If you’re excited to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 but find that the game crashes to the desktop after showing the splash screen—without any error message—you’re not alone. This issue has been affecting players who have recently updated their Windows operating system. Below, we’ll go over why this happens and how you can fix it.
The Cause of the Crash
The issue is linked to a recent Windows update (KB5052093). Specifically, a newly released optional security update seems to be interfering with the game’s anti-cheat system. As a result, the game fails to launch properly.
How to Fix the Problem
Until Activision releases a patch to resolve this issue, the best way to get the game running again is by uninstalling the problematic Windows update. Here’s how:
Step 1: Uninstall the Recent Windows Update
Open Settings in Windows.
Navigate to Windows Update.
Click on Update History.
Locate the most recent update that was installed before you noticed the game crashing.
Select the update and click Uninstall.
Restart your computer after the uninstallation is complete.
Once you restart your PC, try launching Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 again—it should now work without issues.
Additional Tips for Future Stability
Since this issue stems from a Windows update conflicting with the game, here are some tips to avoid similar problems in the future:
1. Delay Automatic Windows Updates
By disabling the “Get the latest updates as soon as they are available” option in Windows Update, you can prevent your system from installing updates that might break compatibility with your games. This delay allows developers time to release patches that accommodate new Windows updates.
2. Keep Backup Versions of Windows Updates
Windows stores previous updates for a short period, allowing users to uninstall them if needed. However, if you’ve cleared your Windows Update Cleanup files under Storage Settings, you won’t be able to roll back an update. Be mindful of this if you regularly clear temporary files.
3. Reinstall Windows as a Last Resort
If you’ve lost the ability to uninstall updates, one possible solution is to reinstall Windows without downloading the latest updates. This method lets you revert to an earlier build while keeping your files intact. However, the most reliable way to downgrade or reinstall Windows is to perform a clean installation by booting from an installation media.
Final Thoughts
This guide provides a temporary fix for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 crashing due to a recent Windows update. Either Microsoft or Activision will likely resolve this issue soon, but in the meantime, rolling back your update is the quickest solution.
If you’re still experiencing issues and this solution doesn’t work for you, consider checking for more recent updates from both Microsoft and Activision. Hopefully, by the time you read this, an official fix will already be available.