Crusader Kings 3 Guide: How to Fix the Crashing Bug

Since launch, Crusader Kings 3 players have been plagued with crashing issues. The crashes could be caused by a lack of updates or by bugged files. Crashing mostly happens at startup, but in either case, this guide will provide you with four possible fixes.

This Crusader Kings 3 guide will start with the simplest solutions for potentially fixing the crashing bug, then move on to more in-depth fixes that require a little bit more work. 

How to Fix the Crashing Bug in Crusader Kings 3

Crashing Fix 1: Verify Your Crusader Kings 3 Game Files

Steam files don’t always download properly. Sometimes, files will break or contain errors. The first solution you should try in any crashing situation is to verify the game files using the Steam app. 

1. Open the Steam Library.
2. Find Crusader Kings 3.
3. Right-click on the game and choose “Properties“.
4. Select the “Local Files” tab.
5. Click on “Verify Integrity of game files“.
6. Wait for the verification to finish.
7. Restart the game.

If you are playing Crusader Kings 3 on Game Pass, you need to:

1. Go to “Windows Settings” in your Start menu.
2. Select “Apps & Features“.
3. Find Crusader Kings 3 and click on it.
4. Select “Advanced options“.
5. Choose “Repair” option.
6. Wait for the repair to finish.
7. Restart the game.

Crashing Fix 2: Use the Game EXE File

Some players have reported that launching Crusader Kings 3 from the Steam app ends up crashing the game.

If this is the case for you, launch Crusader Kings 3 from the game folder using the original .exe file:

1. Close the Steam app.
2. Restart your PC.
3. Go to “/Steam/steamapps/common/Crusader Kings III/binaries” folder.
4. Launch the “ck3.exe” file manually.

This simple action should launch Crusader Kings 3 without crashing.

Crashing Fix 3: Install Microsoft Visual C++

Microsoft Visual C++ is essential and must be updated regularly if you want your software, including games, to run without errors such as crashing.

Here’s how you can install and update your Visual C++ system libraries:

1. Go the official Microsoft Visual C++ website.
2. Download either an x86 or an x64 “vc_redist” file from the “Visual Studio 2015, 2017 and 2019” category.
3. Install libraries.
4. Restart your PC.

Crashing Fix 4: Run Crusader Kings 3 as Administrator

Other players have reported that the crashing issue with Crusader Kings 3 has been fixed by simply launching the game as an administrator.

Here’s how you can launch the game as an administrator on PC:

1. Go to Crusader Kings 3 folder.
2. Right-click on the “ck3.exe” file.
3. Select “Run as Administrator” option.

That’s all you need to know about keeping Crusader Kings 3 from crashing. If you are looking for ways to replenish your levies or for a complete list of cheats or all of the game’s console commands, take a look at our CK3 guides and tips hub page.