Once you start Windows update, it will continue even if you shut it down, and even through a restart. If you have started WU and not allowed it to complete, this could explain what you see. WU for Windows 7 has been extremely poorly serviced by Microsoft for nearly a year now. Expect WU to sometimes take an overnight. I had one a week ago or so take 17.5 hours. to complete.
When you start your computer, open Task Manager. Look at the CPU percentage in use. Do not start anything until that percentage drops well below 10%. If you see it continues well above that -- say 25 to 75% for a long time, there is a process taking place that you must wait out. Chances are, it is WU.
My second suspicion is the game itself has a bug.
Third is your video card or its driver.
These are some places and things to look at to help on your diagnosis.