Cronos: The New Dawn runs honestly runs pretty good for a new release in this day and age, with the bulk of games running like garbage and constantly crashing. Now, while that's true for the bulk of people playing, there are still a few isolated cases of people having crashing issues in Cronos The New Dawn. As always, though, there are quite a few different solutions you can use to solve this problem. So follow along as we guide you through every single one of them.

Takeaways:

  1. Learn how to fix all of the things that might be causing Cronos: The New Dawn to crash or fail to launch.
  2. Solving the crashing and launch issues that are causing problems in Cronos The New Dawn.

Before you start, make sure your computer meets the minimum system requirements.

MINIMUM:

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 10 x64
  • PROCESSOR: Intel Core i5-8400F, Intel Core I5-8600K | Amd Ryzen 5 3600
  • MEMORY: 16 GB RAM
  • GRAPHICS: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1080, or AMD Radeon™ RX 5700-XT, or Intel® Arc™ A770
  • DIRECTX: Version 12
  • STORAGE: 30 GB available space
  • SOUND CARD: Windows compatible Audio Device

RECOMMENDED:

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 10 x64
  • PROCESSOR: Intel Core i7-10700K | Amd Ryzen 5 3600X
  • MEMORY: 16 GB RAM
  • GRAPHICS: NVIDIA® GeForce®RTX 3080, or AMD Radeon™ RX6800 -XT, or Intel® Arc™ B580 (allows for gameplay in 1080p)
  • DIRECTX: Version 12
  • STORAGE: 30 GB available space
  • SOUND CARD: Windows compatible Audio Device

Update Windows, BIOS, and Graphics Drivers

Keeping your system up to date is important for stability.

  • Install the latest Windows updates.
  • Check your motherboard manufacturer’s website for a BIOS update if one is available.
  • Perform a clean installation of your graphics drivers using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU): Download DDU.
  • Download the recommended stable NVIDIA driver (for example, from December 2024).
  • Disconnect from the internet.
  • Run DDU to fully uninstall your drivers.
  • Reboot your PC.
  • Install the older driver manually.
  • Reboot again before reconnecting.

Verify Game Files

Corrupted or missing files can prevent the game from launching.

  • On Steam, right-click the game in your library.
  • Select Properties > Installed Files > Verify Integrity.

Fix Cronos The New Dawn Crashing or Not Launching

Use Lossless Scaling for Stability

Some crashes are tied to unstable frame pacing. A useful workaround is Lossless Scaling, available on Steam.

  • Install and launch Lossless Scaling alongside the game.
  • Select LSFG 3.1 for frame generation.
  • Choose None for scaling if you only want smoother frames, or FSR/LS1 for upscaling.
  • Press Ctrl + Alt + S once in-game to activate it.

If you own a 40-series GPU or newer, try enabling Smooth Motion for additional stability.

Repair Microsoft Visual C++ Runtimes

The game depends on Microsoft Visual C++ redistributables. If they are damaged or missing, crashes can occur.

  • Navigate to the game’s installation folder.
  • Open Support > Redist > VCRedist.
  • Run the installers for 2010, 2012, and 2015–2022.
  • Select Repair for each.

You can also install an all-in-one Visual C++ package from Microsoft.

Disable Steam Beta Participation

Experimental builds of Steam may cause compatibility problems.

  • Open Steam Settings > Interface > Beta Participation.
  • Select None.
  • Restart Steam.

Turn Off Overlays and Monitoring Tools

Overlays are a frequent source of crashes.

  • Disable overlays in Discord, NVIDIA GeForce Experience, and Steam.
  • Close monitoring tools such as MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner.
  • Restart your PC to ensure they stay disabled.

Avoid Alt-Tab During Startup

Switching applications while the game is initialising can interrupt loading and cause crashes. Wait until you reach the main menu before using Alt-Tab.

Reset Game Settings

Corrupted settings files may prevent the game from launching.

  • Go to Documents > My Games > Cronos: The New Dawn.
  • Find the folder that matches your account ID.
  • Delete the file GameSettings.ini.

The game will generate a new default configuration when restarted.

Change DirectX Version

Cronos: The New Dawn supports both DirectX 11 and DirectX 12.

  • Right-click the game in Steam and open Properties.
  • Under Launch Options, type dx11 to force DirectX 11, or dx12 to force DirectX 12.
  • If neither improves stability, remove the command to let the game choose automatically.

Fix Cronos The New Dawn Crashing failing to launch