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If you’re playing Darksiders Genesis and you keep seeing an Unreal Engine crash error, then it’s possible that some of your game files have gone corrupt or missing; you have obsolete or damaged software dependencies; or your computer is suffering from driver problems. There are different ways to fix the error, depending on the root cause. In this article, we’ll be showing you all the steps you need to take.

Fix Your Game’s Installation

The Unreal Engine crash could be related to some game files that are either faulty or missing. For gamers that see the error during launch, the game files involved are those related to the startup process. So, to fix the issue, in this case, repair your game files.

Since Darksiders Genesis is available on GOG Galaxy and Steam, we’ll be showing you the steps involved in using both clients to verify your game files. Each client will scan the files on your system and compare them to those in their servers. If they find faulty files, those files will be replaced.

GOG Galaxy:

  1. Open the Start menu and launch the client.
  2. After the application shows up, navigate to the Library section and click on Darksiders Genesis.
  3. Once the game’s tab appears, go to the More drop-down menu and select Manage Installation >> Verify/Repair.
  4. The verification process will now begin.
  5. After the client is done, it will let you know the result of the process.
  6. You can now launch the game and check for the problem.

Using Steam:

  1. Double-click on Steam’s desktop shortcut or click on the client’s entry in the Start menu.
  2. After the Steam client appears, go to the top of the window and click on Library.
  3. Once your game library shows up, navigate to Darksiders Genesis, right-click it, and then click on Properties.
  4. Go to the main window and click on Local Files.
  5. Next, click on “Verify integrity of game files” under the Local Files tab.
  6. The Steam client will now begin to compare the files on your system with those on its servers. If a file doesn’t match its counterpart on Steam’s server, the client will automatically replace it.
  7. The duration of the process will depend on the number of damaged files, your system’s speed, and your signal strength.
  8. After the process is complete, run the game to check for the problem.

Update Windows

Obsolete software components could also be triggering the error. Some gamers reported that installing the latest version of the .NET Framework helped get rid of the problem. The good thing is, you can easily do that, using the Windows Update utility.

Before now, the utility is meant to have automatically downloaded all the available updates for your system once they go live. But that isn’t always the case as some system glitches could prevent the tool from performing its duties in the background. So, run the Windows Update tool manually and make sure you have a strong internet connection. Follow the steps below:

  1. Right-click on the Start button and click on Settings in the Quick Access menu. If you want to use your keyboard to launch the Settings app, tap the Windows and I keys simultaneously.
  2. Once the Settings app shows up, click on the Update & Security icon at the bottom of the page.
  3. Now, click on the Check for Updates button once the Update & Security interface appears.
  4. Windows Update will now check for available updates.
  5. Click on the Download button.
  6. After the utility downloads the updates, you have to grant it the permission to reboot your system and install them. All you have to do is click on the Restart Now button.
  7. Your system might restart several times during the installation process, depending on the types of updates being installed.
  8. After the process is finished, your computer will start up normally.
  9. Now, launch the game and check if the error shows up again.

Update Your Graphics Card Driver

Your current graphics card driver could be the culprit. If you haven’t updated driver in a while, that should be your next course of action. Also, a corrupt or missing driver could trigger the error.

So, to get rid of the issues related to your graphics card driver, uninstall it, and then install its latest version. In case you don’t know how to remove the card’s driver, follow the steps below:

  1. Press the Windows and X keys simultaneously or right-click on the Start button to open the Quick Access menu.
  2. After the menu flies out, click on Device Manager.
  3. Click on the arrow beside Display Adapters once the Device Manager window appears.
  4. Next, right-click on your graphics card driver and click on Uninstall Device after the context menu appears.
  5. Once you see the Uninstall Device dialog window, tick the box beside “Delete the driver software for this device” before clicking on the Uninstall button.
  6. Windows will now remove the driver.
  7. Restart your computer.

You can also use the Display Driver Uninstaller to remove your graphics driver and all its remnants from your system. The program is a freeware, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find. Also, you can use the AMD cleanup tool if you use an AMD graphics card.

After your computer boots up, go ahead and install the latest driver for your graphics card. There are different ways to go about this. They include using the Windows Update utility, going to the website of your card’s manufacturer, using the Device Manager, and using a third-party application.

If you’re going to download the driver from your card’s manufacturer, make sure you’re equipped with the right information. Downloading and installing the wrong driver will only result in additional problems.

You can skip the stress and risks of downloading the driver yourself by using the Device Manager or better still, Auslogics Driver Updater. The Device Manager can help you detect your graphics card model, search for its latest driver, and automatically install it. Follow these simple steps:

  1. Click on the magnifying glass icon in the taskbar or punch the Windows and S keys together to open the search box next to the Start button.
  2. After the search function appears, type “Device Manager” (without the quotes), then click on Device Manager in the results.
  3. After the Device Manager opens, expand Display Adapters, right-click on your graphics card, then click on Update Driver.
  4. Once the Update Driver window shows up, click on “Search automatically for updated driver software.”
  5. The tool will download and install the driver once it’s found.
  6. Restart your system and check for the problem.


Using Auslogics Driver Updater offers you more options and advantages. Sometimes, the Device Manager does not deliver because Microsoft is yet to release their verified driver version. You don’t have to be limited by that. With Auslogics Driver Updater, you can always get the latest version of the driver once the manufacturer releases it. What’s more, you get to have backups of your previous drivers, which will allow you install them previous you need to roll back.

