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Most Avowed problems on PC can be isolated without reinstalling Windows or replacing hardware. Start by checking the official requirements, then update Windows and your graphics driver, restart, verify the game files, and check temperatures and overclocks. If Avowed will not launch, try the -noraytracing launch option; if it launches but stutters or crashes, test with ray tracing, upscaling, and NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency disabled. Controller failures require a separate check of Windows detection, the launcher, connection type, Steam Input or other remapping layers, and Avowed’s keybinds.
Check that your PC meets Avowed’s requirements
Obsidian’s published requirements were last updated on February 28, 2025. They apply to the Windows PC release and require a 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11 installation with the latest updates, DirectX 12, 16 GB of RAM, and 75 GB of storage. Meeting the minimum specification means the game may run; it does not guarantee stable frame pacing or high settings in every area.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 or Windows 11 with the latest updates | Windows 10 or Windows 11 with the latest updates |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel Core i5-8400 | AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel Core i7-10700K |
| Memory | 16 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | AMD RX 5700, NVIDIA GTX 1070, or Intel Arc A580 | AMD RX 6800 XT or NVIDIA RTX 3080 |
| Graphics API | DirectX 12 | DirectX 12 |
| Storage | 75 GB | 75 GB |
Compare your actual processor, graphics card, memory, free disk space, and Windows version with the table before changing graphics settings. A system at or below the minimum has less headroom for dense scenes, background applications, and thermal variation. If your hardware is between the two tiers, begin with conservative settings and use frame-pacing measurements rather than assuming a single preset will be smooth.
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Use this crash-triage order
Work through the following sequence in order. Restart after driver and Windows changes, and launch Avowed again before moving to the next step. Changing several things at once makes it difficult to identify the cause.
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- BUILT-IN AUDIO SUPPORT — Plug in compatible headsets using the 3.5mm audio jack for direct voice chat and immersive in-game sound.
- Confirm the requirements. Check the processor and graphics model, 16 GB of RAM, DirectX 12 support, and 75 GB of available storage. Also confirm that Windows 10 or 11 has its current updates.
- Update the graphics driver. Install the current driver supplied for your AMD, NVIDIA, or Intel GPU. If graphics errors continue, use the manufacturer’s clean-install option, then restart Windows.
- Install Windows updates. Finish pending updates and restart, even if Windows reports that an update is waiting for a later restart.
- Verify or repair the installation. Use the launcher-specific instructions in the next section. Corrupted or incomplete files can present as a crash, missing assets, or an apparently random failure during loading.
- Check heat and clock settings. Inspect CPU and GPU temperatures while reproducing the crash, clear dust, confirm that fans and case airflow work, and temporarily return CPU, GPU, memory, and motherboard tuning to stock settings.
- Check BIOS on 13th- and 14th-generation Intel systems. Obsidian notes that an outdated BIOS can cause crashes and instability on these CPUs. Install the BIOS update recommended by your motherboard or system manufacturer. An advanced check is Intel microcode 0x12B or later; the exact update method depends on the board or OEM.
- Use the launch and graphics tests below. A game that cannot start should be tested with
-noraytracing. A game that starts but crashes or stutters should be tested with ray tracing, upscaling, and NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency disabled.
This sequence separates software corruption, driver and operating-system problems, thermal or firmware instability, and graphics-feature issues. If a crash disappears after one change, restore other settings one at a time so you can identify which change mattered.
Verify or repair Avowed files
Xbox app for PC
- Open the Xbox app and select My Library.
- Select Avowed, open More options, and choose Manage.
- Open Files and select Check for updates.
- If no update is available, choose Verify and Repair.
- Allow the process to finish, then restart the Xbox app and Windows before testing the game.
The repair operation can redownload damaged files. Do not interrupt it by launching the game or shutting down the PC.
Steam
Steam has its own file-integrity workflow. In the Steam Library, open Avowed’s properties, go to the installed-files section, and run Verify integrity of game files. Wait for Steam to complete the check, then restart Steam and Windows before retesting. If Steam reports that files were reacquired, test the same save and location that previously failed.
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Fix a launch crash or a crash during loading
When Avowed will not start
Obsidian documents the -noraytracing launch option for games that cannot start. Add that option in Avowed’s launch-options field in your PC launcher, start the game, and see whether it reaches the main menu. This is a diagnostic switch: it tests whether ray-tracing initialization is involved rather than proving that ray tracing is the only cause.
