Windows 11 Update Crashes Games Due to RGB Peripherals

Microsoft has identified a surprise culprit behind recent Windows 11 update crashes: RGB lighting peripherals and components. The issue affects systems running Windows 11 with the August cumulative update KB5121003, causing games to freeze or crash unexpectedly.

The problem is not caused by the RGB hardware or lighting itself, but rather by drivers and software components installed by these devices. Specifically, some RGB-control software uses file names similar to inpoutx64, which can conflict with certain games.

Microsoft has confirmed that three games are affected: ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and THE FINALS. Users may experience a range of issues, from game freezes and crashes to EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION errors or even Windows reboots.

The issue is related to the inpoutx64.sys driver, which can be installed by various hardware utilities and RGB-control software. Embark Studios, developer of two of the affected games, has confirmed that changes to this file after the Windows update were behind the crashes.