless of whether a dedicated or integrated graphics card was in use.
For those impacted, rolling back the Windows update may offer a solution. This can be done by navigating to Windows Update, selecting 'Update history,' scrolling down, and choosing to 'Uninstall updates,' then selecting KB5120708. A timeline for an official patch has not yet been provided by Microsoft.