🎮 Game Error Codes What it means & how to fix it

Hollow Knight: Silksong Error & Crash Fixes

Hollow Knight: Silksong doesn't throw numbered network codes — it's a single-player game, so its problems are crashes at launch, failure to start, and mid-game freezes. The usual suspects are corrupted files, outdated GPU drivers, plugged-in controllers or peripherals, and background software like Citrix or overlays. Here's each failure mode and the fix that clears it.

Error codes

Crash at launch / won't start The game closes immediately or never opens a window

Cause: Corrupted or missing game files, or an outdated GPU driver — the most common launch-crash causes.

Fix:
  1. Verify integrity of game files (Steam: Properties -> Installed Files -> Verify).
  2. Update your GPU driver with a clean install (use DDU), then reboot.
  3. Install the latest Visual C++ Redistributables (x86 and x64) and the DirectX runtime.
Crash caused by external peripherals The game crashes when certain controllers/devices are connected

Cause: Old PS2/PS3 adapters, some Xbox controllers, or extra USB peripherals conflict at startup.

Fix:
  1. Unplug extra controllers and USB peripherals, then launch with only what you need.
  2. Update or reinstall controller drivers if you must keep a device connected.
  3. Try launching in Big Picture / with Steam Input toggled to isolate the conflicting device.
Conflict with background software The game crashes or won't launch while certain apps run

Cause: Citrix Workspace (a known Hollow Knight conflict), RivaTuner/MSI Afterburner, or Discord/Steam/NVIDIA overlays.

Fix:
  1. Close Citrix Workspace while playing — it's a documented conflict from the original Hollow Knight.
  2. Disable RivaTuner/MSI Afterburner and all in-game overlays.
  3. Add the game folder to your antivirus exclusions.
Constant crashing / freezing mid-game The game runs but crashes or freezes during play

Cause: Stale shader cache, wrong system date/time, or an out-of-date Windows build.

Fix:
  1. Clear the DirectX Shader Cache (Settings -> System -> Storage -> Temporary files).
  2. Make sure your Windows date and time are correct and update Windows to the latest build.
  3. Add the game folder to antivirus exceptions and disable overlays.

Fixes that work for most Hollow Knight: Silksong (PC — Steam / Game Pass) errors

  1. Verify/repair the game files (Steam: Properties -> Installed Files -> Verify integrity; EA App/Epic: Manage -> Repair/Verify) — this replaces corrupted files behind most crashes and connection faults.
  2. Update your GPU driver with a clean install (use DDU), and install the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables (x86 and x64) plus the DirectX End-User Runtime — missing runtimes and stale drivers cause most launch crashes.
  3. Flush your DNS and reset the network stack (ipconfig /flushdns; netsh winsock reset), switch to Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) DNS, and prefer a wired connection over Wi-Fi to cut packet loss.
  4. Disable overlays (Steam, Discord, GeForce Experience) and any VPN, and add the game and its launcher to your firewall and antivirus exceptions.
  5. Check the game's official server/status channels before assuming a local problem — many named connection errors are a maintenance window or outage and clear on their own.

FAQ

Why does Hollow Knight: Silksong crash at launch?

The most common causes are corrupted game files and outdated GPU drivers. Verify integrity of game files on Steam, do a clean GPU driver install with DDU, and install the latest Visual C++ Redistributables and DirectX runtime. If it still crashes, unplug extra controllers and close Citrix Workspace and overlays.

Silksong won't launch with a controller plugged in — how do I fix it?

Some controllers and old PS2/PS3 adapters conflict with the game at startup. Unplug extra peripherals and launch with only the controller you need, update its drivers, or toggle Steam Input. Removing the offending device is usually enough to get it to start.

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