On PC, Black Ops 6 won’t launch when drivers, files, or overlays break startup; update, verify, and clean-boot to start the game.
Stuck at the splash screen or nothing happens when you hit Play? You’re not alone. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 can stall on Windows for a few repeatable reasons: corrupted files, driver hiccups, blocked anti-cheat, or background apps that hook into the game. This guide gives you the fast checks first, the deeper resets next, and a tidy checklist you can follow without guesswork.
Black Ops 6 Won’t Launch On PC: Quick Fixes
Run through these in order. Re-test after each step so you know what solved it.
- Restart the PC, then launch the game once with no other apps open.
- Update GPU drivers and Windows. Reboot.
- Turn off overlays and close overlay-style apps (Discord, GeForce overlay, MSI Afterburner, RGB suites).
- Verify or repair the game files in your launcher.
- Clean boot Windows to rule out services and startup conflicts.
- Check Ricochet and Windows security features that can block launch.
- Confirm storage space and that your hardware matches the published spec.
Fast Triage Table
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Quick Try |
|---|---|---|
| Play button flips to “Running,” then back | Broken files or blocked anti-cheat | Verify/repair files; disable overlays; reboot |
| Crash Handler pops, then closes | Missing game components | Let the tool finish; relaunch after it installs |
| Black screen with audio | GPU driver issue or old shader cache | Update drivers; restart; try windowed launch |
| Nothing at all happens | Background service conflict | Clean boot; relaunch from the launcher page |
| Error cites security features | Secure Boot/TPM setting | Enable in UEFI; recheck anti-cheat prompt |
Prep Your PC For A Clean Start
Small setup changes fix a large share of launch issues. Work through the basics and you’ll save time later.
Update Graphics Drivers
Install the newest Game Ready or Adrenalin driver for your card. Use a clean install option if the tool offers one. After the update, reboot before you test the game.
Install Windows Updates
Open Settings > Windows Update and pull down pending patches. Graphics stacks and certificates ride along with these updates, so a reboot here pays off.
Free Up Space On The Game Drive
Leave plenty of free space for shaders and temporary files. SSDs near capacity slow down patching and can trip file checks. Aim for generous headroom on the drive that holds the game.
Disable Overlays And Hooking Apps
Close Discord overlay, GeForce Experience overlay, Radeon overlay, Steam overlay, MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB suites, and screen recorders. These can inject DLLs that block anti-cheat or crash the renderer at launch.
Clean Boot To Remove Conflicts
Press Windows+R, type msconfig, open Services, tick “Hide all Microsoft services,” then click Disable all. Open Startup in Task Manager and disable non-Microsoft entries. Reboot, test the game, then re-enable items later in small groups.
Repair Game Files And Caches
Launcher tools fix a surprising number of start-up stalls. Use the built-in verifier for your platform.
Steam: Verify The Game
In Library, right-click the game > Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files. Steam will replace broken or missing files and print a short report when it’s done. See the official steps in Verify integrity of game files.
Battle.net: Scan And Repair
Open Battle.net, select the game, click the cog next to Play, then pick Scan and Repair > Begin Scan. Let the pass finish, then relaunch.
Refresh Launcher Caches
In Steam, open Settings > Downloads > Clear Download Cache, then sign back in. In Battle.net, fully exit the app from the tray, relaunch, and retest. A stale cache can block file validation or patching.
Check Anti-Cheat And Security Settings
Ricochet checks the integrity of your system at launch. If it flags something, the game may close without a clear error. Two items matter here: Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 on Windows, and whether low-level tools are present.
Enable Secure Boot And TPM 2.0
Many boards ship with these off. Enter UEFI setup, turn on Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 (called fTPM or PTT on some boards), then save and reboot. Recent guidance notes these features are being exercised during season updates, and prompts can appear if they’re off. If you see a message about device security, enable the settings and relaunch.
Remove Conflicting Low-Level Tools
Uninstall or exit debuggers, process injectors, custom kernel drivers, and old anti-cheat drivers from other games. Leave only your active antivirus. If you run overclocking or fan control tools, test with those closed as well.
Let The Crash Handler Finish
If the Crash Handler appears, don’t close it early. It can pull in missing redistributables that the game needs. When it exits on its own, try Play again.
