James Harper
How To Fix Rainbow Six Siege X Not Launching or Crashing
If Rainbow 6 Siege X isn’t launching properly or keeps crashing, it’s kind of frustrating, right? Sometimes the game just gets stuck on the loading screen or crashes after a few seconds. Here are some steps that actually helped resolve these problems for various setups—no promises, but it’s worth trying.
Step 1: Update Your System and Graphics Drivers
This one’s pretty basic but crucial. Outdated drivers or OS bugs can cause all sorts of weird crashes. Make sure your Windows is fully up to date, and your graphics drivers are fresh:
- Upgrade Windows via Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update
- Update graphics drivers:
Why? Because outdated drivers are often the root cause of game crashes, especially if the game is graphics-heavy or uses newer DirectX features. On some machines, even after updating drivers, the game might still crash — kind of weird, but it sometimes takes a few tries or a fresh restart.
Step 2: Reinstall BattlEye Anti-Cheat
Just as a shot in the dark, some people fixed crashes by reinstalling the game’s anti-cheat software, BattlEye. Yeah, it’s annoying, but this stuff can get corrupted or buggy. Here’s how:
- Go to the game installation folder. For Steam, right-click the game in your library, choose Manage > Browse Local Files.
- Within that folder, find and open the BattleEye folder.
- Run
uninstall_BattlEye.exe. Follow any prompts. On some setups, this step might seem to hang or not do much, but just wait it out. - Next, run
install_BattlEye.exefrom the same folder. It’ll reinstall the anti-cheat.
This is pretty straightforward, but on certain machines, it might require a reboot afterward. Not sure why it works, but it’s a common fix after failed launches or crashes.
Step 3: Check and Repair Visual C++ Redistributables
If your game crashes right after launch, missing or corrupted Visual C++ Redistributables could be the culprit. These are essential for running many game components. Get and repair these versions:
- Visual C++ 2010
- Visual C++ 2012
- Visual C++ 2019
You can find these in your game’s support files or download directly from Microsoft. Sometimes, just running the installer and choosing Repair fixes the crash. Location-wise, they’re probably in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual C++\ or in the game’s support folder.
Step 4: Disable Steam Beta Participation
This is a classic—being part of the Steam beta can mess with game stability. To opt out:
- Open Steam and go to Settings.
- Click on Account.
- Look for Beta participation and select NONE – Opt out of all beta programs.
Sometimes, the game runs more smoothly on the stable build. On some setups, being beta causes random crashes or weird bugs that aren’t present on the official release.
Step 5: Disable Overlays
Overlay software like Discord, NVIDIA GeForce Experience, or Steam overlays can sometimes cause conflicts. Turn them off:
- Disable overlays from these apps’ settings menus. For example, in Discord: User Settings > Overlay, turn off Enable in-game overlay.
The theory? Overlays can interfere with game rendering or cause latency spikes, leading to crashes or freezes. On some rigs, disabling overlays made a huge difference.
Step 6: Avoid Alt + Tab During Launch
Kind of weird, but pressing Alt + Tab right during game startup sometimes crashes the game or prevents it from loading fully. Just wait till the game’s on the main menu before switching tasks.
This might be a timing issue, or possibly related to how the game manages fullscreen/windowed modes on startup. It’s a simple fix—just patience.
Step 7: Reset Game Settings
If you tweaked graphics or other options before crashing, resetting to defaults is worth a shot. Here’s how:
- Navigate to Documents > My Games > Rainbow 6 Siege.
- Find and delete the
settings.inior similar config files. - Launch the game, and it’ll recreate fresh default settings. Sometimes old configs get corrupted and cause crashes.
On some setups, this clears up weird graphical glitches or crashes caused by incompatible settings.
Step 8: Launch From Ubisoft Connect
If you’re using Steam, trying to launch the game directly from Ubisoft Connect can bypass certain Steam-related issues or conflicts. Just open Ubisoft Connect, find the game, and hit play.
This approach helped some folks who couldn’t get the game to launch via Steam, despite all troubleshooting.
Step 9: Verify Game Files
Corrupted game files are a common culprit. To check integrity:
- Steam: Right-click the game, pick Properties > Local Files > Verify Integrity of Game Files.
- Ubisoft Connect: Click the three-dot menu next to the game and select Verify Files.
If any files are broken or missing, this process downloads fresh copies.
Step 10: Set the Correct DirectX Version
Sometimes, selecting the preferred DirectX version stabilizes things. To do this:
- Go to your game launch options in your launcher (like Ubisoft Connect).
- Add parameters like
-dx11or-dx12to the target line.
On some machines, forcing DirectX 11 makes the game run smoother and crash less. It’s worth testing both if you’re unsure.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Some additional stuff:
- Always keep your OS and drivers updated—seems obvious but still surprising how many forget this.
- Close background apps that might conflict, like recording tools or other overlays.
- If crashes are persistent, try reinstalling the game—sometimes the simplest fix.
Conclusion
Following those steps has helped a lot of players get back into Rainbow 6 Siege X without crashing or hanging. The key is patience, and sometimes, a combination of fixes is necessary. Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if the game still crashes after these steps?
Sometimes, it’s worth reinstalling the game entirely or reaching out to support. Logging crash logs or checking forums might reveal underlying issues.
Can I use DirectX 12 instead of DirectX 11?
Yeah, try both see which one is more stable on your rig. Some folks report better stability with DirectX 11, especially on older hardware.
Why is my game stuck on the loading screen?
This could be due to corrupted files, outdated drivers, conflicts with overlays, or background apps spamming resources. Confirm all drivers are current, disable overlays, and verify game files to troubleshoot.
Summary
- Update Windows and graphics drivers
- Reinstall BattlEye — yes, it’s a thing
- Check Visual C++ redistributables
- Opt out of Steam beta if you’re in it
- Disable overlays from Discord, Nvidia, Steam, etc.
- Don’t Alt+Tab during launch
- Reset game settings if needed
- Launch from Ubisoft Connect if possible
- Verify game files to fix corrupted data
- Set preferred DirectX version for stability
Fingers crossed this helps. Worked for me — hope it works for you.