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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →If Abiotic Factor crashes, freezes on its splash video, shows a black screen or reports Fatal Error, work through the fixes in this order: restart Steam and Windows, verify the game files, update Windows and your GPU driver, compare your PC with the Steam requirements, launch with DX11, remove third-party mods, then apply the symptom-specific Visual C++, splash-video or SECURE CRT remedy. Persistent failures should be reported through the Abiotic Factor Bug Hub with the exact error and your system details.
Start with this 10-minute triage
Do the low-risk checks before deleting files or reinstalling. They address interrupted updates, damaged files, driver conflicts and overlay software without changing your save data.
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- Restart Windows and Steam. Exit Steam completely from the system tray, restart the computer, then open Steam again. This clears a stuck game process and releases files locked by an update or security scanner.
- Disable non-essential overlays and utilities. Temporarily turn off chat overlays, performance monitors, RGB utilities, recording tools and other background software. Steam’s general launch guidance specifically recommends disabling non-essential software while diagnosing a crash.
- Verify the installation. In Steam, open Library, right-click Abiotic Factor, choose Properties, open Installed Files, and select Verify integrity of game files. Steam checks for missing or corrupted content and replaces what it can.
- Update Windows and the graphics driver. Install pending Windows updates and the current driver for your NVIDIA, AMD or Intel GPU, then restart Windows. A driver update that has not been followed by a restart may not be active yet.
- Try again without changing several variables at once. Launch the game after each major step so you know which change affected the result.
Check whether your PC meets the game’s requirements
A crash at startup can be a hardware or API mismatch rather than a damaged installation. The Steam listing gives these minimum and recommended specifications. Hosting multiplayer requires slightly more CPU capacity than simply joining someone else’s session.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 or later | Windows 10 or later | Use a supported 64-bit Windows installation with current updates. |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 9th Gen or similar | Intel Core i5 11th Gen or similar | Compare the exact model, not just the i5 label. A laptop’s power-saving mode can also reduce performance. |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM | Close other applications if you are near the minimum, and check that Windows is not reporting a hardware fault. |
| Graphics | GeForce GTX 1660 or Radeon RX 5600 XT | GeForce RTX 3070 or Radeon RX 6700 XT or better | Confirm which GPU the game is using, especially on a laptop with integrated and discrete graphics. |
| DirectX | DirectX 11 | DirectX 12 | DX11 is the recommended fallback when DX12 crashes or your system is near the minimum. |
| Internet | Broadband internet | Broadband internet | Online play needs a stable connection; a network fault normally causes disconnects rather than a local startup crash. |
| Storage | 10 GB available | 10 GB available | Leave additional free space for updates and Windows’ temporary files. An SSD is recommended by the developer’s general troubleshooting guidance. |
| Multiplayer hosting | Slightly higher CPU requirements than joining | If only the host crashes or stutters, test the same world with another player hosting. | |
The Steam listing showed 96% positive English reviews from 29,164 reviews when accessed on 20 October 2026. That is a store-sentiment measure, not evidence that crashes are rare on every configuration and it does not diagnose your PC.
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Use DX11 when launch or Fatal Error occurs
For a crash shortly after pressing Play, or a generic Fatal Error window, first use the alternate launch entry supplied by the developer:
- Open the game’s Steam page in your Library.
- Click Play.
- Select Play Abiotic Factor (DX11 for Lower-End PCs) instead of the normal DX12 entry.
DX11 can avoid a DX12-specific driver, shader-compilation or memory problem. It is also the API listed as the minimum requirement. If DX11 launches, lower the most demanding graphics settings and keep using it while you update Windows and your GPU driver. If neither API launches, continue with file verification, mod removal and the symptom-specific fixes below rather than repeatedly switching launch modes.
Fix a black screen or freeze on the splash video
The developer’s pinned troubleshooting post (dated 2 May 2024 and last edited 22 July 2025) identifies a damaged or incompatible splash movie as a specific cause. Deleting the movie lets the game skip it.
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- In Steam, right-click Abiotic Factor and choose Manage > Browse local files.
- Open
AbioticFactorContentMovies. - Delete
ABF_SplashScreens.mp4. - Start the game again.
If the game still does not start, return to Steam and run Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files. Verification should restore the deleted movie, so you can test a repaired copy or repeat the deletion if the video itself is what triggers the freeze. Do not delete other files in the installation folder unless the developer specifically directs you to do so.
Repair the Microsoft Visual C++ runtime
A missing or damaged runtime can prevent the executable from opening before a game window appears. Repair both architectures; a 64-bit Windows installation can still need the x86 package because applications may use 32-bit components.
- Press the Windows key, search for Programs and Features, and open it.
- Find Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable (x64).
- Right-click it, choose Change (or Modify), select Repair, and allow the installer to finish.
- Repeat the same process for Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable (x86).
