Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon is the latest title from the legendary video game development studio FromSoftware. Known for developing and inventing the Souls genre, Armored Core 6, unlike previous FromSoftware games, isn’t a Souls-like game. While the game is certainly racking up praise from both critics and fans, its PC port has been suffering from numerous issues. This guide will deal with the 0xc0000005 error code that many players have reported encountering.
This particular error code leads to players being unable to start the game at all. This is a major issue, as it practically makes AC6 unplayable. So, is there a fix for it? Let’s find out!
Armored Core 6 (AC6) Fires of Rubicon Crashing Due to Error Code 0xc0000005: Is there any fix yet
For now, players will have to make do with the following potential workarounds, as there’s no official fix for this error code yet. However, the workarounds provided are very effective against most issues, and we are quite hopeful they will be enough to fix this error as well.
Run the start_protected_game file in Windows 7 compatibility mode –
Like Elden Ring, the EAC, or Easy Anti-Cheat, in this game has been a major cause behind lots of issues. The “Black Screen” and “Whitescreen Crash” issues are the best examples of this statement. When it comes to this particular error, we suggest you first try running the EAC in Windows 8 compatibility mode by:
- Opening Steam and then going to the Library.
- Find Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, and then right-click on it to select Manage > Browse local files.
- Now, you will find yourself in the game’s installation folder. Here, find and open the folder named: Game.
- Inside the Game folder, find and right-click on start_protected_game and select Properties.
- Switch to the Compatibility tab and checkmark the “Run this program in compatibility mode for” option.
- From the dropdown menu, select Windows 7. Click on Apply and OK.
Disable Hyperthreading (Intel)/ SMT (AMD) –
Note: Tinkering around with BIOS can be harmful if you don’t know what you are doing. So, proceed with caution here.
You can also try disabling hyperthreading or SMT mode on your PC via the BIOS settings. This could fix the issue, but we can’t give you a 100% guarantee on that. However, you can enable it later on when you are done playing the game. Additionally, since you are already in BIOS, turn off e-cores/efficient cores. If the issue still exists, then turn it back on.
Switch to either Windowed or Borderless Window –
By some miracle, if the game launches, then immediately open Settings> System and select Graphics Settings. Click on Screen Mode, and from there select either Windowed or Borderless Window. While you are at it, try lowering the resolution and turning off V-Sync. Then check if the issue persists.
Restart PC–
This is possibly the simplest and most quick workaround here. However, we can’t say for sure if this will completely fix the problem. But we still recommend that you give it a try. Restart your PC, and then launch the game again to check if it loads now.
Switch to Offline option in Launch Settings –
Players can also try opting for the offline option in Launch Settings to deal with this issue. However, this is only possible if the game boots up. When it does, open Settings/System and then click on Network Settings. Next, on the right side of the screen, choose Offline for the option named Launch Setting.
Add the game as an exclusion in Windows Defender –
Since Windows Defender tends to give false positives sometimes, we suggest you add the game as an exclusion. Start by opening Windows Settings and then selecting Updates & Security. Next, click on Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection > Virus & Threat Protection Settings. Right at the bottom, you will see the Add or Remove Exclusions options. Now, select the “Add an exclusion” option, click on Browse, head to the game’s installation directory, and add the game’s .exe file.
Allow the game through the Firewall –
For some bizarre reason, Firewall can block internet access for some apps. To make it so that this doesn’t happen with AC6, you should open Windows Settings > Updates & Security > Windows Security > Firewall & Network Protection > Allow an app through the firewall. Now, click on the “Change Settings” button and then find Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon in the list below. Checkmark the Private and Public options. Click on Apply and OK.
Repair the game –
Repairing the game could help you fix this issue. For this one, open Steam and then click on Library. From there, right-click on Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon and select Properties > Local Files > Verify integrity of game files.
Disable Steam Overlay and other overlay applications –
Steam overlay can create issues like this sometimes. That’s why players tend to disable it when playing most games. To disable it for Armored Core 6, go to the Steam Library and then right-click on the game. Next, select Properties > General. Now, on the right side of the screen, uncheck the “Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game” option. Furthermore, if you have other overlay apps running (Discord, Xbox Game Bar), disable them too.
Close overclocking applications –
Players who have overclocking applications installed, such as Rivaturner and MSI Afterburner, are highly advised to either disable them or uninstall them. For good measure, open Task Manager and end any task related to this overclocking software before launching the game.
Perform a clean boot –
If you already haven’t tried out this method, then we recommend you do so. All you need to do is type in msconfig in the search bar. Next, select Services, and in there, checkmark the “Hide all Microsoft services” option. Next, choose the Disable All option. Now, click Startup, and then promptly open Task Manager. Select programs that you think might be interfering with the game. Once selected, click on Disable. After doing all that, close Task Manager and click OK in the System Configuration window. Restart your PC to end the process.
Run the game on your dedicated GPU –
This workaround is for players who have both an iGPU and a dedicated GPU installed. Sometimes a game would keep on using your iGPU despite there being a dedicated one leading to such errors. As such you should direct the game to use your dedicated GPU by –
- Open the Graphics Settings menu via Windows settings and click on the Browse button.
- Add Armored Core 6’s .exe file through the game installation folder.
- Next, select the game and click on Options.
- From the sub-options presented to you, select High Performance.
Try DirectX 11 or 12 in the launch options –
Switching to either DirectX 11 or 12 is also another option here. For this, open Steam and then click on Library. Next, select and right-click on Armored Core 6. Click on Properties > General. On the right side of the screen at the bottom, you will notice Launch Options. Type in -dx12 or -dx11 and then launch the game.
Delete saves –
Another workaround that could be useful is to delete your saves. However, we understand that this is a drastic measure for this problem. So, if you do go ahead with this one, then here’s a guide that will help you locate your local saves of the game.
Increase Virtual Memory –
Increasing your system’s Virtual Memory could also help you fix this issue. In order to initiate this workaround, type in View Advanced System Settings in the Windows search box and open it. Under the Performance option, click on the Settings button. Switch over to the Advanced tab and click on the Change button. Uncheck the “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” option. Select the Custom Size option and then put in your virtual memory size in the two options below: Initial size and Maximum size. Here are the two parameters for entering in the virtual memory size:
- Initial Size – 1.5x of Total Ram
- Maximum Size – 3x of Total Ram
Click on OK to finish the process.
Perform a clean installation of GPU driver –
If possible, we suggest that you perform a clean installation of your graphics drivers. Download the latest available GPU drivers from the official website of the manufacturer, and then open the file. In there, click on Custom Install, and you will find the Clean Installation option there. Select it, and then install the drivers.
Install Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable –
Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables are quite important when it comes to running any kind of game. If there is any issue with these files, then it can cause a myriad of problems. So, head to the official website of Microsoft and download the x64 version. Once downloaded, install the file, and then launch the game.
Redownload –
If none of the aforementioned workarounds work for you, then it’s time to redownload the game. Save your progress either locally or on the cloud, and then delete the game. Start a redownload, and when installation is complete, see if the issue persists.
That said, we hope you find this guide informative. For more guides on Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, follow DigiStatement. Also, read: Armored Core 6 (AC6) Fires of Rubicon Photo Mode: How to Use
