Fixing Vessel of Hatred Crashing Problems on Steam – Diablo IV DLC Troubleshooting Guide

The much-anticipated DLC for Diablo IV, titled the Vessel of Hatred, is now available. This expansion has quickly gained popularity among fans, matching the excitement generated by the original game, thanks to its considerable additions of gameplay features and cosmetic upgrades.

Nevertheless, the release of any Diablo title often comes with its share of issues. Players globally have reported significant game crashes after downloading the Vessel of Hatred on their devices. Fortunately, I have compiled some effective workarounds to help you resolve any crashing problems.

1. Solutions for Vessel of Hatred Crashing Problems

Try these methods to resolve the crashing issues in the Vessel of Hatred:

Restart Your PC and Steam
Launch the Game with Administrative Privileges
Set the Game to Windows 8 Compatibility Mode
Temporarily Disable Antivirus and Firewall
Verify Game File Integrity in Steam
Update Your Graphics Driver
Adjust Launch Options in Steam
Turn Off In-Game Overlays

2. Restart Your PC and Steam

Sometimes issues related to Steam could be the root of the problem. A simple restart of both Steam and, if necessary, your PC, might resolve these errors effectively.

Keep in mind that merely closing the Steam window does not fully exit the application. To properly restart Steam, follow these steps:

Close Steam entirely.
To confirm it’s not still active in the background, open the Task Manager (Ctrl + Alt + Del) and check if Steam is listed.
Restart Steam and attempt to download or update Vessel of Hatred once again.

If this step is ineffective, reboot your PC to refresh the operating system, then retry.

3. Launch the Game as an Administrator

To enable Administrator access for the game:

Locate the Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred installation directory.
Right-click the file named Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred.exe and select Properties.
Choose the Compatibility tab from the top menu.
Check the box labeled ‘Run this program as administrator‘ on this tab.
Hit ‘Apply‘ and then ‘Ok‘.

After applying these changes, return to the game icon and double-click it to start the game with administrator privileges.

4. Set Compatibility Mode to Windows 8

In the compatibility mode settings, select ‘Windows 8′ from the dropdown.

Ensure to apply these adjustments and click ok. Then, try launching the game again, and it should start as expected.

5. Temporarily Turn Off Antivirus and Firewall

Your antivirus software may interfere with the game’s operations, potentially blocking crucial permissions or removing files it deems risky.

To resolve this, disable your antivirus program. Since different antivirus tools have various approaches to disable them, refer to your specific software’s instructions. After turning off your antivirus, restart your PC and relaunch the game.

6. Check the Integrity of Game Files via Steam

To verify the game file integrity on Steam, follow these steps:

Open Steam.
Right-click on “Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred” within your Steam library.
Select Properties from the menu.
Click on the Local Files tab, then
Press the “Verify integrity of game files” button.

Allow the verification process to complete, and then attempt to relaunch the game.

7. Update Your Graphics Driver

If Vessel of Hatred is still not working after the above steps, it may be necessary to check on your graphics card. Ensure that your graphics driver is current by downloading and installing the latest drivers available for both NVIDIA and AMD from the links below.

Latest Drivers for AMD

Latest Drivers for Nvidia

Once you have updated your graphics driver, try to start the game again.

8. Change Steam Launch Options

Here’s how to modify the launch options on Steam:

Open Steam.
Right-click on “Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred” from your Steam library.
Select Properties from the drop-down menu.
Input “-dx11” in the ‘Launch Options‘ field.

Now launch the game and it should operate normally. If this fails, you can alternatively try using “-dx12” instead.

9. Turn Off In-Game Overlays

To deactivate in-game overlays on Steam:

Launch Steam.
Go to “Settings” .
Select the “in-game” tab from the menu on the left.
Here, ensure you toggle off the “Enable the Steam overlay while in-game” option.

This action should eliminate unnecessary overlays while launching the game, alleviating some pressure on your graphics driver and CPU.

10. About Diablo IV

Developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, Diablo IV is the fourth entry in the iconic Diablo series. The game was first announced during BlizzCon 2019 and was slated for release on June 6, 2023.

In Diablo IV, players engage in epic battles against dark forces to protect Sanctuary amidst the fierce conflict between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells. You have the option to play solo or join friends in co-op mode.

Additionally, the developers plan to roll out a beta version on March 24, 2023.

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