Crusader Kings 3 Crashes After Windows 11 24H2 Update

Hi, since updating to Windows 11 24H2, I, along with many others on the Paradox forums, have been experiencing severe crashes with Crusader Kings 3. The game either crashes during gameplay or fails to boot entirely. When it freezes, I cannot use Alt+Tab or Ctrl+Alt+Del to close it, forcing me to shut down the PC directly via the power supply.

This issue has been discussed extensively in the Paradox forums, with multiple users reporting the same problem after updating to Windows 11 24H2. You can find the original discussion here: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/game-crashing-after-windows-11-24h2-update.1718749/ .

Steps I've Tried:

• Clean reinstall of Windows
• Uninstalled the game using Revo Uninstaller and reinstalled on different drives
• Added the game as an exception in Windows Defender
• Ran both Steam and CK3 as Administrator
• Ensured graphics drivers are up to date
• Moved save files to another folder to rule out corrupted saves
• Verified Visual C++ (ver. 14.40.33816.0) and .NET Framework (ver. 4.8.1) are up to date
• Changed Windows power plan to “Performance”

Microsoft Support Response on November 29, 2024:

Long ago I contacted Microsoft Support ( https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/xbox/forum/all/crusader-kings-3-after-windows-11-24h2-update/2669cbf6-bb19-4e08-8f0e-4a0735ccbaff ), and they suggested that this is likely a compatibility issue between Windows 11 24H2 and the game. Their response was:

"It appears that this may be a compatibility issue after a computer system update, requiring the game developer to also make in-game updates for the new version of the system."

They recommended either waiting for an update from the developers or downgrading to Windows 11 23H2.

Response from the Developers on December 9, 2024:

Paradox developers have acknowledged the issue and confirmed that they were able to replicate the problem. They have stated that the cause lies with Windows 11 24H2 and that they were working alongside Microsoft to resolve it. However, no timeline for a fix has been provided yet.

Steps to Reproduce:

I have played Crusader Kings 3 for over 320 hours without issues. After updating to Windows 11 24H2, the game crashes consistently on boot. It loads for a while, shows the loading screen, then completely freezes the entire system. Not even Ctrl+Alt+Del works, and I have to manually power off the PC.

Given that multiple users have reported the same issue and that both Paradox and Microsoft acknowledge the problem, I believe further investigation is needed on Microsoft's side to ensure compatibility.

Hi everyone, just dropping by to let you know that, as of June 1st, this issue has been resolved for me. The game now launches and runs without any crashes.