RuneScape Dragonwilds is raising the stakes for the survival genre of games, inviting adventurers into a brutal new frontier packed with high-stakes PvP, wild bosses, and that classic risk vs. reward thrill. But for some players, the real danger isn’t other players; it’s their screen going black with an “Out of Video Memory” error. Instead of looting enemies, they’re battling their hardware. So, what’s up with this bug, and is there any fix in sight? If you are encountering this same issue, consider reading this guide for workarounds to fix it.
This “CTD: Out of video memory trying to allocate a rendering resource” error seems to be affecting some players, especially those with high-end setups with an i7-14700K, 48GB RAM, and a GeForce 4070Ti. Despite having the latest updates and drivers, the game still fails to launch beyond the splash screen, even when they manage to bypass the error message. So, what’s going on? Is there even a fix?
RuneScape Dragonwilds Out of Video Memory Error: Is there any fix yet
Unfortunately, there’s no official fix for the “Out of video memory” error just yet. Like many unresolved issues in Dragonwilds, this one too has gone past the QA team’s radar. For now, you will need to try out various potential fixes to see what works for your specific setup. Here are some of these fixes.
First things first
First things first, double-check that your system meets the minimum requirements to run RuneScape: Dragonwilds. Once that’s confirmed, restart your system and make sure to run both Steam and the game with administrator privileges. It’s also a good idea to open up Task Manager and close any performance-hungry background applications (like Chrome, Discord, or game launchers) that might be eating up valuable system resources.
Intel issue?
Make sure that your CPU is not affected. A confirmed hardware issue with Intel’s 13th and 14th generation Core processors (13xxx and 14xxx series) is causing system instability, leading to failures and crashes in Unreal Engine games. This problem stems from physical wear on the CPU’s clock signal circuitry, which is irreversible once it occurs. If the issue has already manifested, the only solution is to replace the affected processor.
Lower Settings
Since the game is in early access and still in its beta stage, it’s important to remember that it may not work perfectly across all system configurations. A simple workaround to improve performance is to lower the graphical settings as much as possible before launching a new world. If the game launches successfully, try adjusting the settings to the lowest possible options to reduce the strain on your system, which could help avoid crashes or instability during gameplay.
Downgrade drivers
There have been significant issues reported with newer NVIDIA drivers, but downgrading to driver version 566.36 has proven to resolve these problems. To do this, first, download the 566.36 driver from the official NVIDIA website or a trusted source. Then, go to “Device Manager” on your PC, expand the “Display Adapters” section, right-click your NVIDIA GPU, and select “Uninstall Device.” Make sure to check the box to delete the driver software. After that, restart your PC, and install the older 566.36 driver you downloaded. Once installed, the issue should be resolved, and the game should run more smoothly.
Nvidia Hotfix
If downgrading the NVIDIA drivers to version 566.36 doesn’t solve the issue, try upgrading to the latest version of the GeForce Hotfix Display Driver, which is version 576.15. A hotfix has been released to address various issues, including the one you’re facing. To upgrade, simply visit the official NVIDIA website, download the latest driver, and follow the installation prompts. If you’re using an AMD graphics card, the same advice applies—updating to the latest driver version can help resolve the issue. Make sure to check your GPU manufacturer’s website for the most current driver updates.
Run game on Dedicated card and increase Page File Size
Next up, type “Graphics” into the Windows search bar and select Graphics Settings. From the list of installed programs, choose RuneScape Dragonwilds and set it to “High Performance” to prioritize its use of your GPU. Next, to increase Page File Size, search for “View Advanced System Settings” in the Windows search box and navigate to the Performance Options window. Under the Advanced tab, click “Change” in the Virtual Memory section, uncheck “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives,” and select the drive where the game is installed. Set a custom virtual memory size: the initial size should be 1.5 times your total RAM, and the maximum size should be 3 times your total RAM. Finally, click “OK” to apply the changes, start the game, and see if this helps.
Update BIOS
In some cases, installing the latest BIOS update resolved serious stability issues, allowing the game to finally launch and run properly. The update likely included Intel’s recent fix to prevent rapid degradation in 13th and 14th gen CPUs, which was causing unpredictable crashes and errors in demanding applications like games built on Unreal Engine. To update your BIOS, head to your motherboard’s official support page, download the latest BIOS version for your motherboard, and follow their guide, usually involving a USB flash drive and entering the BIOS setup at boot (via the DEL key). Always make sure to read the instructions carefully and avoid interruptions during the update to ensure a smooth, safe upgrade. If this is your first time doing this, we advise you to visit a service center for additional assistance.
Launch Options
Another simple workaround that’s helped some players is to force the game to use DirectX 11. To do this, open your Steam Library, right-click on RuneScape: Dragonwilds, select Properties, and under the General tab, find the Launch Options field. Type “-d3d11” into the box and close the window. Restart the game and then check if this fixes the issue.
Fullscreen Optimisations and Steam Cache
Head to your Steam Library, right-click on the game, and select Browse local files to open the installation folder. Find the main game executable (RSDragonwilds.exe or similar), right-click it, and go to Properties. Under the Compatibility tab, checkmark both “Disable fullscreen optimizations” and “Run this program as an administrator” options. Hit Apply, then OK. Still no luck? Try clearing your Steam download cache: open Steam, go to Settings > Downloads, and click Clear Download Cache.
Last Resort
Finally, try verifying the game files through your Steam to ensure no files are missing or corrupted. Check for any available updates to make sure you’re running the latest version of the game. If problems persist, consider reinstalling the game on a solid-state drive (SSD) for faster load times and better overall performance.
We hope that one of these workarounds helped with the out-of-video-memory issue in RuneScape Dragonwilds. Now, before you leave, do not forget to bookmark DigiStatement for more guides and news like this on all things gaming. You can also click here to find out how to solve multiplayer issues that players are facing in this game.