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- SHARE BUTTON: Seamlessly capture and share content such as screenshots, recordings, and more with the new Share button.
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY — Connect via USB-C for plug-and-play on console and PC, or quickly pair and switch between supported devices with XBOX Wireless and Bluetooth support.
- BUILT-IN AUDIO SUPPORT — Plug in compatible headsets using the 3.5mm audio jack for direct voice chat and immersive in-game sound.
If the game opens with the option, leave ray tracing off while you test a save. Apply changes, exit Avowed completely, and restart it before trying another graphics change. If it still cannot start, continue with driver, Windows, file-integrity, thermal, and BIOS checks instead of repeatedly launching it.
When a crash occurs after the menu
Open the graphics settings and disable ray tracing, upscaling, and NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency. Apply the settings, exit the game, and restart it. Test the same activity that caused the crash. Obsidian describes these changes as interventions that may help stability and/or performance, so treat the result as evidence about your configuration, not as a universal fix.
If the crash remains, use stock CPU and GPU clocks, check temperatures during the failing scene, and verify the files again. A crash that occurs only after the system warms up points toward cooling or stability; a crash that occurs at the same loading point after a repair points toward a reproducible game, driver, or save-specific condition that should be documented for support.
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Stutter is a frame-pacing problem, not simply a low average frame-rate number. Measure it in a repeatable place: use the same area, camera direction, route, and activity after every change. Change one variable, restart Avowed, and compare the result. Record whether the hitch is a brief shader or asset pause, a repeating cadence, or a sustained drop in performance.
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- PRECISION PERFORMANCE — Stay on target with a hybrid D-pad and textured grips on triggers, bumpers, and back case for improved accuracy and handling.
- SHARE BUTTON: Seamlessly capture and share content such as screenshots, recordings, and more with the new Share button.
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY — Connect via USB-C for plug-and-play on console and PC, or quickly pair and switch between supported devices with XBOX Wireless and Bluetooth support.
- BUILT-IN AUDIO SUPPORT — Plug in compatible headsets using the 3.5mm audio jack for direct voice chat and immersive in-game sound.
- Confirm the minimum or recommended hardware tier and close unnecessary background workloads.
- Install the current GPU driver, complete Windows updates, and restart.
- Check CPU and GPU temperatures and remove overclocks or undervolts while testing.
- Verify or repair the installation through Steam or the Xbox app.
- Disable ray tracing, upscaling, and NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency together for a first diagnostic run.
- Restart Avowed and repeat the same route. If frame pacing improves, re-enable one feature at a time, restarting between tests.
Interpreting the results
- Only ray tracing off helps: keep it disabled while you test other settings and driver versions; the result identifies a graphics-feature interaction, not necessarily a defective GPU.
- Only upscaling off helps: compare native rendering and each available upscaling mode at the same resolution, watching frame pacing rather than image sharpness alone.
- Only Reflex off helps: leave it disabled during diagnosis and record the GPU driver and display configuration for support.
- Nothing changes: return to requirements, drivers, thermals, file integrity, and BIOS checks before adding more graphics tweaks.
Do not promise that one setting fixes every PC. The documented toggles are controlled tests that may improve stability or performance on a particular combination of hardware, driver, launcher, and game version.
Check temperatures, overclocking, and BIOS stability
Thermals and airflow
Obsidian specifically identifies CPU and GPU overheating as a possible cause of random crashes. Reproduce the issue while monitoring temperatures with your normal hardware-monitoring tool. Check that fans spin, vents are unobstructed, filters and heatsinks are not packed with dust, and the case has a functioning intake and exhaust path. A crash after several minutes of play is more informative than a crash immediately at launch, so record the time and workload as well as the peak temperatures.
Return tuning to stock
Temporarily disable CPU overclocks, GPU overclocks, undervolts, aggressive memory profiles, and other performance presets. A setting that is stable in a benchmark can still fail in a particular game. If Avowed becomes stable at stock settings, restore one adjustment at a time and retest; otherwise leave the unstable setting disabled.
13th- and 14th-generation Intel processors
For Intel 13th- and 14th-generation desktop systems, check the motherboard or OEM support page for the latest BIOS before deeper game troubleshooting. Obsidian states that an outdated BIOS can cause crashes and instability on these CPUs. The support guidance identifies Intel microcode 0x12B or later as an advanced check. BIOS menus and update procedures differ by manufacturer, so use the instructions for your exact board or prebuilt system, keep the PC on reliable power, and do not interrupt a firmware update.
