Fix Warzone Crashes (DirectX / GameShip.exe)

Crashes can happen at startup or in the middle of a match. The most common causes are software conflicts, corrupted game data, outdated drivers, or unstable hardware (overly aggressive overclocks, out-of-control temperatures). Players with AMD GPUs and Intel CPUs seem to be affected the most.

Try these solutions one at a time, starting from the first. If one doesn't fix it, move on to the next.

1. Check your temperatures

Overheating CPUs or GPUs cause throttling and sudden crashes. Open HWInfo and play for 10 minutes: if the CPU exceeds 90 °C or the GPU goes above 85 °C, the issue is almost certainly thermal. Check our PC checkup guide for details.

2. Disable overclocking

Reset CPU, GPU, and RAM to factory defaults. An overclock that appears stable in benchmarks can still crash in demanding games like Warzone. If needed, try a slight undervolt to improve stability without losing performance.

3. Update and reset the BIOS

Download the latest BIOS from your motherboard manufacturer's website, update via flash, then restore default settings. This eliminates manual configurations that may cause instability.

4. Disable the XMP/DOCP/EXPO RAM profile

Enter the BIOS and disable the memory profile (XMP on Intel, DOCP/EXPO on AMD). Several players have completely resolved crashes with this change. If stability improves, your RAM kit may not handle the advertised frequency well on your specific motherboard.

5. Remove cosmetic skins

It's rare, but some character or weapon skins have been linked to crash loops. Try removing all skins and see if stability improves.

6. Reset the game configuration files

Delete the "Call of Duty" folder located at:

Empty the recycle bin and restart the game. Warzone will regenerate all configuration files from scratch.

7. Disable overlays

Turn off overlays from Discord, Xbox Game Bar, SteelSeries Engine, Medal and any other monitoring software. These programs hook into the rendering pipeline and can interfere with DirectX, causing sudden crashes.

8. Reinstall GPU drivers with DDU

Use Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to completely remove the current drivers, then install a clean copy of the latest version:

• Run DDU in safe mode for a thorough cleanup
• Download drivers from the official NVIDIA/AMD website
• For NVIDIA: during installation you can skip GeForce Experience to reduce background conflicts

9. Repair or reinstall Windows

If the system hasn't been reinstalled in years, corrupted registry entries or software residue can cause instability. A clean Windows installation from USB eliminates all these hidden problems.

10. Verify game file integrity

On Battle.net: use "Scan and Repair." On Steam: right-click → Properties → Local Files → Verify Integrity. If that's not enough, a complete reinstall of the game can fix deeper corruptions.

11. Avoid Alt+Tab in exclusive fullscreen

Minimizing Warzone with Alt+Tab while in "Exclusive Fullscreen" mode can cause instability. If you multitask often, switch to Borderless Windowed mode in the graphics settings.

12. Clear the shader cache

Manually delete the shader cache folder:

On the next launch the game will recompile shaders — it will take a few extra minutes on the first load, but it may fix persistent crashes.