If you are trying to play Subnautica 2 on PC but keep getting the stupid "Your game might not have exited correctly” error message even though the game was closed normally. It's more than likely because of a failed DirectX 12 initialisation, incorrect GPU selection, corrupted graphics configuration, or a driver-level crash that happens before the main menu loads. So it's not actually a “bad exit” problem, instead, It's a startup failure disguised as a crash recovery prompt.

Takeaways:

  1. Subnautica 2 error “Your Game Might Not Have Exited Correctly” even when closing the game properly.
  2. How do you fix “Your Game Might Not Have Exited Correctly” in Subnautica 2 when the game does close properly?

How to Fix “Your Game Might Not Have Exited Correctly” in Subnautica 2

Before changing settings, check that the system meets modern DX12 requirements. Subnautica 2 needs on a stable DirectX 12 environment and up-to-date Windows builds to work. So check the following:

  • Windows 10 or Windows 11 with a supported build
  • DirectX 12 is available via dxdiag
  • GPU meets or exceeds the base requirements. If you fall short anywhere, you might as well get a refund and give up on anything else in this guide.

To run these quick checks, do the following:

  • Press Windows + R, type winver, and confirm a supported Windows 10 or 11 version
  • Press Windows + R, type dxdiag, and confirm DirectX 12 is listed
  • Ensure Steam has fully updated the game before testing again

Force the Game to Use the Dedicated GPU

On laptops and hybrid systems, Windows may launch the game using integrated graphics instead of the dedicated GPU. This can break DX12 initialisation immediately. This is only an issue on laptops, so if you have a desktop PC with a single GPU skip this step.

  • Open Steam, right-click Subnautica 2
  • Select Manage, then Browse local files
  • Find Subnautica2.exe
  • Open Windows Settings
  • Go to System, Display, Graphics
  • Add Subnautica2.exe if it is not listed
  • Set it to High performance

Close Steam completely and relaunch the game. If GPU selection was the issue, the game should now progress further past startup.

Repair Steam Files and Remove Launch Conflicts

Corrupted files or overlays can repeatedly trigger the same startup failure.

Do the following:

  • In Steam, open Properties, Installed Files
  • Run Verify integrity of game files
  • Clear Steam download cache in Steam Settings under Downloads
  • Disable overlays such as Discord Overlay, MSI Afterburner, and RivaTuner

Clean Reinstall GPU Drivers using DDU

If it has been a while since you clean installed your GPU drivers, do it now using DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller)

  • Download Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU).
  • Download the latest stable GPU drivers from:
  • Disconnect your PC from the internet.
  • Run DDU and completely remove your graphics drivers.
  • Restart your system.
  • Install the latest GPU driver.
  • Restart again and reconnect to the internet.

Reset Local Graphics Settings

Purge your current installations graphics settings and start clean.

To reset safely:

  • Close the game and Steam
  • Go to: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Subnautica2\Saved\Config\
  • Rename the Windows folder to Windows-old

This forces the game to regenerate default settings without affecting save data.

Optional adjustment:

  • Open GameUserSettings.ini
  • Set UpscalingFrameGeneration=0 if the game crashes during rendering initialization

Uninstall and Reinstall the Game

If nothing here has worked, clean install the game and see what happens. It might take a clean install to work after you clean install your GPU drivers. It's not common, but possible.