Fix: Rainbow Six Siege X “Oh no, it’s crashed” Error

The “Oh no, it’s crashed” error in Rainbow Six Siege X typically appears during the game’s initialization sequence. At this stage, the rendering engine, audio pipeline, and active overlays are loaded. Any instability in these components can interrupt the startup process and prevent the game from reaching the main menu.

The most common causes of this crash include:

• DirectX and driver instability – DirectX 12 can be unstable on certain hardware and drivers, leading to crashes during rendering initialization.
• System-level audio processors – software such as Equalizer APO, Nahimic, or Sonic Studio may interfere with the default playback device, delaying audio handoff and forcing the game to close.
• Third-party overlays – overlays from Steam, Discord, GeForce Experience, or RTSS inject code at launch, which can conflict with the game engine and result in a crash.

Because these issues are system-dependent, the error does not have a single universal fix. Instead, each solution targets one of the root causes above. To troubleshoot effectively, apply the fixes in the order listed below and test the game after each step to determine which adjustment restores stability.

1. Switch to DX11 via Launch Options

DirectX 12 can be unstable on certain hardware and drivers, particularly if your system lacks the latest optimization support. DirectX 11, however, is a proven and more stable API. Running the game with DX11 can significantly reduce crashes during startup.

1. Open Steam and go to your Library.
2. Right-click Rainbow Six Siege and select Properties.
3. Under the General tab, type the following in the Launch Options field:

   -dx11

   

4. Close the window and launch the game to test stability.

2. Uninstall Equalizer APO (if applicable)

Equalizer APO modifies the Windows audio pipeline by installing a low-level driver. Rainbow Six Siege X can conflict with these filters when initializing audio, causing crashes before the menu loads. Removing Equalizer APO can eliminate this interference.

1. Press Windows + R, type appwiz.cpl, and press Enter.
2. Locate Equalizer APO in the installed programs list.
3. Right-click it and select Uninstall.
4. Restart your PC to ensure the driver is fully removed.

3. Enable V-Sync via NVIDIA Control Panel

If V-Sync is disabled, your GPU may render more frames than your monitor can handle, causing overload during startup. Enabling V-Sync caps the frame rate and prevents sudden spikes that may trigger crashes.

1. Right-click the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel.
2. In the left menu, click Manage 3D settings.
3. Go to the Program Settings tab and click Add.
4. Select Rainbow Six Siege (or browse to RainbowSix.exe).
5. Scroll down to Vertical sync and set it to On.
6. Click Apply to save the changes.

4. Disable Steam and Discord Overlays

Both Steam and Discord overlays inject code during gameplay to display interface elements. Rainbow Six Siege may treat these as unstable or unsupported, leading to crashes. Disabling overlays is a quick way to reduce conflicts.

For Steam:

1. Open Steam and go to your Library.
2. Right-click Rainbow Six Siege → Properties.
3. Under General, uncheck Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.

For Discord:

1. Open Discord and go to User Settings (gear icon).
2. In the left panel, click Game Overlay.
3. Toggle Enable Overlay to OFF.

5. Verify the Game Files

Crashes may also occur if the game files are corrupted or incomplete. This can result from interrupted updates or conflicts with other software. Verifying the game’s integrity ensures that all required files are present and valid.

1. Open Steam → Library.
2. Right-click Rainbow Six Siege → Properties.
3. Go to the Installed Files tab and click Verify integrity of game files.
4. Once complete, relaunch the game and check stability.

If none of the above fixes work, the final option is a complete re installation. Removing and reinstalling Rainbow Six Siege will replace all files with a clean version, eliminating corruption or conflicts.