The program will keep all your drivers up to date, not just your display driver. What’s more, the process is automated. So, you don’t need to check for individual drivers one after the other. The steps below will show you what to do:

  1. Go to the download page of Auslogics Driver Updater and download its setup file.
  2. After the file is downloaded, run it.
  3. Click on Yes once the User Account Control dialog requests for permission.
  4. Once the setup wizard shows up, choose your language and specify where the program should be installed.
  5. After that, select whether you want to create a desktop icon, whether the program should launch once Windows starts, and if you want the tool to send info to its developers when issues occur.
  6. Once the installation process is complete, start the program and click on the Start button to initiate the scan.
  7. If you see your graphics card driver on the list of problematic drivers, click on the Update button.
  8. Once the update is installed, restart your system and check for the error.

Disable Fullscreen Optimizations

Fullscreen Optimizations is a feature that is designed to stabilize applications that utilize all of your monitor’s screen real estate. As it turns out, the feature could be the culprit behind the Unreal Engine error. Try disabling it and check if the error disappears.

To disable the feature, you have to access the game’s EXE and adjust its properties. The steps below will show you how to locate the file and do the needful:

  1. Open a File Explorer window by double-clicking on any folder on your Desktop. You can also use the Windows + E keyboard shortcut to summon the explorer.
  2. After File Explorer appears, switch to the left pane and click on This PC.
  3. Head to the right pane and click on Local Disk C under Devices and Drives.
  4. Once the drive opens, double-click on the Program Files (x86) folder.
  5. Open the Steam folder.
  6. After the Steam folder appears, open the Steamapps folder.
  7. Next, double-click the Common folder.
  8. Now, locate the installation folder of Darksiders Genesis and open it.
  9. If you can’t find your way to the game’s folder because you installed it in a different directory, follow these steps:

If you use GOG Galaxy:

  • Launch the client.
  • Navigate to the Library section and click on Darksiders Genesis.
  • Go to the game’s tab and click on the More drop-down next to its title.
  • After the drop-down menu appears, place your mouse pointer over Manage Installation, then click on Show Folder.
  • The game’s folder will now appear.

If you use Steam:

  • Open the client.
  • Once Steam shows up, click on Library at the top of the window.
  • After your game list appears, right-click Darksiders Genesis and click on Properties.
  • Go to the right side of the window and click Local Files.
  • Now, click on the “Browse integrity of game files” button under the Local Files tab.
  • The game’s folder will now pop up.
  1. Once you get to the installation folder of Darksiders Genesis, right-click on its EXE file and click on Properties.
  2. After the Properties dialog window opens, switch to the Compatibility tab.
  3. Now, tick the “Run this program as an administrator” button.
  4. Click on OK, then run the game.

Create a Registry File

If the problem persists, you can create a text file with some parameters. This method helped some users get rid of the Unreal Engine crashing error.

Before you start, note that tampering with your system registry can cause serious problems if you take a wrong turn. So, make sure you create a restore point before you apply the fix.

Follow these steps:

  1. Open your Start menu, search for Notepad, then launch the app.
  2. After the new note opens, copy and paste the following as long as you’re using a 64-bit operating system:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers]

TdrDelay”=hex(b):08,00,00,00,00,00,00,00

  1. Now, go to the top of the window and click on File, then select Save As in the context menu.
  2. Once the Save As window shows up, select All Documents, then save the file as “darksiders.reg” (without the quotation marks).
  3. Now, double-click on the file.
  4. You can now run the game to check for the error.

Make Sure Your Antivirus program isn’t interfering

While this is rare, it’s possible that your system protection program is blocking some of your game files and triggering the Unreal Engine crash. You can prevent this from happening by adding Darksiders Genesis as an exception in your antivirus program.

The exceptions feature could be named differently in your third-party antivirus. If you don’t know how to locate it, you can search for how to prevent your app from blocking select files and folders online. If you’re comfortable with Windows Security, then the following steps will walk you through the process:

  1. Click on the Start button or press the Windows logo key to open the Start menu. Once the Start menu appears, click on the gear icon next to your username.
  2. You can open the Settings application faster by using the Windows + I keyboard combo.
  3. After the home screen of Settings appears, click on Update & Security at the bottom of the window.
  4. Once the Update & Security interface opens, switch to the left pane and select Windows Security to summon the Windows Security tab.
  5. Go to the Windows Security tab to the right and click on the Virus & Threat Protection link under Protection Areas.
  6. Once you see the Virus & Threat Protection page of the Windows Security application, scroll down and click on the Manage Settings link under the Virus & Threat Protection Settings section.
  7. Next, scroll down to the Exclusions section after you see the Virus & Threat Protection Settings screen, and then click on the “Add or remove exclusions” link.
  8. After the Exclusions interface opens, click on the “Add an exclusion” icon, then choose Folder.
  9. In the Select Folder dialog box, locate the installation folder of Darksiders Genesis, select it, and then click on the Select Folder button.
  10. Now, open the game and check if the issue occurs again.

Conclusion

You shouldn’t be bugged by the Unreal Engine crash any more. If you have any experience to share, please feel free to use the comments section below.