Bungie has recently launched a new DLC (Downloadable Content) in Destiny 2 which is free-to-play but obviously requires the base game itself to be able to download the additional content and play it. To recall, Destiny 2 is an action-adventure MMO game that is also free to play. Though the title and the DLC have received positive reviews on Steam, some players are encountering the Destiny 2: Lightfall Crashing issue at Startup on the PC that’s irritating a lot.
It seems that just like other unfortunate players, you’re also one of the victims to experience the same kind of issue such as the startup crashing issue or the game not launching issue. It becomes quite common these days to encounter startup crashes apart from lags, stutters, framerate drops, graphical glitches, and so on. Luckily, here we’ve shared a couple of possible workarounds and reasons below that should come in handy to fix it.
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Why Destiny 2: Lightfall is Crashing?
Talking about the potential reasons behind the crashing issue, the chances are high that somehow you’re encountering it due to an outdated game version, outdated graphics drivers, conflicts with the startup apps, and more. While issues with the antivirus program, conflicts with the background tasks, an outdated game client, etc might also trigger startup crashing issues.
In some cases, issues with the DirectX program, an outdated Windows version, conflicts with the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables, overlay apps issues, overclocked CPU/GPU, compatibility issues with the PC compatibility, etc can trouble you a lot.
How to Fix Destiny 2: Lightfall Crashing at Startup
As you’re now aware of the possible reasons, it’s time to jump into the troubleshooting methods below to follow completely and fix the crashing issue on your end. So, without further ado, let’s get into it.
1. Check System Requirements
First of all, you should check whether your PC configuration is meeting all the requirements of the game or not. If in case, you’re using a low-end PC configuration or the specification becomes outdated then make sure to upgrade the hardware to ensure your machine is running fine.
| Minimum Requirements |
Recommended Requirements |
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
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- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
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- OS: Windows 7 / Windows 8.1 / Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
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- OS: System Windows 7 / Windows 8.1 / Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
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- Processor: Intel Core i3 3250 3.5 GHz or Intel Pentium G4560 3.5 GHz / AMD FX-4350 4.2 GHz
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- Processor: Processor Intel Core i5 2400 3.4 GHz or i5 7400 3.5 GHz / AMD Ryzen R5 1600X 3.6 GHz
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- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 2GB or GTX 1050 2GB / AMD Radeon HD 7850 2GB
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- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB or GTX 1060 6GB / AMD R9 390 8GB Memory 8 GB RAM
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- Network: Broadband Internet connection
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- Network: Broadband Internet connection
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- Storage: 105 GB available space
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- Storage: 105 GB available space
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2. Update Graphics Drivers
Updating graphics drivers on your Windows system is always required to run all the programs smoothly. To do this:
- Right-click on the Start Menu to open the Quick Link Menu.
- Click on Device Manager from the list.
- Now, double-click on the Display adapters category to expand the list.
- Right-click on the dedicated graphics card device.
- Select Update driver > Choose Search automatically for drivers.
- An update will automatically download and install the latest version if available.
- Once done, make sure to reboot your computer to change the effects.
Alternatively, you can manually download the latest graphics driver version and install it directly from the official website respective to your graphics card manufacturer. Nvidia graphics card users can update the GeForce Experience app via the official site. Meanwhile, AMD graphics card users can visit the AMD website for the same. Intel graphics card users can visit here.
3. Update Windows
Updating Windows OS build is always essential for PC users as well as PC gamers to reduce system glitches, compatibility issues, and crashes. Meanwhile, the latest version mostly includes additional features, improvements, security patches, and more. To do that:
- Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
- Click on Update & Security > Select Check for updates under the Windows Update section.
- If there is a feature update available, select Download and Install.
- Wait for the update to complete and reboot the PC to apply changes.
4. Run the game as an administrator
Make sure to run the game exe file as an administrator to avoid user account control regarding privilege issues. You should also run the Steam client as an administrator on your PC. To do this:
- Right-click on the Destiny 2: Lightfall application file on your PC.
- Select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.
- Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
- Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.
