How to Fix DOOM: The Dark Ages Crashing on PC

Crashing issues in DOOM: The Dark Ages have been widely reported, particularly for players using NVIDIA graphics cards. These crashes are often linked to compatibility problems introduced by recent driver updates, which interfere with the game’s rendering engine.

In addition to driver conflicts, other frequent causes include active background overlays (such as Discord or GeForce Experience), the game defaulting to an integrated GPU instead of a dedicated graphics card, and corrupted or missing game files due to incomplete installations or interrupted updates. Unoptimized graphics settings and outdated system software can also contribute to instability.

This guide outlines proven solutions to stabilize the game and prevent recurring crashes.

1. Check System Requirements and Update Windows

Before troubleshooting, confirm that your system meets the official minimum requirements for DOOM: The Dark Ages. Also, ensure Windows is fully updated, as missing system updates can cause crashes in modern games.

1. Press Windows + I and go to Update & Security.
   
2. Click Check for updates and install any pending updates.
3. Restart your PC after updates are installed.

2. Roll Back or Clean Install Your GPU Driver

If crashes started after a recent NVIDIA driver update, rolling back to an earlier driver can help. For persistent issues, performing a clean driver installation using a tool like Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) may resolve deeper conflicts.

1. Right-click the Start icon and select Device Manager.
2. In Device Manager, expand the Display adapters section.
3. Right-click your graphics card and select Properties.
4. Go to the Driver tab.
5. Click on Roll Back Driver (if available).
6. Restart your PC and test the game.

If rollback doesn’t help, perform a clean installation with DDU and reinstall the latest stable driver.

3. Turn Off Overlays

Overlays inject extra code into the game’s rendering pipeline, which can cause crashes, stuttering, or freezes. Disabling overlays such as Discord, Steam, GeForce Experience, and MSI Afterburner often improves stability.

1. Open Steam and go to your Library.
2. Right-click on DOOM: The Dark Ages and select Properties.
3. In the General tab, uncheck Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.
4. Open Discord and click on the gear icon.
5. Go to the Game Overlay section under Activity Settings.
6. Toggle off Enable in-game overlay.
7. Open GeForce Experience and click on the gear icon (Settings) in the top right.
8. Under the General tab, toggle off In-Game Overlay.

For a step-by-step guide on disabling overlays across the most common tools (including Steam, Discord, Xbox Game Bar, and more), check out our detailed guide: How to Disable In-Game Overlays on Windows.

4. Disable Integrated Graphics

If your system has both integrated and dedicated graphics, Windows may default to the integrated GPU, leading to crashes or poor performance. Disabling it forces the game to use the dedicated GPU.

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Display adapters section.
3. Right-click the integrated graphics adapter (e.g., Intel HD Graphics).
4. Select Disable device.
5. Restart your PC to apply the changes.

5. Adjust Graphics Settings

Excessive graphics settings can overload your GPU and cause crashes. Reducing options like shadows, reflections, anti-aliasing, and texture resolution can improve stability.

1. Launch DOOM: The Dark Ages and go to Settings.
2. Apply lower graphics settings as shown in the example below.

For Nvidia users, try switching between Vulkan and DirectX (if available) to see which API runs more stably.

6. Close Background Processes

Third-party apps like antivirus software, overclocking tools, and screen recorders can conflict with the game. Close unnecessary applications before launching DOOM to free up system resources and prevent crashes.

7. Verify Game Files or Reinstall

Verifying your game files replaces missing or corrupted files with fresh copies from Steam servers. If this doesn’t help, reinstalling the game ensures a clean installation.

1. Open Steam and go to your Library.
2. Right-click on DOOM: The Dark Ages and select Properties.
3. In the Installed Files tab, click Verify integrity of game files…
4. Wait for the process to complete.
5. Restart your PC and launch the game again.

If verifying doesn’t help, reinstall the game:

1. Open Steam and go to your Library.
2. Right-click on DOOM: The Dark Ages and select Manage > Uninstall.
3. After uninstalling, restart your PC.
4. Open Steam again, go to your Library, and click Install.
5. Once the installation is complete, launch the game and check if the crashes are resolved.

8. Optional: Check Logs for Advanced Troubleshooting

For persistent crashes, reviewing crash logs or using the Windows Event Viewer can help pinpoint the cause. While this is an advanced step, it can provide detailed insight if you need to report the issue to Bethesda support.