Microsoft is currently delving into a potential issue stemming from the August 2026 updates, which may hinder the launch of certain games or lead to crashes on select Windows 11 systems. This inquiry comes in response to user feedback indicating that a handful of titles, including ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and The Finals, have been rendered unresponsive on devices operating with Windows 11, version 25H2, and version 24H2.
Symptoms Reported by Users
The symptoms reported by users experiencing difficulties on affected systems include:
- Games freezing unexpectedly
- Games closing without prior warning
- Encountering “EXCEPTIONACCESSVIOLATION” errors
- Unexpected system restarts
In a recent update on the Windows release health dashboard, Microsoft acknowledged, “Following the release of Windows updates on August 11, 2026 (KB5121003) and subsequent updates, we have received reports of issues involving an inability to run games as expected.” The company has assured users that they are investigating the matter to ascertain whether it is indeed a Microsoft-induced issue and will provide further updates as more information becomes available.
The KB5121003 update, which was part of the August 2026 Patch Tuesday, included enhancements such as Secure Boot updates and improvements to File Explorer and Windows Search functionalities. In light of the ongoing issues, Microsoft has encouraged gamers facing these challenges to submit a report through the Feedback Hub app.
During the August 2026 Patch Tuesday, Microsoft addressed a total of 400 vulnerabilities, notably including one that was actively exploited and two publicly disclosed zero-day flaws. This proactive approach follows a history of similar incidents; for instance, in October 2024, Microsoft had to block Windows 24H2 upgrades on certain systems due to known issues that caused blue screens with Easy Anti-Cheat and crashes in Asphalt 8. Additionally, last year, the company lifted a compatibility hold after confirming that the Auto HDR feature was disrupting gameplay for some titles on Windows 11 24H2 systems.
In recent developments, Microsoft has also removed several upgrade blocks that previously prevented players of popular games such as Asphalt 8: Airborne, Assassin’s Creed, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora from upgrading their devices to the latest version of Windows.
