If Tempest Rising crashes on startup, while a campaign or mission loads, or during play, work through these eight checks one at a time. They are troubleshooting tests, not guaranteed fixes: note when the crash happens and whether it began after a game update, driver change, or hardware or settings change. That timeline can help narrow down what to test, but it does not prove what caused the crash.
First, identify what kind of crash you have
Before changing settings, note whether the game crashes as it launches, while loading a campaign or mission, or during play. Also record whether only the game closes to desktop or the whole PC freezes or restarts. These symptoms help distinguish a game-process crash from a wider system problem; they do not identify a cause on their own.
Tempest Rising Support’s crash checklist recommends starting with the game files, then checking the system, startup conditions, peripherals, drivers, requirements, and software settings. Try one change at a time and check whether the symptom changes.
Eight checks for Tempest Rising crashing on PC
1. Verify the game files in Steam
Use Steam’s file-integrity check to test whether the installation has missing or damaged files. In Steam, open your Library, right-click Tempest Rising, select Properties, open Installed Files, and choose Verify integrity of game files. Let the check finish, then launch the game again. This checks the installation; it does not test your hardware.
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2. Check for Windows and BIOS updates
Tempest Rising Support includes keeping Windows and the BIOS current among its general crash troubleshooting tips. Check Windows Update and your PC or motherboard maker’s official support instructions. Follow the vendor’s normal update procedure, especially for BIOS updates, and avoid interrupting a BIOS installation. Treat this as a system-maintenance test, not a guaranteed game-specific fix.
3. Test a clean, simple startup
Close Discord, Skype, MSI Afterburner, other apps that use audio or the microphone, and performance-boost tools. Temporarily use one primary monitor, then try launching the game as an administrator. Change only one of these conditions at a time if you want to see which, if any, affects the crash. Restore your usual setup if the test makes no difference.
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4. Disconnect peripherals for one test
Unplug nonessential devices and try starting the game with a minimal setup. Tempest Rising Support specifically names steering wheels, gamepads, headphones, and even keyboards as devices worth testing. If the game starts, reconnect devices one by one and launch again to see whether the symptom returns. This is a temporary diagnostic test, not a reason to replace or permanently remove a peripheral.
5. Check your graphics driver
The official support checklist recommends a clean GPU-driver removal followed by a fresh installation of the latest driver; if that does not help, it suggests trying an older driver. Get drivers from your GPU vendor’s official download page. NVIDIA’s Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) is mentioned as one possible cleanup tool, but it is not required. Driver behavior varies by version, so note which version you install and test the game before making another change.
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6. Compare your PC with Steam’s requirements
Steam’s current listing, accessed October 8, 2026, gives these specifications. They are published requirements, not a crash-rate statistic or proof that any one component is responsible for a crash.
| Specification | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10/11 64-bit | Windows 10/11 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 | Intel Core i5-11700 or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 1060 3/6 GB or AMD RX 580 8 GB | NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB or AMD Radeon 7600 XT 16 GB |
| DirectX | Version 11 | Version 12 |
| Storage | 45 GB free space; SSD recommended | 50 GB; SSD recommended |
If your PC is below the minimum, that is a compatibility concern to discuss, not automatic evidence that you need to upgrade. Check which requirement differs and whether the crash happens consistently under the same conditions.
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7. Try DirectX 11 as a reversible workaround
Steam lists DirectX 11 as the minimum and DirectX 12 as the recommended version. In a Steam Community post dated April 19, 2025, developer Saber Eric advised players experiencing regular crashes—particularly on older AMD cards—to try launching with DirectX 11, while stressing that it might help some players but would not fix every crash. That advice may apply differently with a newer game build or driver, so treat DX11 as a test, not a universal solution. See the developer’s DirectX 11 guidance for the original qualification.
8. Test the official runtime, firewall, and Steam checks
Tempest Rising Support lists several additional software checks. Make one change at a time, then test the game so you can tell whether that step affected the crash:
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- Windows Defender Firewall: Check that TempestGame is allowed on both Private and Public networks.
- Runtimes: Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables in both x86 and x64 versions, and check that DirectX and .NET are installed.
- Steam download cache: In Steam, open Settings, select Downloads, then choose Clear Download Cache. Steam may require you to sign in again.
- Launch options: In Steam Library, right-click Tempest Rising and open Properties. Under General, enter
-autoconfigin Launch Options and test. If it does not help, remove it before testing-safe. Remove temporary options after testing if they make no difference.
The full official checklist and escalation guidance are on the Tempest Rising Support crash page.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When to contact support
If the checks do not change the crash, report it through the official issue-reporting path. Include when it crashes, whether it closes to desktop or affects the whole PC, what changed beforehand, your PC specifications, and which steps you tested and their results. Steam lists [email protected] as a support contact.
If the whole PC freezes or restarts rather than only the game closing, the problem is broader than a game-process crash. Contact appropriate PC or device support as well as the game’s support channel.
Could a recent patch be related?
The official support index lists September 29, 2026, as its most recent dated patch notes. Those notes cover the Veti faction and expansion, quality-of-life changes, balance updates, and fixes across campaign, gameplay, multiplayer and skirmish, map editing and custom maps, and the UI. They do not list a general PC crash fix. That does not establish that the build is crash-free or rule out a change relevant to an individual setup. If your crash began after an update, include that timing in your support report. The official support index shows the patch chronology.
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