How To Fix WWE 2K23 Crashing on Startup or Won't Launch Issues on PC

Some players have reported WWE 2K23 crashing on startup or being unable to launch the game. It’s a frustrating issue, but there are several steps you can take to fix it.

There are many causes that add up to WWE 2K23 crashing issue on startup. The more prominent causes are hardware compatibility issues, corrupted game files, outdated graphics, antivirus software, and PC overheating.

How to Fix WWE 2K23 Crashing on Startup or Not Launching

If you’re experiencing issues with WWE 2K23 crashing on startup or not launching at all, there are several steps you can take to fix the problem:

1. Check System Requirements

Before attempting to launch WWE 2K23, make sure that your computer meets the game’s minimum requirements.

Minimum:

OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i5-3550 / AMD FX 8150
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: GeForce GTX 1060 / Radeon RX 480
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 80 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
Additional Notes: SSD recommended, AVX – Compatible processor

Recommended:

OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Intel i7-4790 / AMD FX 8350
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: GeForce GTX 1070 / Radeon RX 580
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 80 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
Additional Notes: SSD recommended, AVX – Compatible processor

2. Verify Game Files

If WWE 2K23 is crashing on startup or not launching, it’s possible that the game files have become corrupted.

Open the Steam client and navigate to the Library tab.
Right-click on WWE 2K23 and select Properties.
Click on the Local Files tab and then click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
Wait for the process to complete and then launch the game to see if the problem is fixed.

3. Update Your Graphic Drivers

Outdated drivers can cause WWE 2K23 to crash startup or fail to launch. Make sure that your graphics and sound drivers are up to date before attempting to launch the game.

Press the Windows key + X and select Device Manager.
Expand the Display Adapters category and right-click on your graphics card.
Right-click on the display driver and select Update driver.
Click on Search automatically for drivers and it will automatically update drivers.
Restart your computer and launch the game to see if the problem is fixed.

Best Way To Update Graphics Driver

Most of the time WWE 2K23 is stuck on the infinite loading screen issue that arises if your PC has an outdated driver installed on your PC. Make sure you have updated your Graphics drivers to their latest version.

Although each manufacturer has its own official site to download drivers it takes time.

Especially, if you are a newbie or you don’t have time or skills then there are chances that you might end up installing the wrong drivers.

So we recommend downloading Driver Easy software on your PC. This program is a professional system driver updater that automatically scans a PC’s old driver and updates them instantly.

We have personally used this tool on our Windows 11 PC. The most favorite part is its outstanding scanning feature. You can instantly know which PC part needs to be updated.

The Driver Easy is an N0.1 software updater tool in its field with a mega database of more than 600000 drivers. Users have been using this tool for the last 12 years to fix their PC errors.

So download Driver Easy and let it deal with all the system drivers.

4. Disable Background Programs

Sometimes, other programs running in the background can cause WWE 2K23 to crash or not launch.

Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys for opening the Task Manager.
Click on the Processes tab and look for any processes that are using a lot of system resources.
Right-click on the process and select End Task.
Launch the WWE 2K23 to see if the problem is fixed.

5. Adjust Power Management Options

In some cases, this may also help to resolve issues related to crashes or startup problems. Here’s how to adjust power management options:

Click on the Start Menu
Type the control panel and open it.
Click on Hardware and Sound
Select Power Options.
Select High Performance and you’re done.
At last, reboot the PC to apply changes.

6. Disable Windows Firewall and Antivirus

Turning off Windows Firewall and antivirus software may help to resolve some issues related to network connectivity or software conflicts.

For disabling Firewall

Click on the search bar.
Type Windows Defender Firewall and open it.
Now, click on Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off from the left pane.
Select the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall.
Click on OK to save changes.
Reboot your PC to apply changes.

For Disabling Windows Security

Press the Windows + I key to open Settings.
Click on Update & Security.
Click on Windows Security.
Click on Open Windows Security.
Go to Virus & threat protection.
Now, click on Manage Settings.
Just turn off the Real-time protection toggle.

7. Disable Third Party Overlay

Disabling third-party overlays may help to resolve some issues related to crashes or startup problems, especially if the overlay is causing conflicts with the application. Here’s how to disable third-party overlays.

Discord Overlay:

Open Discord and go to User Settings.
Click on the Overlay tab.
Toggle off “Enable in-game overlay.”

Nvidia Shadowplay Overlay:

Open the Nvidia GeForce Experience app.
Click on the Settings icon (gear icon) in the top right corner.
Go to the General tab.
Toggle off “In-Game Overlay.”

Steam Overlay:

Open Steam and go to Settings.
Click on the In-Game tab.
Toggle off “Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.”

8. Force Use the Dedicated GPU

If your computer has two graphics processing units (GPUs), you may be able to fix your problem by switching to the GPU that is specifically designed for gaming. Follow these steps to switch to the dedicated GPU of your choice.

Nvidia:

Right-click on the desktop screen.
Open Nvidia Control Panel.
Go to 3D Settings.
Click on Manage 3D Settings.
Open Program Settings.
Select WWE 2k23 from the list.
Select High-Performance Nvidia Processor as the preferred graphics processor for this program.
Make sure to save changes and reboot the PC.

AMD:

Right-click on the blank desktop screen.
Open Radeon Settings.
Head over to Additional Settings.
Go to Preferences.
Click on Power.
Click on Switchable Graphics Application Settings.
Select WWE 2k23 from the list (If the game is not visible, select Add Application to include the game)
Select High Performance from Graphics Settings.
Finally, reboot the PC to apply changes.

9. Perform a Clean Boot

Clean booting your PC can fix boot-up issues and improve performance by stopping resource-heavy tasks and apps from starting. Follow the steps below for a smoother experience.

Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Type msconfig and hit Enter to open System Configuration.
Go to Services > Click on Hide all Microsoft services to enable it.
Now, click on Disable all so that the rest of the services gets turned off.
Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
Next, go to Startup > Click on Open Task Manager.
Click on the Startup tab > Ensure to select the specific task that has a higher startup impact.
Now, click on Disable to turn it off.
After applying all these steps, just restart your PC.

10. Stop Overclocking Your PC

Overclocking your PC’s CPU or GPU can lead to conflicts with other hardware, causing bottleneck issues and crashes. To resolve this, disable or restore overclocked settings to default. If you are using tools like MSI Afterburner, Riva Tuner, AMD Ryzen Master, or EVGA Precision X then uninstall them.

11. Reinstall WWE 2K23

Reinstalling the game can help to resolve some issues related to crashes or startup problems, especially if the issue is caused by corrupted or missing files.