Assassin’s Creed Origins Crashes and Freezes Fix
Assassin’s Creed Origins is a fan-favorite installment in the iconic Assassin’s Creed franchise. With its breathtaking visuals, expansive open world, and compelling story set in ancient Egypt, it’s easy to get lost in the game for hours. However, nothing breaks immersion more than sudden crashes or freezing issues that completely derail your gameplay experience.
Whether you’re experiencing the game freezing upon launch, during cutscenes, or randomly while exploring, this guide offers practical fixes and solutions to get you back into the action without a hitch.
Common Causes of Crashes and Freezes
Before diving into the fixes, it’s helpful to understand why Assassin’s Creed Origins might be acting up in the first place. Common culprits include:
- Outdated GPU drivers
- Incompatible game settings
- Corrupt game files
- Overheating hardware
- Conflicts with background applications
Fortunately, most of these issues can be resolved with a few tweaks. Let’s take a closer look at the most effective fixes.
1. Update Your Graphics Drivers
This is one of the most common fixes for crashing issues. Make sure your graphics card drivers are up to date. Both NVIDIA and AMD regularly release driver updates optimized for games like Assassin’s Creed Origins.
To update:
- Go to the official website for your GPU manufacturer (NVIDIA or AMD).
- Download the latest driver for your GPU model.
- Install and restart your PC.
2. Verify Game Files via Ubisoft Connect or Steam
Corrupt or missing files can easily lead to crashes or lockups. Verifying the integrity of the game files will detect and automatically fix problems.
For Steam users:
- Right-click on Assassin’s Creed Origins in your library.
- Select Properties → Installed Files.
- Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
For Ubisoft Connect users:
- Navigate to your game library and go to Assassin’s Creed Origins.
- Click the menu (three dots) and select Verify files.
3. Adjust In-Game Video Settings
If your system is struggling to render visuals, it can lead to performance problems and freezing. Try lowering the video settings.
Recommended tweaks:
- Lower texture and shadow settings to Medium
- Disable V-Sync
- Lower resolution scaling to around 80%
Also consider turning off the in-game overlay if using software like Ubisoft Connect or GeForce Experience, as they can impact performance.
4. Disable Background Applications
Some applications running in the background, such as recording tools, browsers, or antivirus programs, may conflict with the game. Close unnecessary processes from the Task Manager before launching the game.
Especially look out for:
- Overlay software (Discord, MSI Afterburner, etc.)
- Screen recorders and live streaming tools
- Auto-updaters or sync tools like OneDrive
5. Temperature Check and Hardware Monitoring
Freezing issues may also relate to overheating components, especially the GPU. Use monitoring tools like HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner to examine your hardware temperatures during gameplay.
If temperatures exceed safe thresholds (GPU: 85°C+, CPU: 80°C+), ensure your system has adequate cooling. Clean your fans, improve airflow, or consider using a laptop cooling pad if applicable.
6. Set Higher Priority for the Game in Task Manager
Assigning higher CPU priority can help the game run smoother, especially if you’re multitasking.
Steps:
- Start the game and return to the desktop by pressing Alt+Tab.
- Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
- Find ACOrigins.exe under the “Details” tab.
- Right-click it, choose Set Priority → High.
7. Reinstall as a Last Resort
If none of the above methods work, consider uninstalling and reinstalling the game. Sometimes files become too corrupt or inconsistent to recover. Ensure to back up your saves before doing so.
Final Thoughts
Crashes and freezing can quickly turn a great gaming session into a major headache. Thankfully, most issues in Assassin’s Creed Origins can be resolved through basic system checks and settings adjustments. Whether you’re scaling pyramids, diving into tombs, or fighting through Roman soldiers, you deserve a smooth, immersive experience.
By following these practical steps, you’ll drastically reduce the chances of interruptions and get back to enjoying the beauty and mystery of ancient Egypt.