Instant crash on startup after upgrading GPU

[MeganeDamashii]

Hiya

I played this game for the first time around two months ago without any issues. Meant to continue now, but the game won't even launch anymore. Gives me no error messages whatsoever. Just see AC in the task bar for a few seconds until it disappears again.
I upgraded my GPU in the meantime, so that's the only lead I have.

Specs:
Windows 10
Ryzen 5 3600
16 GB RAM
RX 6800 XT (used to be a GTX 1080)
Installed on an SSD

Did a bunch of searching and these are the troubleshooting steps I have attempted so far:

• Verify game files through Steam
  
• Launch game through the Ubisoft application
  
• Launch game directly from its .exe
  
• Launch the game in compatibility mode for every Windows version there is, including the infamous 95
  
• Launch the game as admin
  
• Move game installation to the C drive
  
• Move game installation to yet another internal SSD
  
• Delete the game's config files to reset the settings
  
• Remove save files from their folder
  
• Deactivate overlays (Steam and Ubi)
  
• Uninstall and redownload the game

None of these resolved the issue and I'm at a loss at this point. Is there anything I missed that I could try?
Thank you for your time.

[76561198885856812]

Hello MeganeDamashii,

Thanks for reaching out and I'm sorry to hear that your game keeps crashing.

Can you please try the troubleshooting steps {LINK REMOVED}in this article? It will help to eliminate any potential software conflicts.

If the issue persists, could you please contact our team on our {LINK REMOVED} Support Site?
Please attach both of the following system files:

• {LINK REMOVED}DXDIAG
  
• {LINK REMOVED}MSINFO

You can also contact us via social media: {LINK REMOVED}Facebook or Twitter.

It will help our Customer Support team to investigate this further for you. If you have any additional questions, please let us know.

- Ubisoft Support

[MeganeDamashii]

Thanks for reaching out. Sadly the steps mentioned in the article did not resolve my issue.

However: I managed to get the game to run by downgrading my AMD GPU drivers.
I was on version 22.11.2 when the crashes happened (most recent version as of writing this). Installing version 22.5.1 allows me to launch and play Black Flag.

I don't really see this as a fix, as it introduces problems for other games (namely Forza Horizon 5), but it's the best I can do for now while waiting for another driver update.

[Ubi-Thrupney]

Heya Megane, thanks for coming back to us about this.

Thanks for trying our troubleshooting - sorry it hasn't fixed the issue :( It's good to hear that downgrading your graphics driver gets the game running, but I understand that's not a good long-term solution.

As far as I can see from a look around internally, we've not had any other reports of persistent crashing with any specific driver, so I'm confident we can solve this with some further troubleshooting. You've already exhausted our more general troubleshooting advice, so what we'd recommend next is the steps from the system files support article[ubi.li]. The two files it describes (which you'll have spotted in UbiMark's post as well) can be used by our support specialists to check some system details, and check for any errors Windows itself has logged, which often allows us to give more specific and targeted troubleshooting recommendations. We can't do that here on the forum, though, so once you've got those two files prepared, please reach out to our support specialists directly at the links below.

Open a support ticket with Ubisoft Support[ubi.li]
Send Ubisoft Support a private message on Facebook[ubi.li]
Send Ubisoft Support a direct message on Twitter[ubi.li]

My apologies I can't help more directly with this. I'm confident our support specialists will have some further ideas, though Let me know if I can clarify any of this!

- Ubisoft Support

[MsMedusa86]

if you have a NVIDIA GPU check this Guide: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2931483596

[76561199207623170]

Originally posted by MsMedusa86:

if you have a NVIDIA GPU check this Guide: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2931483596

Hi there!

Thanks a lot for sharing this, we really appreciate it

- Ubisoft Support

[MeganeDamashii]

Kind of an old thread, but I have an update.

The AMD graphics drivers past version 22.5.1 seem to have introduced an issue for systems that have a Valve Index connected to it. It affects Windows display settings and various games. So it is not an issue between driver versions and the game per se, but some sort of interaction between the drivers and VR, which happens to break certain games, AC Black Flag being one of them.

Possible workarounds are either, as mentioned, using the old driver 22.5.1, or keeping the Index's DP cable plugged out during boot and only plugging it in when you actually use VR. The former can bring other issues, especially with newer games, since that driver is more than a year old. The latter is inconvenient and I haven't thoroughly tested if everything actually works flawlessly when going back and forth between VR and non-VR applications.

Personally, I am currently using the latest AMD drivers (23.4.3) and keep my Index plugged out for boot and non-VR games. I am considering biting the bullet and side-grading back to Nvidia, because this issue has apparently been around unresolved for a year and my patience is reaching its limit.

Other reports of the issue for reference:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/ValveIndex/comments/129wy2z/valve_index_amd_adrenaline_driver_black_screen_on/
  
• https://community.amd.com/t5/drivers-software/adrenalin-22-11-2-valve-index-black-screen/td-p/564886
  
• https://community.amd.com/t5/drivers-software/games-dont-work-when-valve-index-is-plugged-into-my-rx-6700-xt/td-p/606834
  
• https://community.amd.com/t5/drivers-software/drivers-broken-past-22-5-1-on-6700xt/td-p/608292

[Elo]

the game ran here too, and can't launch ever anymore for months now

[Guardian Dave]

this used to happen with the uplay overlay enabled for this game. i disabled it at the time and it fixed crashing - but it had been fixed. that crash occurs as soon as the the ubisoft logo appears, or as it is supposed to fade out to the abstergo one.

maybe the game hates overlays but it doesnt matter now, ubisoft made the game unplayable by an update that prevents it going into fullscreen and adds a wonderful white window bar at top which you cant help but notice every second the game is running.

[Menagerie]

Will not launch from connect or from Steam directly or from exe.
Several windows start to load then close before actually rendering.
in steam status changes to launching and then goes back to play
ubisoft and nVidia overlays turned off.
I do have a valve index but it's not plugged in.
Running as admin had no effect. Running as XP compatible had no effect.


No, I am not willing to roll back video drivers several versions.
Literally purchased under a week ago and was enjoying it greatly until this.