Fix: WWE 2K23 keeps crashing when launching on PC

Butcher79

March 17, 2023

Developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports, WWE 2K23 is the latest version of the professional wrestling sports video game. This latest installment marks the twenty-third overall edition in the series of video games centered around WWE and is the successor to WWE 2K22. It is also the tenth game to be released under the banner of WWE 2K. However, several players have reported that they have encountered compatibility issues since its launch when trying to launch the game. Some players have experienced unexpected crashes during launch.

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Why is WWE 2K23 crashing?

You might be experiencing a crash issue when launching WWE 2K23 due to temporary glitches, problems with game files, or even computer issues. Many PC gamers are facing issues with game files or software/hardware that can cause a crash at any time.

Luckily, there are steps you can take to troubleshoot and fix the problem. Before jumping to conclusions, it's important to check the possible reasons why the game is crashing. Many players have found success by doing the following troubleshooting methods:

Checking compatibility with PC specifications
Update to the latest version of the game
Game launcher update
Update graphics drivers
Check for problems with DirectX versions
Closing unnecessary background running tasks
Checking if a game is being blocked by an antivirus or firewall
Check for problems with the application being launched
Checking for Issues with Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables
Checking if an overclocked CPU/GPU is causing the issue
Check for application overlay issues.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the crash at startup issue and return to playing WWE 2K23 without any problems. Don't let this problem stop you from enjoying this addictive game.

Fix: WWE 2K23 keeps crashing on launch on PC

Since you know the possible causes, it's time to move on to the troubleshooting methods below and follow them until the problem is fixed. Sometimes PC gamers don't follow a few methods thinking these workarounds won't help. But the fact is that even a basic method can help you a lot, which may not be useful to others. So don't skip any method until you're done. Now, without further ado, let's dive into this.

1. Check the system requirements

First, you need to make sure that your PC specification is properly compatible with the system requirements of the game, because any incompatibility can lead to launch failures or no problems with the game launching. We have provided you with requirements that may be helpful to you. If in case your PC build is not fully compatible, be sure to update the specific software/hardware to make it fully compatible.

Minimum requirements:

Requires 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Processor Intel Core i5-3550 / AMD FX 8150
Memory: 8 GB arrangement
Graphic arts: Video card GeForce GTX 1060 / Radeon RX 480
Direct X: Version 12
Disk space: 80 GB available space
Sound card: Sound Card compatible with DirectX 9.0c
Additional Notes: SSD recommended, AVX - Compatible processor

Recommended requirements:

Requires 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Intel i7-4790 / AMD FX 8350
Memory: 16 GB arrangement
Graphic arts: Video card GeForce GTX 1070 / Radeon RX 580
Direct X: Version 12
Disk space: 80 GB available space
Sound card: Sound Card compatible with DirectX 9.0c
Additional Notes: SSD recommended, AVX - Compatible processor

2. Run the game as administrator

Run the game application file on your computer as an administrator to allow User Account Control (UAC) access. Sometimes your system needs UAC access permission to run a rather important program. By following these steps, you will have to allow administrator access for once and it will not ask you for the same thing again. For this:

Go to the directory of installed games WWE 2K23.
Click thefile applications on your PC.
Click on Materials > Click on the tab Compatibility.

Select the checkbox Run this program as administratorto turn it on.
Then press "Apply" and then "OK", to save your changes.
Finally, double click on the game application file to launch it.

If in case you are running the game through Steam, follow the same steps for the Steam app as well.

3. Disable Full Screen Optimization

Sometimes disabling full-screen optimization by Windows for a specific game application file should fix compatibility issues for some PCs. Although it is disabled by default, you should double-check it to make sure that full-screen optimization is not enabled. For this:

Open the client Steam > click on The library.
Right click on WWE 2K23 > select Management.
Press "Browse Local Files» > navigate to the installed folder WWE 2K23.
Rclick on WWE 2K23.exe > Click on Materials.
Click the tab Compatibility > Make sure check the box Disable full screen optimization.
Then press "Apply" and then "OK", to save your changes.

