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If Mortal Kombat X (MKX) crashes when you launch it on PC, there is no single confirmed fix for every case. Start with low-risk checks—drivers, Windows updates, and any overclocking you have changed—then verify the Steam installation. Reinstall only if verification does not help. The right next step depends on whether the game reaches its menu and whether you use RGB keyboard software or antivirus that may interfere with its files.
Why MKX may crash on startup
WB Games Support identifies several possible causes, including outdated video or sound drivers, Windows updates, overclocked components, damaged or missing game files, graphics settings, keyboard RGB utilities, antivirus, and other running applications. Its guide does not establish one cause for all startup crashes, so work through the checks that apply to your PC rather than assuming a particular error has a universal remedy. Read WB Games’ Mortal Kombat X PC troubleshooting guide.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Mortal Kombat X - PlayStation 4 | $9.69 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Mortal Kombat X: Greatest Hits - PlayStation 4 (Renewed) | $12.93 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Mortal Kombat XL - PlayStation 4 | $9.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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MORTAL KOMBAT X PS4 playstation hits | $30.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Mortal Kombat X Game for Sony Ps4 Playstation 4 (EU Version) | $19.19 | Buy on Amazon |
Try these 8 fixes in order
1. Update your video and sound drivers
Check your PC manufacturer’s support page, or get the appropriate driver directly from the graphics-card or sound-card manufacturer. WB Games points users who do not know their GPU model toward AMD and NVIDIA’s automatic driver tools. Avoid unofficial driver bundles or random DLL downloads; they are not part of the recommended troubleshooting path.
2. Install available Windows updates
Run Windows Update and install applicable updates. WB Games notes that DirectX updates are delivered through Windows Update, so do not try to fix a DirectX-related problem by downloading individual DLL files from unofficial sites.
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#1 Best Overall
- Featuring Klassics such as Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden and Kano, as well as new characters such as Cassie Cage, Kotal Kahn, Ferra-Torr and D'Vorah, the roster will include fan favorites where both good and evil must battle it out.
- Mortal Kombat X offers three different versions for each playable character, all of which have their own fighting style, special moves, abilities and strategies.
- A deep story mode continues up to 25 years after the events of 2011's Mortal Kombat and advances the dark tale - introducing new characters such as Cassie Cage, daughter of fan favorites Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage.
- Mortal Kombat X introduces the next evolution of fighting with the return of X-ray and Finishing Moves that showcase brutal battles like never before with enhanced graphics and animations.
3. Restore changed overclock or turbo settings to stock
If you have overclocked your graphics card or another component, or changed related performance settings, return it to the manufacturer’s specifications and test the game again. This step is for systems with altered clock settings; it is not a reason to change hardware settings that you have never adjusted.
4. Verify the game files in Steam
- Open Steam and go to Library.
- Right-click Mortal Kombat X and select Properties.
- Open Local Files and select Verify Integrity of Game Files.
Steam checks the installed files against the expected game files and can replace files it finds missing or damaged. Once the check finishes, try launching MKX again.
Rank #2
- Featuring Klassics such as Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden and Kano, as well as new characters such as Cassie Cage, Kotal Kahn, Ferra-Torr and D'Vorah, the roster will include fan favorites where both good and evil must battle it out.
- Mortal Kombat X offers three different versions for each playable character, all of which have their own fighting style, special moves, abilities and strategies.
- A deep story mode continues up to 25 years after the events of 2011's Mortal Kombat and advances the dark tale - introducing new characters such as Cassie Cage, daughter of fan favorites Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage.
- Mortal Kombat X introduces the next evolution of fighting with the return of X-ray and Finishing Moves that showcase brutal battles like never before with enhanced graphics and animations.
5. Reinstall only if verification does not fix the crash
If the crash continues after file verification, uninstall Mortal Kombat X through Steam and install it again. This takes longer than verifying the installation, so try verification first.
6. Lower graphics settings if you can reach the menu
If MKX opens far enough for you to reach its Options menu, reduce graphics-related settings and test again. WB Games notes that high settings can strain hardware even when a PC is above the listed minimum requirements. This is not a usable fix if the game crashes before you can open its options.
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Rank #3
- Includes main game, and new playable characters Alien, Leatherface, Triborg, and Bo'Rai Cho
- Previously released playable characters
- Also included in Mortal Kombat XL are previously released downloadable content from the original Kombat Pack
- The original Kombat Pack includes playable characters Predator, Jason Voorhees, Tremor and Tanya, with each accompanied by three themed skins as well as the Samurai Skin Pack
7. Check keyboard RGB software and antivirus
WB Games warns that keyboard RGB effects can interfere with launching, loading, or play, and describes disabling two RGB settings in a Usersettings.ini file. However, the file path shown in its guide includes “ExampleGame,” which appears generic rather than a confirmed Mortal Kombat X location. Do not copy that path or edit a guessed file: first confirm the actual MKX configuration file on your PC.
Also check whether your antivirus has quarantined a Mortal Kombat X file. If it has, follow the antivirus provider’s process to review and restore the file if appropriate; consider an exclusion only for the affected game files or folder when you trust the installation.
8. Close background apps; use clean boot only to diagnose interference
Close applications you do not need before launching the game. WB Games also mentions antivirus gaming mode where available. If ordinary closing does not help, a Windows clean boot can temporarily test whether a non-Windows service or startup application is involved. Follow Microsoft’s clean-boot procedure carefully: WB Games warns that incorrect changes can affect Windows startup. Treat the clean boot as a diagnostic, then reverse it and restart Windows normally; do not leave the PC in a troubleshooting configuration as a permanent fix.
Choose the next step based on where the crash happens
| What happens | What to try |
|---|---|
| MKX crashes before the menu appears | Work through driver and Windows updates, stock hardware settings if you overclock, Steam file verification, and checks for antivirus or background-app interference. You cannot lower in-game graphics settings unless you can reach the menu. |
| You can reach the Options menu before a crash or instability | Reduce graphics-related settings, then test again. |
| You use keyboard RGB software | Test whether disabling its effects changes startup behavior. Do not edit a configuration file at a path you have not confirmed belongs to MKX. |
| Steam verification reports or repairs a file problem | Let the check finish, then launch the game again; reinstall only if the crash persists. |
| The crash persists with ordinary apps closed | Consider a temporary clean boot to isolate startup software or services, and restore normal startup afterward. |
What the listed PC requirements do—and do not—tell you
Steam lists the following requirements for Mortal Kombat X. They are store-listed specifications, not proof that the game has been validated on every later Windows release or hardware configuration. Steam’s Mortal Kombat X listing gives these details:
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | 64-bit Windows Vista, 7, 8, or 10 | 64-bit Windows 7, 8, or 10 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-750 or AMD Phenom II X4 965 | Intel Core i7-3770 or AMD FX-8350 |
| Memory | 3 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon HD 5850 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 or AMD Radeon HD 7950 |
| DirectX | Version 11 | Version 11 |
| Storage | 36 GB available space | 44 GB available space |
| Network | Broadband internet connection | Broadband internet connection |
Steam also says its client supports Windows 10 and later beginning January 1, 2024. That is a Steam-client support note, not confirmation that every later Windows version is supported or tested for MKX itself. Steam lists the game’s release date as April 13, 2015, with NetherRealm Studios and QLOC as developers and Warner Bros. Games/Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment as publishers. Steam store listing.
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