Newly released AAA game crashes to desktop around 20 minutes, no error

[Savannah78]

I'm trying to play a newly released AAA game on my PC, but it keeps crashing to desktop about 20 minutes into every session without any error message. My system meets the recommended specs, and I've updated my graphics drivers, verified the game files, and even did a clean Windows install. The game crashes seem random—sometimes during cutscenes, sometimes just exploring. Has anyone else experienced this with this specific title, and were you able to find a fix? I'm wondering if it's a known issue with a particular hardware combination or a background process causing the conflict.

[Scarlett_C]

That sounds frustrating. Quick sanity test: disable any overlays (Discord, GeForce Experience, Steam). Run the game in borderless window and lower a couple of GPU-heavy settings. If it still CTDs, proceed with deeper checks.

[AvaZT]

Check Windows Event Viewer after a crash. Look under Windows Logs > Application for an error entry around the crash time. Note the faulting module (DXGI, d3d12, etc.) and share it here to help diagnose.

[Thomas99]

If the game offers DX11 vs DX12, try switching between them. Sometimes one API is more stable on certain GPUs; a simple toggle in the launcher can fix random crashes.

[BrianL]

Monitor temps and power while playing. If the GPU/CPU hit thermal limits or the system throttles, it can cause a crash. Tools: MSI Afterburner, HWInfo, or your GPU’s software; watch temps and clock speeds during a test session.

[Aubrey.C]

Make sure you did a clean driver install and check for Windows updates. Turn off overclocking if you’ve enabled it, and ensure your BIOS/ chipset drivers are current. Sometimes a Windows security setting blocks a game module.

[Hannah_L]

Do a clean boot to rule out background software. Boot with only essential services and the game; if it runs longer, re-enable items one by one to identify the culprit (antivirus, recording tools, overlay apps, etc.).

[AaronHC]

If you want, drop the exact title, GPU/CPU/OS version, driver version, and whether this started after a patch or new build. I can look for known issues or patches and suggest a targeted troubleshooting path.