How to Fix Atomfall Crashing on Startup on PC

Atomfall, the upcoming 2025 action-survival game from Rebellion Developments, is set in a haunting alternate-history version of 1960s Britain—where the Windscale nuclear disaster has transformed Northern England into a quarantined, radioactive wasteland. With its eerie setting and intense survival mechanics, the game has generated plenty of buzz among fans.

However, some PC players are running into a frustrating issue: Atomfall is crashing either during startup or mid-gameplay, making it difficult—or even impossible—to enjoy. If you’re dealing with crashes and instability, you’re not alone. In this guide, we’ll walk you through several proven fixes to help you resolve Atomfall crashing issues on PC and get back to surviving the fallout.

Why is Atomfall Crashing on PC?

Before jumping into solutions, let’s take a look at some common reasons why the game might be crashing:

Outdated Graphics Drivers – Running old GPU drivers can cause game instability.
Corrupt or Missing Game Files – If critical game files are damaged or missing, crashes are inevitable.
Background Applications Overloading Resources – CPU-intensive tasks running in the background can interfere with the game.
Overlay Apps Causing Conflicts – Applications like Steam Overlay, Discord, or GeForce Experience can sometimes cause crashes.
Outdated Windows or DirectX Versions – Running outdated system software may trigger compatibility issues.
Antivirus or Firewall Interference – Security programs might mistakenly block the game from launching.

Now that we know the common culprits, let’s move on to the fixes.

How to Run as Admin:

Right-click the Atomfall shortcut on your desktop.
Select Properties > Go to the Compatibility tab.
Check Run this program as an administrator.
Click Apply > OK, then launch the game.

3. Verify the Integrity of Game Files

Missing or corrupt game files can cause crashes. You can repair them via your game launcher.

For Steam Users:

Open Steam > Go to Library.
Right-click Atomfall > Select Properties.
Navigate to Local Files > Click Verify Integrity of Game Files.
Wait for the process to finish, then restart Steam.

For Epic Games Users:

Open Epic Games Launcher > Go to Library.
Click the three-dot menu next to Atomfall.
Select Verify and wait for it to complete.
Relaunch the game.

4. Update Graphics Drivers

Outdated or corrupted GPU drivers can cause performance issues and crashes. Updating your drivers can often resolve these problems.

For NVIDIA Users:

Open GeForce Experience > Go to the Drivers tab.
Click Check for updates > Install any available update.

For AMD Users:

Open AMD Radeon Software > Go to Updates.
Click Check for updates and install the latest version.

If issues persist, use Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to remove old drivers before reinstalling the latest ones.

5. Disable Overlay Applications

Overlay apps can interfere with game performance and cause crashes.

Disable Steam Overlay:

Open Steam > Go to Library.
Right-click Atomfall > Select Properties.
Uncheck Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.

Disable Discord Overlay:

Open Discord > Click Settings (⚙️).
Go to Game Overlay and turn it off.

Disable GeForce Experience Overlay:

Open NVIDIA GeForce Experience.
Click Settings > General.
Turn off In-Game Overlay.

Now restart the game and check if it runs without crashing.

6. Update Windows & DirectX

Outdated Windows or DirectX versions can cause crashes in some games.

To Update Windows:

Press Win + I to open Settings.
Click Update & Security > Windows Update.
Click Check for updates and install any available updates.

To Update DirectX:

Download DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer from Microsoft’s official website.
Install it and restart your PC.

7. Disable Antivirus & Firewall

Your security software might be blocking Atomfall. Try disabling it temporarily.

Disable Windows Defender:

Open Windows Security > Click Virus & Threat Protection.
Click Manage Settings > Turn off Real-Time Protection.

Disable Windows Firewall:

Open Control Panel > Go to Windows Defender Firewall.
Click Turn Windows Defender Firewall On or Off.
Select Turn Off Firewall for both Private and Public networks.

Try launching the game again. If the issue persists, add the game to your exclusions list in your antivirus settings.

8. Lower In-Game Graphics Settings

If your system struggles to keep up, lowering in-game graphics can reduce crashes.

Open Atomfall and go to Settings.
Lower settings for Shadows, Textures, and Anti-Aliasing.
Set V-Sync to OFF.
Run the game in Fullscreen mode instead of Windowed mode.

9. Reinstall Atomfall (Last Resort)

If nothing works, consider a clean reinstall.

Uninstall the game from Steam or Epic Games.
Restart your PC.
Reinstall the game and test it.

Final Thoughts

Crashing issues in Atomfall can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you’re eager to experience its dark, post-nuclear world. Thankfully, most of these problems can be traced back to common causes—such as outdated drivers, missing game files, or software conflicts—and can often be resolved with a few straightforward troubleshooting steps.

By following the fixes outlined in this guide, you should be able to improve the game’s stability and get back into the action without interruptions. If crashes persist despite trying everything, keep an eye out for official patches or updates from Rebellion, as developers often release hotfixes post-launch to address widespread performance issues.

Still having trouble? Let us know in the comments—we’re here to help!