- Restart Windows and try Abiotic Factor again, preferably with the DX11 launch option first.
If one entry is absent, install the current Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable package from Microsoft before retrying. Keep Windows and Steam closed during the repair so no installer files are in use.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
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Handle a SECURE CRT Fatal Error
A SECURE CRT message is a distinct Fatal Error case. The developer documents this launch option as the first workaround:
- Open the game’s Steam Properties.
- On the General tab, find Launch Options.
- Enter
-disablegameanalytics. - Close the Properties window and launch the game.
If that does not work, the developer lists two related remedies:
- Address or delete
%localappdata%/AbioticFactor/Saved/ga_log.txt. If you cannot see the folder, enable hidden files in File Explorer first. Make a backup of the file elsewhere if you want to retain its contents for a bug report. - Add the local
AbioticFactorfolder to Windows Security exclusions, or allowAbioticFactor.exethrough Controlled Folder Access. Only make an exclusion you understand, and remove it later if it is no longer needed.
After changing Windows Security, restart Steam and test once more. If your security software reports the executable, the developer says the alert can be a false positive; validate the Steam files or reinstall, and whitelist Abiotic Factor before relaunching.
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Remove third-party mods completely
The developer does not provide official support for third-party mods. A mod that worked before an update can leave incompatible files behind and cause a crash before the main menu.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →- Uninstall or disable every third-party mod, not just the one most recently added.
- Use Steam’s file verification to restore official files.
- Launch an unmodified copy. Do not re-add mods until the base game has started reliably after a full restart.
- If mod files remain or verification cannot restore a clean installation, uninstall the game, manually clear leftover Abiotic Factor files in the installation directory, reinstall, and verify again before adding anything back.
Keep saved games separate from mod files when making a backup. The goal is to test a clean installation, not to discard progress unnecessarily.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Apply the remaining general fixes
Lower graphics settings after a successful launch
If the game reaches the menu but freezes while loading a world or crashes during play, lower graphics quality, resolution, effects and other demanding options. Restart the game after applying the changes so the renderer rebuilds its settings cleanly. DX11 is still worth testing when instability appears only under DX12.
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Install the game on an SSD
The developer lists an SSD as a general troubleshooting measure. Moving the installation can help with slow asset streaming and stalls on a heavily fragmented or failing hard drive, but it will not repair a missing runtime or an incompatible GPU driver. Ensure the destination has more than the listed 10 GB so updates have room to complete.
Restart after every system-level change
Restart Windows after driver, Visual C++ or Windows Security changes. Restart Steam after file verification, moving the installation or changing launch options. Testing without a restart can leave the old driver, process or launch command in memory and make a successful fix appear ineffective.
Match the symptom to the most likely branch
| What you see | First targeted action | Then try |
|---|---|---|
| Black screen or stuck splash video | Delete ABF_SplashScreens.mp4 from AbioticFactorContentMovies. |
Verify files to restore it if needed, then test again. |
| Immediate crash with no window | Verify files, update Windows and the GPU driver, and repair both Visual C++ redistributables. | Use the DX11 launch entry and remove mods. |
| Generic Fatal Error shortly after launch | Confirm the PC meets the Steam requirements and select DX11. | Apply general Steam troubleshooting, then investigate the specific error text. |
| SECURE CRT Fatal Error | Add -disablegameanalytics to Steam Launch Options. |
Address ga_log.txt and Windows Security exclusions or Controlled Folder Access. |
| Crash only with mods installed | Remove all third-party mods and clear leftover files. | Verify or reinstall a clean copy before testing mods individually. |
| Only the multiplayer host crashes or stutters | Compare the host CPU with the recommended processor class and close background applications. | Have another player host to separate a host-capacity issue from a client or world problem. |
What to include when you report the problem
If the documented fixes do not resolve the issue, use the Abiotic Factor Bug Hub rather than repeatedly reinstalling without new information. The developer’s pinned post says: “If the suggested solution nor the any of the General Troubleshooting Methods resolve the problem, please submit a bug report to us via the Abiotic Factor Bug Hub.”
Make the report actionable:
- Copy the complete Fatal Error or SECURE CRT text, including any code.
- State whether the failure is a startup crash, black screen, splash-video freeze, world-load crash or multiplayer-host crash.
- List whether DX11 or DX12 was used, and whether deleting the splash movie changed anything.
- Give your Windows version, CPU model, GPU model, installed RAM, storage type and whether you host multiplayer.
- Say whether Steam file verification, Visual C++ repair, driver updates, mod removal and Windows Security changes were attempted.
- Attach relevant logs when the Bug Hub requests them, including
ga_log.txtfor a SECURE CRT investigation if you retained a copy.
This information lets the developer distinguish a damaged local file from a renderer, runtime, security or hardware-specific failure. No single workaround is guaranteed to fix every PC; the order above narrows the cause while preserving a clean path to escalation.
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