ARC Raiders’ Server Slam is stressing some PCs: crashes on startup, black screens, UE crash pop-ups, stutter, even full system shutdowns right after the fullscreen loading screen. The most consistent fixes target drivers, anti-cheat, overlays, and a few Windows settings. Work through the sections below in order of impact.

ARC Raiders crashing on PC: quick checklist

  • Restart Steam and your PC. If the game process hangs, end it in Task Manager first.
  • Verify the game files in Steam (Library → right‑click ARC Raiders → Properties → Installed Files → Verify).
  • Update your GPU driver (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel). Several users report stability after a recent driver drop.
  • Disable overlays (Steam, Discord, NVIDIA/AMD) and close capture/OC tools (OBS, MSI Afterburner, RivaTuner).
  • Repair Easy Anti‑Cheat and relaunch.
  • Add launch options like -dx12 and, if needed, -windowed.
  • Run the game as administrator, disable fullscreen optimizations, and try launching start_protected_game.exe from the install folder.
  • Reduce monitor refresh rate (e.g., 240Hz → 120Hz/60Hz) and toggle Hardware‑accelerated GPU scheduling.
  • Increase virtual memory (pagefile): Initial ~1.5× RAM, Max ~3× RAM.
  • Update Windows. If you can reach the menu, drop graphics settings to Medium/Low.
Note: The developers plan a hotfix aimed at current crash issues, with a full re‑download required. If you’ve tried everything, waiting for that update is reasonable.

Fix crash on startup and black screen (launch options and executable)

  • End any stuck ARC Raiders process in Task Manager.
  • From the install folder, launch start_protected_game.exe as administrator.
  • Right‑click the game .exe → Properties → Compatibility: enable “Run this program as an administrator,” and “Disable fullscreen optimizations.” Try compatibility mode if nothing changes.
  • In Steam → Properties → General → Launch Options add:
    • -dx12
    • -windowed (optional to bypass fullscreen issues)

Install the latest Game Ready/Studio driver for your GPU. Use a clean installation to replace older components if stability hasn’t improved.

Download NVIDIA drivers

Update AMD graphics drivers

Use AMD Software to check for updates or download the current package for your card.

Get AMD drivers

Update Intel graphics drivers (and detect OEM‑tuned packages)

If you’re on Intel graphics or a hybrid laptop, use Intel’s tool to detect the right package.

Intel Driver & Support Assistant

Force the dedicated GPU, disable integrated graphics (laptops)

  • In Windows Graphics settings, set ARC Raiders to High performance (discrete GPU).
  • In your laptop’s control panel (vendor tools), disable hybrid/eco modes when possible.
Note: Some users gain stability by doing the opposite—temporarily switching power mode to a less aggressive profile. If “High performance” doesn’t help, try Balanced/Power Saver as a test.

Repair Easy Anti‑Cheat (service, reinstall)

  • In the game’s install folder, run the Easy Anti‑Cheat setup to Repair (or Uninstall then Install).
  • Ensure the Easy Anti‑Cheat service is running, then reboot and relaunch.

Easy Anti‑Cheat support

Verify and repair ARC Raiders files (Steam)

  • Steam Library → right‑click ARC Raiders → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files.
  • Let Steam re‑download missing or corrupted assets.

Turn off overlays, capture, and overclocking

  • Disable Steam Overlay, Discord overlay, NVIDIA/AMD overlays.
  • Fully close OBS, MSI Afterburner, and RivaTuner (these can inject hooks that trigger startup crashes or UE crash dialogs).
  • Remove GPU/CPU overclocks and undervolts; return to defaults for troubleshooting.

Windows settings that reduce stutter and CTDs

  • Lower the display refresh rate (e.g., 240Hz → 120Hz/60Hz) to test stability.
  • Toggle Hardware‑accelerated GPU scheduling (on or off), then reboot.
  • Adjust virtual memory: System Properties → Advanced → Performance → Virtual Memory. Set:
    • Initial size ≈ 1.5 × your installed RAM
    • Maximum size ≈ 3 × your installed RAM
  • Update Windows (Settings → Windows Update), then restart.
  • If stutter persists, disable Windows Game Mode and Xbox Game Bar while testing.

PC shuts down during launch (CPU hits 100%)

If the system powers off with no BSOD, you’re likely hitting a power or thermal limit:

  • Monitor temps during launch; ensure CPU/GPU aren’t throttling or spiking to shutdown thresholds.
  • Undo any undervolts and overclocks. Run stock clocks while testing.
  • Check PSU capacity and cabling; a transient spike can trip protection.
  • Unplug non‑essential USB devices (HOTAS, wheels, extra controllers/keypads, USB hubs/adapters) and retest.
  • Update your motherboard BIOS if you’re on an older firmware, then re‑test at stock settings.

Stuck on “Running install script” in Steam

  • Quit Steam completely, run it as administrator, and retry.
  • Verify game files; if it still hangs, sign out, clear the launcher cache, or reinstall the launcher.
  • Temporarily disable antivirus or add the ARC Raiders folder to exclusions, then relaunch and re‑enable protection after testing.

Install required runtimes: Visual C++

Reinstall the latest supported Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables (both x64 and x86 where applicable), then restart Windows.

Download Visual C++ Redistributables

Install required runtimes: DirectX

If components are missing, install the DirectX End‑User Runtime and reboot.

DirectX End‑User Runtime

Check your PC against current requirements

If you’re below spec, crashes and severe stutter are common. Here’s the current guidance for the Server Slam build:

Level CPU GPU RAM OS
Minimum Intel Core i5‑6600K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, Radeon RX 580, or Intel Arc A380 12GB Windows 10/11 64‑bit
Recommended Intel Core i5‑9600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 GeForce RTX 2070, Radeon RX 5700 XT, or Intel Arc B570 16GB Windows 10/11 64‑bit

In‑game settings that reduce stutter

  • Use Fullscreen, then lower overall quality to Medium/Low if you reach the menu.
  • Disable motion blur and any ray tracing options.
  • Cap FPS to your display’s refresh rate.

Reinstall the game (and where to install)

  • Uninstall ARC Raiders, delete any leftover game folder in the install path, and restart your PC.
  • Reinstall on a fast SSD. If it was installed to C:, try another SSD; if it was elsewhere, try C:.
  • If your config or save files look corrupted, back them up and temporarily rename them to force a clean rebuild. Note: this can reset settings and may remove progress if cloud saves don’t restore it.

What if nothing helps?

  • Wait for the pending hotfix aimed at current crash reports; it will require a full re‑download.
  • Once patched, repeat file verification, keep overlays off, and test with stock clocks before re‑enabling extras.

The combination that resolves most issues is: a fresh GPU driver, verified files, overlays off, EAC repaired, and -dx12 in launch options. If your machine hard‑powers off during launch, treat it like a power/thermal problem first, then revisit software fixes.