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Baldur's Gate 3 / Baldur's Gate 3 crash on startup

Baldur's Gate 3 crash on startup

✅ Verified on 2026-11-15 · Baldur's Gate 3 version Hotfix #36 (4.1.1.7631656, Sept 29, 2026) · Platform: PC (Steam)

Quick fix

Disable the 'Sonic Studio Virtual Mixer' device in Device Manager — it is a Larian-confirmed cause of startup crashes on ASUS audio setups.

Symptoms

The game crashes instantly when launched — sometimes before the main menu — with Larian officially confirming a known conflict with the ASUS Sonic Studio Virtual Mixer, while overlays, outdated GPU drivers, and the Vulkan renderer cause the same symptom on other systems.

Fixes that work

Disable or remove ASUS Sonic Studio (Larian-confirmed conflict)

  1. Open Device Manager (Win + X), expand 'Audio inputs and outputs', right-click 'Sonic Studio Virtual Mixer' and choose 'Disable device'.
  2. If disabling does not help, uninstall Sonic Studio 3 from Windows Settings > Apps and run ASUS's SS3 Cleaner tool to remove leftover virtual-mixer drivers, then reinstall your Realtek audio driver.
  3. Also set Windows speaker configuration to Stereo and disable other audio-enhancement software (Nahimic, DTS) that hooks the audio pipeline.

Source: https://larian.com/support/faqs/crashing-upon-startup-pc_59

Switch from Vulkan to DirectX 11 and skip the launcher

  1. In the BG3 launcher, change the renderer from Vulkan to DirectX 11 — DX11 sidesteps Vulkan driver issues that crash the game at startup.
  2. Add --skip-launcher as a Steam launch option (Steam > right-click BG3 > Properties > Launch Options) because the launcher itself can trigger startup crashes.
  3. Update your GPU driver and the Vulkan runtime, then verify game files via Steam > Properties > Installed Files > 'Verify integrity of game files'.

Source: https://baldursgate3.game/support

Reset the Larian config folder and close background apps

  1. Delete (or rename) the 'Baldur's Gate 3' folder inside %LocalAppData%\Larian Studios so the game regenerates fresh settings — the most reported fix for crashes that started after a patch.
  2. Disable antivirus, Discord, and GeForce overlays and other non-essential background apps before launching.
  3. If crashes continue, cap the frame rate / enable VSync to reduce memory strain, and as a last resort do a clean reinstall.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/BaldursGate3/comments/1k3k2fa/bg3_keeps_crashing

Frequently asked questions

Why does Baldur's Gate 3 crash on startup with ASUS hardware?

Larian officially lists the ASUS Sonic Studio Virtual Mixer as a known cause of PC startup crashes; disabling the virtual mixer device in Device Manager (or uninstalling Sonic Studio with the SS3 Cleaner) resolves it.

Should I run BG3 on Vulkan or DirectX 11?

Vulkan is the default and performs better on most systems, but switching to DirectX 11 is the standard workaround when Vulkan driver problems cause crashes at launch.

BG3 started crashing after a patch — what first?

Delete the Baldur's Gate 3 folder in %LocalAppData%\Larian Studios and verify game files in Steam; stale settings after patches are the most commonly reported cause in recent crash threads.