So, you’re ready to dive into the mysterious, shadowy world of Dishonored 2, but the game decides it has other plans. Crash. Freeze. Desktop. It’s like the Outsider himself is pranking you. Don’t worry! We’ve hunted down the ultimate fixes to help your game run smoother than Emily’s assassination skills.
Contents of Post
First Things First: Is Your PC Ready?
Before tweaking anything, let’s make sure your rig can handle it.
- OS: 64-bit Windows 7/8/10
- CPU: Intel Core i5-2400/AMD FX-8320 or better
- RAM: 8 GB
- GPU: NVIDIA GTX 660/AMD Radeon HD 7970 or better (2GB VRAM minimum)
If your setup is below spec, that could be your crash culprit.
Quick Crash Fixes That Work Like Magic
Try these simple tricks before you dive into anything advanced:
- Update your graphics driver. Sounds basic, but outdated drivers are crash magnets.
- Run the game as Administrator. Right-click the .exe and boom – more power!
- Disable overlays. Steam, Discord, GeForce overlays can cause chaos. Off they go!
- Verify game files. On Steam, right-click the game > Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity.
Advanced Fixes for the Brave and Bold
Still crashing? Time to get serious. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Change the Game’s Configuration Settings
Sometimes the game’s default settings just don’t play nice.
- Navigate to: Documents\My Games\Dishonored2\Base
- Open Dishonored2Config.cfg with Notepad
- Turn off things like Motion Blur and lower settings like Antialiasing
2. Tweak Launch Options
Launch commands can override buggy defaults.
- Go to Steam > Library
- Right-click Dishonored 2 > Properties > General
- In Launch Options, type:
-windowed -noborder
This forces the game into a borderless window mode – a lifesaver for some players.
3. Disable Fullscreen Optimization
Another Windows 10 culprit we can silence.
- Find Dishonored2.exe in your install folder
- Right-click > Properties > Compatibility
- Check “Disable fullscreen optimizations”
Click Apply and OK. Then try launching again.
Still Crashing? Try This Bonus Trick
Sometimes, the issue isn’t Dishonored 2 at all – it’s what’s running in the background.
Try a clean boot of Windows:
- Press Win + R, type
msconfig, hit Enter - Click Selective startup and uncheck “Load startup items”
- Go to the Services tab, check “Hide all Microsoft services” and click Disable All
- Restart your PC
This launches Windows with only the basics. Now try the game again!
If All Else Fails…
You’ve tried everything. You’re ready to call it quits. Don’t!
Here are your last two lifelines:
- Reinstall Dishonored 2: A fresh install can fight mysterious file corruption.
- Reach out to Bethesda support: They’ve seen it all and might have a solution tailored for you.
Back in Action!
With these tips, you should be sneaking behind guards and blinking across rooftops in no time. Remember, your PC might not be powered by whale oil, but with a few tweaks, it can still pull off some magic.
Now go – Karnaca awaits!