4. Update your GPU driver

Another thing you should do is to update the graphics driver version on your PC by following these steps. If an update is available, be sure to install it. An outdated GPU driver can cause problems running the program, for example in games or even during gaming sessions. Not only does your game look pathetic, but your PC won't be able to reach its full potential due to a graphic conflict. For this:

5. Windows update

If you have been running an outdated Windows version or build number for a while, follow these steps to check the same. Always try to install the latest system update so you can get the latest security patch, performance improvements, bug fixes, additional features, and more.

Press the keys Windows + I, to open Parameters.
Click the Windows Update and press Check for Updates.

If an update is available, click Download and install.
Wait for the update process to complete.
After that, restart your computer to apply the changes.

In addition, you should also check for optional updates by following these steps, because sometimes a couple of driver updates or security patches can appear here that can help you fix a few bugs or problems.

Press the keys Windows + I, to open Parameters.
Click the Windows Update > Click Extra options.
Scroll down to find More options.
Click the Optional Updates > If an update is available, you can choose to update.
Now press "Download and Install" and then wait for some time to complete it.
Finally, reboot the system manually.

6. Force use of dedicated GPU

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It is highly recommended to always use a dedicated (external) graphics card on your desktop for heavy games and applications so that you can get better graphics performance all the time. For this:

For Nvidia GPU:

Right click on a blank desktop screen > Open nvidia control panel.
Go to 3D settings > click "Managing 3D Settings».
Open Program settings > select WWE 2K23 from the list.
Get preferred graphics processor for this program from the list.
Once it's done you can see it like high performance Nvidia processor.
Be sure to save your changes and restart your computer.

For AMD GPU:

Right click blank desktop screen > open Radeon settings.
Go to section "Advanced settings" > go to "Settings".
Click the Power > Click Switchable graphics application settings.
Get WWE 2K23 from the list. [If the game is not displayed, select Add applicationto start the game]
Then select High performance в graphics settings.
Finally, restart your computer to apply the changes.

7. Close unnecessary background tasks

It is recommended to close all unnecessary background tasks on your system by following these steps, because the more system resources are used, the more your system performance will decrease. You may not notice this dramatically when you encounter game lags, frame rate drops, stuttering, etc. But this method should be good for you in many ways.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys, to open Task Manager.

Press "Processes" and check which task consumes more resources.
Just click on a specific process and select Complete the taskto force close it.
Be sure to follow the same steps for every third party app process that consumes more resources.
After that, close Task Manager and restart your computer.

8. Restoring game files

Needless to say, problems with corrupted or missing game files on PC can experience a lot of crashes when launching the game without any proper error message in some cases. If in this case your game starts loading within a few seconds and then automatically closes or does not start at all, then it is better to check and restore the installed game files on the PC by following these steps:

For Steam:

Start the client Steam > click on The library.
Right click on WWE 2K23 from the list.
Press "Properties" > "Go to local files».

Press Verify integrity of game files.
This process may take some time. So, be patient.
After that, be sure to restart your computer to apply the changes.

9. Update WWE 2K23

We should also recommend that you manually check for a game update at the end through the Steam client to make sure there is not an outdated version of the game that is conflicting with the launch of the game. An outdated version of the game patch can cause several potential issues that can cause crashes. For this:

Open Steam and go to The library.
Click on WWE 2K23 from the left panel.
Steam will automatically search for an available update.
If an update is available, click "Refresh».
Be sure to wait a while until the update completes.
After that, be sure to restart your computer to apply the changes.

10. Disable third party overlay apps

Basically background running conflicts with XNUMXrd party overlay apps can cause a few issues with the game launching because they consume a lot of system resources just like the processes when the game starts. Even though the game won't launch, the overlay app will launch and run until you close it manually. While some overlay applications may also start working when you boot the system at the very beginning. So try disabling overlay apps manually.

Disable Discord Overlay:

Open application Discord > Click on gear icon (Settings) at the bottom.
Get Overlay в Application Settings > Turn on overlay Enable in-game overlay.
Click on Games > Select WWE 2K23.
Required disconnect switch Enable in-game overlay.
After that, restart your computer to apply the changes.

