PC troubleshooting: crashes, freezes & black screens

Corrupted downloads are common during rapid post-launch patches. In Steam:

1. Right-click Shift At Midnight → Properties.
2. Open Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files.
3. Let Steam re-download missing assets, then relaunch without overlays running.

Repeat after every major patch if crashes start mid-campaign.

Community reports link DirectX 12 instability to launch crashes, black screens, and freezes when customers enter or nights transition. Bun Muen has not posted an official mandate, but the workaround is widely used:

1. Steam → Properties → General → Launch Options.
2. Enter: -dx11
3. Launch and test a full shift transition.

If stability improves, keep the flag until a patch notes DX12 fixes.

• Turn off Steam Overlay, Discord overlay, GeForce Experience in-game overlay, and MSI Afterburner/RivaTuner while testing.
• Update NVIDIA or AMD drivers — prefer a clean install if crashes persist after verify + -dx11.
• On laptops, force the discrete GPU for Shift At Midnight in Windows Graphics Settings.
• Lower effects quality if VRAM spikes crash the game during trap phases.

The July 23, 2026 day-one patch notes promised a follow-up minor update for players who crash and then cannot click menus or buttons. If you hit this state:

• Force-quit via Task Manager and relaunch — do not alt-tab mid-shift if avoidable.
• Verify files and try -dx11 before reporting duplicates on Steam discussions.
• Watch Steam announcements for the cursor-lock fix; we update our changelog when it ships.

Hosting stresses file integrity and overlays harder than solo. If the game dies when accepting invites:

1. Verify files on every party member.
2. Disable overlays on host and clients.
3. Confirm everyone shares the same storefront pool — Steam vs Xbox/Game Pass do not crossplay.
4. For connection timeouts (not instant crashes), use the network-issues-patch beta — code networkissues — per our networking guide.

Bun Muen added a hematophobia filter for reduced blood visuals — check in-game settings or recent Steam posts for the toggle. Separately, disable Windows spatial sound if audio spikes coincide with Marionette-phase crashes.

Send build version, GPU model, whether -dx11 helped, and a short clip to Steam discussions or official Discord. Avoid duplicate threads when Bun Muen already acknowledged the bug on the news hub.