Platform Steps: Steam And Battle.net
Steam Launch Path
- Right-click the game > Properties > General. Remove old launch options.
- Set “Keep this game updated” to auto. Toggle the Steam overlay off for testing.
- Verify files, then launch from the Library page, not a desktop shortcut.
- If it still fails, clear the download cache and restart the client.
Battle.net Launch Path
- Click the game tile. Hit the cog > Check for updates. Install any pending downloads.
- Run Scan and Repair. Wait for the complete pass and any redownloads.
- Turn off the Battle.net overlay in Settings > App > Advanced Features.
- Launch once with the app as the only open program.
PC Requirements And Common Bottlenecks
If the rig sits under the published spec, the game can fail at the first splash. Double-check RAM, CPU, GPU, and storage against the official page for this title here: online PC requirements page. Check that BIOS and chipset drivers are current. Desktop parts are the target spec; some laptop chips share names but not throughput. Make sure you’re on an SSD with wide free space, close heavy background tasks before launch…
Thermals And Power
Watch GPU and CPU temps during the first minute of launch. If temps spike and the system throttles, the window can vanish. Clean dust, set a sane fan curve, and avoid aggressive undervolts while testing.
Display And API Settings
If you reach a black screen, try borderless windowed at first boot and pick the desktop monitor. Multi-monitor setups can confuse first-run display selection. After one clean start, swap back to your usual mode.
Safe Settings For First Boot
Give the game an easy first run. Turn off ray-traced effects, cap the frame rate to a steady number, and start with FSR or DLSS on a conservative preset. Keep textures on a middle tier so VRAM use stays well under the card’s limit. Pick a common display resolution, then raise it later. Avoid third-party reshade packs on day one. Remove old command-line flags from past titles. Once you reach the main menu a few times without a crash, raise settings one at a time and watch stability.
Deeper Resets That Often Help
Still stuck? These moves take longer, yet they clear stubborn issues.
Reinstall Redistributables
Open the game folder and run the installers in the “_CommonRedist” or “Redist” subfolders. These repair Visual C++ and related pieces that the launcher might miss.
Create A New Windows Profile
User profiles carry per-app caches and hooks. Create a fresh local account, log in, and test the game there. If it runs, a profile-level item caused the block; migrate gradually.
Reinstall GPU Drivers With A Clean Pass
Use the clean-install toggle in your driver package to remove leftovers. If you need a deeper sweep, use a trusted driver cleanup utility in Safe Mode, then install fresh drivers and reboot.
Reinstall The Game On A Different Drive
Move the install to a roomy SSD. A new path clears stale files and frees the launcher to rebuild shader data.
Common Error Prompts And Fix Paths
Match the message to an action. Keep the fixes tight and repeatable.
| Error Or Symptom | What To Do | Where |
|---|---|---|
| “Game files missing” | Run verify or Scan and Repair | Steam or Battle.net |
| Anti-cheat prompt about device security | Enable Secure Boot and TPM 2.0; restart | UEFI firmware |
| Crash Handler window | Let it finish; then relaunch | Desktop |
| Stuck on “Playing” then stops | Disable overlays; clean boot | Windows |
| Black screen on first start | Update drivers; windowed mode | In-game after launch |
Keep An Eye On Tracked Bugs
Some launch issues come from the build itself and get fixed in patches. When you’ve tried the steps here, skim the running list of tracked items for this title and see if your symptom matches a known bug. That page updates as hotfixes ship, and it’s the fastest way to learn if the issue sits server-side or in a new patch. You’ll find it here: Known issues in Black Ops 6.
A Short Checklist You Can Save
- Reboot the PC.
- GPU and Windows fully updated.
- Overlays and hook-style apps closed.
- Verify or repair the game.
- Clean boot and retest.
- Secure Boot and TPM on, if prompted.
- Match the published spec and free up space.
When Nothing Works
Collect proof for deeper help. Grab DxDiag and MSINFO32 outputs, note your motherboard model and BIOS version, and record the exact error text. Keep the steps you tried and the order you tried them in. With that log, you can show clear reproduction and get faster eyes on the issue. Share the log when you ask for deeper help.