Stalker 2 Error codes, bugs, crashes, and how to fix them

Most games launch with some forms of bugs, errors, and other problems. They can cause crashes, glitches, and other issues that prevent you from enjoying the game. Stalker 2 has a few of its own. It’s unfortunate, but hardly surprising to see in gaming. We’re here to help you find solutions, so we’ve compiled a list of all the issues and error codes in Stalker 2 and offer potential solutions on how to fix them.

Error codes, bugs, and other issues in Stalker 2

There are a few problems you can run into whenever you launch or play the game. We’ve covered some of the most common errors and bugs you can encounter in Stalker 2:

Error	Likely causes
“Out of video memory” error	vRAM memory leak, outdated GPU drivers, Intel gen 13 and 14 error
Stuttering on Xbox Series X|S	Game optimization
Fatal Error Crash	Corrupt graphics drivers or overclocking
Unreal Process has crashed	Corrupt graphics drivers or overclocking

How to fix the “Out of video memory” error

This error can have a number of possible causes, each of which requires a different approach to fixing it. Singling out the root cause is much more difficult in this case, however. It causes Stalker 2 to crash after the error message while compiling shaders and it could be tied to a game optimization issue that causes your GPU to over-allocate vRAM. Outdated GPU drivers could be behind it as well, which is an easy fix. But if you have a 13th or 14th-generation Intel CPU, then it could be much more difficult to address. With that, here’s what you can try to do to fix it:

• Update GPU drivers: Use the website or software of your GPU manufacturer to download and install the latest version of the GPU driver. Most of them publish day-one driver updates for games like Stalker 2.
• Set up a framerate limit: If it’s your GPU leaking vRAM, then setting up a hardware FPS limit can solve the problem. Both Nvidia and AMD have dedicated graphics settings software, where you can set up options based on individual applications. Open the software (like Nvidia Control Panel) and find Stalker 2 in the list of apps. Then, set up a frame rate limit to a sensible number (common values to use are 60, 144, and 165, for example).
• Note on Intel CPUs: Computer enthusiasts who have upgraded to 13th or 14th-generation Intel CPUs have been getting this exact error for a while now. Even though it mentions a video memory issue, it turned out to be a processing issue in this particular case. It’s a known hardware issue with these processors that has been flagged for some time. If that is the source of the error on your end in Stalker 2 there is unfortunately nothing you can do besides switching to a different CPU. There are some potential solutions to this. One is tied to limiting power output from the motherboard, but tinkering with this might not fix it and should be reserved for advanced users and professionals. The manufacturer has suggested updating and flashing your BIOS, which is a simpler fix.

Can you fix Stalker 2 stuttering on Xbox Series X|S?

Xbox players have reported that Stalker 2 often stutters while running on their console. There don’t seem to be any specific triggers for this behaviour. This leads us to believe that the game’s optimization is behind the issue. Unfortunately, there aren’t many graphics settings you can tinker with on Xbox, meaning that we’ll have to wait for the devs to fix this error and issue a patch. Fortunately, there’s already word out that they’re working on further optimizing and fixing the game.

How to fix the Fatal Crash error and Unreal Crash error in Stalker 2

There is another pair of crashes that players have reported happening while playing the game – after the shaders have been compiled. This is a different issue from the abovementioned crashes linked to video memory leakage. The crash in question occurs in as little as 30 minutes into the game and as far as several hours and seems to occur mainly on the Steam version of the game. It appears as either an outright crash (sometimes followed by BSOD) or followed by a Stalker 2 Crash Reporter showing that “An Unreal process has crashed”. The error seems to be linked to GPU driver issues or possibly a power drain on overclocked systems. You can determine which one is affecting you by process of elimination – is your system overclocked or not? With that, let’s get into some of the solutions:

• Turn off overclocking: If your system is overclocked, we suggest that you turn it off while playing Stalker 2. It seems that the game causes your system to draw more power, which can cause overheating and eventual game crash and BSOD. This won’t be good for your hardware either and can cause permanent damage, so best to be on the safe side and disable overclocking while running Stalker 2.
• Clean reinstall of GPU drivers: One solution that worked for several users was to completely reinstall their graphics drivers. Even if you’ve updated to the latest ones, that might not be enough to prevent this error. Instead, the solution that worked was to reinstall the drivers with the Clean Install option. This will completely replace and remove previous versions, including any corrupt files that might have caused the crash.

We hope you’ve managed to fix any issues you had with Stalker 2. After that, we invite you to read our other guides, like the Stalker 2 mission list and the full list of trophies and achievements you can get.