Disable the Xbox Game Bar:

Press the keys Windows + I, to open Parameters.
Now click "Gaming > "Go to game panel».
Disconnect Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using the Game bar option.
After that, save the changes and restart your computer to apply the changes.

Disable nvidia GeForce Experience overlay:

Run the application Nvidia GeForce Experience > go to settings.
Press "General > disconnect an option in-game overlay.
After that, restart your computer to apply the changes.

Disable the Steam overlay:

Open the client Steam > click on The library.
Right click on WWE 2K23 > click on Materials.
Click on General > Turn off option Enable Steam overlay while playing.
After that, restart your computer to change the effects.

Some PC gamers or advanced users also use some other overlay applications like MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, etc. If you also use any other mouse or keyboard software or any RGB tool that is not so necessary during games, it is best to turn them off.

11. Disable Windows Firewall and Antivirus Software

It's highly likely that you're using the default Windows Firewall protection on your PC, but sometimes turning it off temporarily before launching any game can greatly reduce startup crash issues. For this:

Click the start menu > Enter Windows Defender Firewall and open it.
Then click Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off left panel.
Select an option Disable Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended) for all domains.
Then press OKto save changes > Restart your computer to apply the changes.

Also, be sure to disable Windows Defender Antivirus on your computer to make sure the antivirus software isn't blocking game files. For this:

Press the keys Windows + I, to open Parameters.
Press "Update and security» > press «Windows security».
Press "Open Windows Security > go to protection against viruses and threats».

Now press "Settings Management" > just disconnect switch real time protection.
When prompted, clickYes ", to continue.

The note: If you are using any other third party antivirus program on your PC, make sure to turn it off from the settings menu.

12. Adjust power management settings

It's better to set the high performance power option on your computer before playing to get the full potential of the system, because Windows prefers to run in balanced power mode by default to save power and offer average performance for your daily task. But heavy games or applications require high performance mode, which will consume extra power but offer amazing performance. For this:

Click on start menu > control panels "Enter" and open it.
Press "Equipment and Sound" > select "Power supply».
Get High performanceand you're done.
Finally, restart your computer to apply the changes.

13. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime

If the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables are not installed or even already installed on your Windows system, be sure to manually reinstall it using the following steps.

Open start menu > Type applications and features and open it.
Click programs Microsoft Visual C ++ from the list one by one.
Press Remove and follow the instructions on the screen.
After removing all Visual C++ programs, restart your computer.
Now go to Microsoft official website and download the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime.
Be sure to install it on your computer and reboot your system to change the effects.

14. Perform a clean boot

Several users have claimed that performing a clean boot on the PC does indeed fix the system boot problem because some applications or tasks start at the very beginning. These tasks run continuously and consume a lot of system resources. To do this, follow these steps:

Press the keys Windows + Rto open the dialog Run.
Enter the msconfig and press Enter, to open system configuration.
Go to Services section > Click Hide all Microsoft servicesto turn it on.

Now press "Disable all" to disable other services.
Press apply, and then OKto save your changes.
Then go to Startups > Click open Task Manager.
Click the tab "Startup» > make sure a specific task with a higher launch impact is selected.
Now press "Disable", to turn it off.

The note: Follow the same steps for each program with a higher launch impact, except for the audio or graphics service.

Finally, be sure to restart your computer to apply the changes.

15. Restore Overclocked CPU or GPU to Default

Sometimes an overclocked CPU or GPU in a PC can cause conflicts with other hardware, which can cause a bottleneck issue. It's better to temporarily disable or restore an overclocked CPU/GPU to factory default so you can check the potential cause of the crash. There are several tools available on the Internet to tune an overclocked CPU or GPU on a PC, such as MSI Afterburner, Riva Tuner, AMD Ryzen Master, EVGA Precision X, etc.

That's it guys. We assume that this guide was helpful to you. For further inquiries, you can comment below.

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