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Resolve controller problems on PC
Avowed has full support for customizing controller keybinds, but detection and mapping involve several independent layers. Separate them instead of treating every failure as a game setting.
1. Establish whether Windows sees the controller
Connect the controller and confirm that Windows detects it before launching Avowed. If it is absent in Windows, the game cannot repair that connection: check the cable, USB port, Bluetooth pairing, battery, and the controller’s own mode switch. A direct USB connection is a useful baseline because it removes Bluetooth interference and battery state from the test.
2. Establish whether the launcher sees it
Test the controller in the launcher you use. Steam Input, Xbox app input, Bluetooth, and wired USB are separate variables. A controller that works in Windows but not in the launcher may be affected by an input translation layer or by the launcher’s per-game configuration.
3. Remove duplicate remapping layers
Temporarily disable extra remapping utilities and overlays, and avoid running two translation layers at once. For a clean comparison, use one known-good controller over direct USB, test with the launcher’s input layer enabled, then test with that layer disabled. Record which combination produces input, duplicate buttons, missing triggers, or an incorrect layout.
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4. Check Avowed’s keybinds
Open the game’s controller keybind settings and confirm that the affected action is assigned. Use the customization support to restore a missing action or create a deliberate test binding. If only one action fails, note that action and the displayed binding; if every button fails, return to the Windows and launcher checks.
5. Try a controlled replacement test
Use a known-good controller or a different connection path. Compare the original controller over Bluetooth, the same controller over USB, and the alternate controller over USB when possible. This distinguishes a controller, connection, launcher, and game-binding problem without changing several variables simultaneously.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Steam and Xbox app: what changes in diagnosis
| Comparison point | Steam | Xbox app for PC |
|---|---|---|
| File check | Steam’s Verify integrity of game files workflow in Avowed’s installed-file properties | My Library → Avowed → More options → Manage → Files → Check for updates, followed by Verify and Repair when no update is available |
| Input variable | Steam Input can add a remapping layer; compare it with a direct controller path | Test Xbox app input separately from Bluetooth and wired USB paths |
| Launch-option test | Use the launch-options field to test -noraytracing |
Use the launcher controls available for the installed edition and record whether the option can be applied |
When comparing reports from two launchers, keep the hardware, driver, graphics settings, controller, and connection type constant. A symptom that appears in only one launcher is valuable evidence because it narrows the problem to the distribution or input layer rather than the whole PC.
Prepare a useful support report
If the ordered checks do not resolve the problem, give Obsidian enough information to reproduce it. A short, precise report is more useful than a list of every tweak you tried.
- A brief description of the symptom and whether it is a crash, stutter, failed launch, missing input, duplicate input, or a specific action that does not work.
- The launcher: Steam or Xbox app for PC.
- Your processor, graphics card, RAM amount, Windows version, GPU-driver version, and whether the system uses a 13th- or 14th-generation Intel CPU.
- The controller model, connection type, and any Steam Input or other remapping layer used.
- Exact reproduction steps, including the location, menu, save, or action that triggers the issue.
- A screenshot or short video clip showing the symptom when possible.
- A save file from before the issue occurred.
- The result of each controlled test: file verification, stock clocks, ray tracing off, upscaling off, Reflex off, and the
-noraytracinglaunch test.
Collect DirectX and Avowed files
- Press Windows key + R.
- Type
dxdiagand press Enter. - Choose Save All Information and attach the resulting report.
- Find Windows save files in
%USERPROFILE%Saved GamesAvowed. - Find crash logs in
C:Users%username%AppDataLocalAlabamaSavedCrashes.
Keep the original files unchanged and identify which save predates the failure. Reproduction steps, a matching save, and system specifications let support distinguish a game-state issue from a system-wide crash.
Quick Recap
A practical decision tree
- No launch at all: check requirements, drivers, Windows, files, and BIOS; then test
-noraytracing. - Launches, then crashes in play: check temperatures and stock clocks, disable ray tracing, upscaling, and Reflex, verify files, and record the repeatable location.
- Stutters everywhere: measure the same route, update drivers and Windows, check thermals, verify files, and change one graphics variable at a time.
- Controller absent in every game: troubleshoot Windows, USB, Bluetooth, battery, or the device before changing Avowed bindings.
- Controller works elsewhere but not in Avowed: compare Steam Input or Xbox app input, remove duplicate remappers, test direct USB, and inspect the game’s keybinds.
- Only one save or location fails: preserve a save from before the issue and include exact reproduction steps in the support report.
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