Red Dead Redemption 2's PC problems appear to be mostly fixed
There are some still waiting for the right patch to play the game.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is out on PC, and soon Google Stadia.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is out for PC, a first for the series. And developer Rockstar Games appears to have fixed the multiple problems some players had when trying to play the game.
Rockstar released its critically acclaimed Western-themed open-world title on Tuesday via the developer's own game launcher. The PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 has improved graphics over the PS4 and Xbox One versions, along with more content, including bounty hunting missions, gang hideouts, weapons and more. The launch, however, didn't go so smoothly -- some players weren't even able to start the game.
A number of people say they couldn't begin the game, according to multiple Reddit threads and tweets on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Issues included the game crashing constantly, messages saying activation required and never-ending loading screens. Some learned how to fix the issues, from updating various drivers to disabling antivirus software. Those who were able to play the game noticed stuttering and frame rate issues.
Rockstar set up a support page for those seeing the "Red Dead Redemption 2 Exited Unexpectedly" error message. It says the most common cause of this problem is outdated graphics drivers. There's also a PC General Troubleshooting for Red Dead Redemption 2 addressing common problems people are facing. Rockstar also updated its Rockstar Games Launcher on Tuesday to help with some of the issues.
The developer added additional patches to Red Dead Redemption 2 and its launcher on Wednesday. The updates address the "Red Dead Redemption 2 Exited Unexpectedly" error message as well as the issue with antivirus software.
We have made updates to Red Dead Redemption 2 and the Rockstar Games Launcher. Please restart the Rockstar Games Launcher and RDR2 to apply the updates.
— Rockstar Support (@RockstarSupport) November 6, 2019
On Wednesday, a Reddit thread went up for players still having issues with Red Dead Redemption 2. Some said they followed the steps laid out in the various Rockstar support pages but were still unable to play the game. One solution mentioned by the company is updating the motherboard BIOS. Another thread lists the various motherboards players are using, what BIOS version they have and if it's working.
Another thread posted on Reddit on Thursday has a long list of problems and fixes, including FPS drops, mouse cursor issues and the infinite loading screen. Most users posted that they're finally able to play the game, but a few were still having it crash on them.
Rockstar added another update Thursday to help those still experiencing problems launching the game. Those still unable to play Read Dead Redemption 2 responded to a tweet from the Rockstar Games Support Twitter account with screenshots of the "Red Dead Redemption 2 Exited Unexpectedly" error message they're still receiving.
Additional improvements have been made to the Rockstar Games Launcher. Please restart the launcher to apply the updates. For notes, please see: https://t.co/VjtMqchEqo
— Rockstar Support (@RockstarSupport) November 7, 2019
Friday saw another update from Rockstar. The notes for the Rockstar Games Launcher patch say that the patch addresses the "Red Dead Redemption 2 Exited Unexpectedly" error message for computers with AMD processors. Replies to the Rockstar Games Support Twitter account Friday said the update didn't fix their issue.
In our continued effort to fix ongoing issues with the Rockstar Games Launcher, we have just released an update designed to address “unexpectedly exited” errors for some players with AMD processors. Please restart the launcher to apply the update: https://t.co/NejyATqene
— Rockstar Support (@RockstarSupport) November 8, 2019
The PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 will also have another release in two weeks when it launches with Google Stadia. The cloud-gaming subscription service will go live on Nov 19.
Originally published Oct. 4, 9:16 a.m. PT.
Updates, Oct. 17: Includes new trailer and specs; Nov. 5: Adds info about the game's release and issues; Nov. 6: Includes more info about game issues; Nov. 7: Adds update on fixes; Nov. 9: Includes notes on new update.
Correction, Oct. 4: This story initially misstated when Google Stadia will launch.