Make sure to do the same steps for the Steam client too. It should help you to fix the Destiny 2: Lightfall crashing issue on your PC.
5. Close Background Running Tasks
Unnecessary background running tasks or programs can eat up a lot of system resources like CPU or Memory usage that literally reduces system performance. Hence, the startup crashing, lagging, and not loading issues appear quite often. Simply, close all the unnecessary background running tasks completely. To do this:
- Press the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.
- Now, click on the Processes tab > Click to select tasks that are unnecessarily running in the background and consuming enough system resources.
- Click on End Task to close processes one by one.
- Once done, restart your system.
Now, you can check whether you’ve fixed Destiny 2: Lightfall Crashing on your PC or not. If not, follow the next method.
6. Set High Priority in Task Manager
Make your game priority in the higher segment via the Task Manager to tell your Windows system to run the game properly. To do this:
- Right-click on the Start Menu > Select Task Manager.
- Click on the Processes tab > Right-click on the Destiny 2: Lightfall game task.
- Select Set Priority to High > Close Task Manager.
- Run the Destiny 2: Lightfall game to check if it crashes on the PC or not.
7. Reinstall DirectX (Latest)
You should try reinstalling the latest version of DirectX from the official Microsoft website on your PC/Laptop. You need to download and install the DirectX installer package and run it. Remember that you’ll require DirectX 12 or above to run the Destiny 2: Lightfall game properly.
8. Force Run the Game in DirectX 11
It’s also recommended to forcefully run the game in the DirectX 11 version using the command option. If your PC is running on DirectX 10 or lower, then try forcefully running the Destiny 2: Lightfall game. To do so:
- Launch the Steam client > Go to LIBRARY.
- Right-click on the Destiny 2: Lightfall game.
- Click on Properties > Select GENERAL from the left pane menu.
- Type -dx11 under the Launch Options.
- Now, go back and launch the game. If prompted, click on the radio button next to the Play option of Destiny 2: Lightfall.
9. Disable Windows Firewall or Antivirus Program
The chances are high enough that maybe your default Windows Defender Firewall protection or any third-party antivirus program is preventing the ongoing connections or game files to run properly. So, make sure to temporarily disable or turn off the real-time protection and firewall protection. Then you should try running the game to check if the Destiny 2: Lightfall Crashing on PC issue has been fixed or not. To do this:
- Click on the Start Menu > Type firewall.
- Select Windows Defender Firewall from the search result.
- Now, click on Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off from the left pane.
- A new page will open > Select the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended) option for both the Private & Public Network Settings.
- Once selected, click on OK to save changes.
- Finally, restart your computer.
Similarly, you have to turn off the Windows Security protection too. Just follow the steps below:
- Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
- Now, click on Update & Security > Click on Windows Security from the left pane.
- Click on the Open Windows Security button.
- Go to Virus & threat protection > Click on Manage settings.
- Just Turn Off the Real-time protection option.
- If prompted, click on Yes to proceed further.
- Additionally, you can also turn off Cloud-delivered protection, Tamper protection if you want.
If in case, your Windows system is running on the Balanced mode in Power Options, just set the High-Performance mode for better results. Although this option will take higher power usage or battery usage. To do this:
- Click on the Start Menu > Type Control Panel and click on it from the search result.
- Now, go to Hardware and Sound > Select Power Options.
- Click on High Performance to select it.
- Make sure to close the window and fully shut down your computer. To do this, click on the Start Menu > Go to Power > Shut Down.
- Once your computer is fully turned off, you can power it on again.
This should fix the Destiny 2: Lightfall Crashing issue on your PC in most cases. However, if none of the methods worked for you, follow the next one.
11. Close the game from Background Apps
If somehow the Destiny 2: Lightfall game is still going through issues, make sure to turn it off from the Background Apps feature on your PC. To do so,
- Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
- Click on Privacy > Scroll down from the left pane and select Background apps.
- Scroll down and look for the Destiny 2: Lightfall game title.
- Just Turn Off the option next to the game title.
- Once done, close the window and restart your computer.
This method should help you out. However, if this doesn’t fix the issue, you can follow the next method.
12. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime
Make sure to reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime on your computer to fix multiple gaming issues or errors completely. To do that:
- Press the Windows key to open the Start Menu.
- Type Apps & Features and click on it from the search result.
- Now, locate the Microsoft Visual C++ program(s) in the list.
- Select each program and click on Uninstall.
- Visit the official Microsoft website and download the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime.
- Once done, install it on your computer, and restart the system to change the effects.
13. Try Clearing the Cache
Sometimes issues with the game launcher’s cache files may cause game corruption or crash during the gameplay. You should try clearing the cache from the client or server. To do so:
- Open the Steam client > Go to the Steam tab from the top left side.
- Click on Settings > Click on the Download tab.
- Now, click on the Clear Download Cache button.
- Once done, log back into your Steam account and relaunch the game.
Some of the apps and their services may start automatically while booting the system right away. In that case, those apps or services will definitely gonna use a lot of internet connection as well as system resources. If you’re also feeling the same, make sure to perform a clean boot on your computer to check for the issue. To do that:
- Press the Win+R keys to open the Run dialog box.
- Now, type msconfig and hit Enter to open System Configuration.
- Go to the Services tab > Enable the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.
- Click on Disable all > Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
- Now, go to the Startup tab > Click on Open Task Manager.
- The Task Manager interface will open. Here go to the Startup tab.
- Then click on the particular task which has a higher startup impact.
- Once selected, click on Disable to turn them off from the startup process.
- Do the same steps for each program that has a higher startup impact.
- Once done, make sure to restart your computer to apply changes.
15. Try Disabling Overlay Apps
It seems that a couple of popular apps do have their own overlay program that can eventually run in the background and cause issues with the gaming performance or even launching issues. You should turn them off to fix the issue by following the steps below:
Disable Discord Overlay:
- Launch the Discord app > Click on the gear icon at the bottom.
- Click on Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
- Click on the Games tab > Select Destiny 2: Lightfall.
- Finally, Turn Off the Enable in-game overlay option.
- Make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.
Disable Xbox Game Bar:
- Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
- Click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar.
- Turn Off the Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Game bar option.
If in case, you’re unable to find out the Game Bar option then just search for it from the Windows Settings menu.
Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:
- Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Head over to Settings.
- Click on the General tab > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
- Finally, restart the PC to apply changes, and launch the game again.
Also do keep in mind that you should disable some other overlay apps like MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, or any other third-party overlay apps that run in the background always.
16. Verify the Integrity of Game Files
If in case, there is an issue with the game files and somehow it gets corrupted or missing then make sure to perform this method to easily check for the issue.
- Launch Steam > Click on Library.
- Right-click on Destiny 2: Lightfall from the list of installed games.
- Now, click on Properties > Go to Local Files.
- Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
- You’ll have to wait for the process until it gets completed.
- Once done, just restart your computer.
17. Disable CPU or GPU Overclocking
It’s also worth mentioning not to enable CPU/GPU overclocking on your PC if your game is crashing or stuttering a lot. We can understand that overclocking CPU/GPU can make a huge impact in improving gameplay but sometimes it may also cause issues with the bottleneck or compatibility too. Just set the frequency to default for optimal performance.
18. Update Destiny 2: Lightfall
If in case, you haven’t updated your Destiny 2: Lightfall game for a while then make sure to follow the steps below to check for updates and install the latest patch (if available). To do this:
- Open the Steam client > Go to Library.
- Click on Destiny 2: Lightfall from the left pane.
- It’ll automatically search for the available update.
- If any, make sure to click on Update.
- Wait for the update to complete and reboot the PC to apply changes.
19. Reinstall Destiny 2: Lightfall
If none of the methods worked for you then make sure to uninstall and reinstall the game on your PC. To do this:
- Close the Steam client.
- Search and open Control Panel in the Start menu.
- Now, click on Uninstall a program under Programs.
- Search for Destiny 2: Lightfall game and select it.
- Select Uninstall and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation process.
- Once done, make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.
- Try re-installing the Destiny 2: Lightfall game again to check for the issue.
That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.
