What XLGAMES Fixed for Early Access
The producer's letter lists several crash and connection fixes made after the demo. The long black screen on first launch is now a visible shader compilation loading screen. Let it finish rather than closing the game.
- First-launch black screen replaced by a shader compilation screen
- No longer fails to launch alongside certain antivirus software
- Startup errors, disconnects and login errors from the demo fixed
- Dungeon and instance progress now survives a disconnect
- Easier way to contact support
Check Your PC Against the Minimum Specs
Below the minimum spec, crashes and stutter are likely. The minimum is Windows 10 64-bit, an Intel i5-10400 or Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB of RAM, and an RTX 2060 SUPER or RX 6600 with 8 GB of VRAM. You also need DirectX 12 and 100 GB of space on an SSD.
An SSD is required, not optional. The minimum targets 30 FPS at 1080p on Low. See the Steam guide for the recommended spec.
Fixes 1–3: Restart, Verify, Update Drivers
Start with the simple fixes, in order. Restart your PC first to clear stuck processes. Then verify your game files: in Steam, go to Library, right-click ArcheAge Chronicles, choose Properties, then Installed Files, and click Verify integrity of game files.
Next, update your graphics driver from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel. A clean install is best. Reboot afterwards.
Fixes 4–6: Shader Cache, Overlays, Overclocks
Clear the DirectX Shader Cache: open Windows Settings, go to System, then Storage, then Temporary files, select DirectX Shader Cache and remove it. Expect some stutter while shaders rebuild.
Disable overlays from Steam, Discord, GeForce Experience or NVIDIA, AMD and RivaTuner. Then remove any CPU, GPU or RAM overclocks and close tuning tools. Unstable overclocks are a common cause of crashes during heavy combat.
Fixes 7–8: Admin Rights, Antivirus, Windows Updates
Run the game as administrator. Add the game folder to your antivirus or Windows Defender exclusions. ArcheAge Chronicles uses XIGNCODE3 kernel-level anti-cheat, and security software conflicts are a known cause of launch failures.
Update Windows, then reinstall or update the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables and DirectX. Missing runtime files can stop the game from starting.
Fix 9: Lower the Load
Close background apps to free up memory. Lower graphics settings, especially textures, shadows and effects, and turn off ray tracing and motion blur. Cap your frame rate if crashes happen in busy fights.
Make sure the game is installed on an SSD, not a hard drive. Memory exhaustion is a common cause of crashes on 16 GB systems.
Fix 10: Report It
If it still crashes, report it. Use the official support site, the official Discord or the Steam discussions. XLGAMES added an easier way to contact support for Early Access.
Include your PC specs, GPU driver version, when the crash happens and any error message. That makes the report much easier to act on.
Disconnects Versus Crashes
If the game doesn't close but you get disconnected, that is a different problem. XLGAMES fixed several disconnect and login errors from the demo. Your server region is picked automatically from your location, and dungeon progress now survives a disconnect.
Servers are in the US, EU West, Brazil and Asia. See the Early Access guide for the full server list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is ArcheAge Chronicles stuck on a black screen?
On first launch it compiles shaders. In Early Access this shows as a loading screen, so let it finish.
Can antivirus stop the game from launching?
Yes. XLGAMES fixed a conflict with certain antivirus software, and adding the game folder to your exclusions can help.
How do I verify game files?
In Steam, right-click the game, choose Properties, then Installed Files, then Verify integrity of game files.
Does ArcheAge Chronicles need an SSD?
Yes. All tiers need 100 GB on an SSD.
Where do I report a crash?
Through the official support site, the official Discord or the Steam discussions.
Official Trailer
Sources and Further Reading
- MMORPG.com — Early Access server info and producer's letter
- ArcheAge Chronicles — official Steam store page (app 3218230)
- GlitchGone — Fix ArcheAge Chronicles crashing, black screen and stuttering (YouTube)
- Steam Support — Verify integrity of game files
- ArcheAge Chronicles — Steam community discussions