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

Windows 11 KB5124010 Is Crashing Games — Here's Which Ones and How to Fix It

If your game started crashing to desktop seconds after launch this week — often with no error message — and you recently let Windows install an optional update, the cause is almost certainly Windows 11 preview update KB5124010 (pushed to the stable channel around 22 Sep 2026 for 24H2/25H2). It conflicts with EA's Javelin Anti-Cheat and other kernel anti-cheat drivers, force-closing protected games moments after they start. The confirmed fix right now is to uninstall KB5124010 — it was optional, so you lose no security patch. Below: the games reported affected, the exact fix, and what to do if removing it doesn't help.

Error codes

How to tell KB5124010 is your cause (do this first) Your game launches, reaches the menu or first seconds of a match, then closes to desktop — frequently with no error dialog. It began within a day or two of a Windows update and affects an anti-cheat-protected title.

Cause: Windows 11 optional preview update KB5124010 rolled out to the Release Preview channel earlier in September and hit the stable channel around Tuesday 22 Sep 2026 (24H2 and 25H2). It clashes with EA's Javelin Anti-Cheat and other kernel-level anti-cheat drivers, terminating the game process shortly after launch regardless of your hardware.

Fix:
  1. Check Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates. If you see '2026-09 ... Preview (KB5124010)', it is installed and is the most likely cause.
  2. If KB5124010 is NOT listed, you never installed the preview — your crash is a different problem; use the per-game fallback fixes lower down.
  3. This is the single biggest crash wave reported the week of 22-23 Sep 2026 across EA Javelin titles, so if you play Battlefield 6, Wardogs or Battlefield 2042 and just crashed, check for it before anything else.
The fix: uninstall KB5124010 Removing the optional update stops the crashes for the large majority of affected players until Microsoft ships a corrected build.

Cause: KB5124010 is an OPTIONAL preview/non-security update. Uninstalling it does not remove any security patch and is fully supported by Microsoft's own uninstall flow.

Fix:
  1. Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates > remove '2026-09 Preview Update (KB5124010)', then restart the PC.
  2. After the restart, do NOT click 'Check for updates' — that can immediately re-offer the same preview. Let it stay off.
  3. Pause Windows Updates for 1-2 weeks (Settings > Windows Update > Pause updates) so the preview isn't silently reinstalled before a fixed build lands.
  4. Uninstalling KB5124010 has been widely confirmed by Battlefield 6 and Wardogs players as the thing that let them play again.
Battlefield 6 — crash to desktop ~15-30s after launch (often ~20s, no error) BF6 reaches the menu or start of a match and then closes to desktop roughly 15-30 seconds later, very often right around 20 seconds, usually with no error dialog.

Cause: KB5124010 conflicting with the game's kernel anti-cheat. Reinstalling the game, verifying DirectX and running Javelin troubleshooting do NOT fix it; uninstalling KB5124010 does.

Fix:
  1. Uninstall KB5124010 (steps above) — this is the confirmed fix for the ~20-second crash.
  2. If KB5124010 isn't installed: run the anti-cheat repair, then close RGB/overclock/monitoring tools (older MSI Afterburner/RivaTuner, fan-control utilities) whose kernel drivers commonly trip anti-cheat.
  3. Add Battlefield 6 and its anti-cheat to your antivirus exclusions and update your GPU driver to the current release.
Wardogs — WD-L020 / WD-L020-95bc94d86a0d 'Unable to Launch' Wardogs crashes on or right after launch and shows error WD-L020 (some players see the full string WD-L020-95bc94d86a0d).

Cause: Same KB5124010 conflict. Team17 has acknowledged the crash on the Steam Community forums and stated there is no immediate remedy other than removing the update.

Fix:
  1. Uninstall KB5124010 and restart — players confirm this clears WD-L020 and lets the game launch again.
  2. Pause Windows Updates so it isn't reinstalled.
  3. If WD-L020 persists without KB5124010, verify the game files and repair EasyAntiCheat via its setup exe in the install folder.
Battlefield 2042 and other EA Javelin Anti-Cheat titles Some Battlefield 2042 players report the same launch-time crashing as BF6 and Wardogs after KB5124010.

Cause: The update appears to clash with EA's Javelin Anti-Cheat itself, which also protects EA Sports FC, Madden NFL and other EA properties — so any Javelin-protected game can be affected, not just the ones with the loudest reports.

Fix:
  1. Uninstall KB5124010 (steps above) if you play any EA Javelin title and started crashing the week of 22 Sep 2026.
  2. This isn't the first time: last month's KB5121003 update was also confirmed by Microsoft to crash some games, so treat optional Windows preview updates cautiously while gaming.
  3. Keep updates paused until Microsoft ships a fixed build, then re-enable them.

Fixes that work for most Windows 11 KB5124010 (system-wide anti-cheat crash) errors

  1. Uninstall KB5124010: Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates > remove the 2026-09 Preview (KB5124010), then restart.
  2. After restarting, don't click 'Check for updates'; pause Windows Updates for 1-2 weeks so the preview isn't reinstalled.
  3. If KB5124010 isn't installed, repair EasyAntiCheat, close kernel RGB/overclock/monitor tools, add the game+anti-cheat to antivirus exclusions, and update your GPU driver.

FAQ

Is it safe to uninstall KB5124010?

Yes. KB5124010 is an optional preview (non-security) update, so removing it does not leave you missing any security patch. Use Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates.

Why does the crash come back after I fix it?

Because clicking 'Check for updates' or leaving updates unpaused lets Windows re-offer and reinstall the same preview. After uninstalling, pause updates for 1-2 weeks.

KB5124010 isn't in my update list — now what?

Then it isn't your cause. Repair EasyAntiCheat, close kernel-level RGB/overclock/monitoring tools, add the game and anti-cheat to antivirus exclusions, and update your GPU driver.

Which games are affected?

Confirmed reports centre on Battlefield 6 (~20s crash) and Wardogs (WD-L020), with Battlefield 2042 also reported. Because the conflict appears to be with EA's Javelin Anti-Cheat, other Javelin-protected titles (EA Sports FC, Madden NFL) can be affected too.

Has Microsoft fixed it?

As of late September 2026 Microsoft had not shipped a corrected build for the gaming crashes. Until it does, uninstalling KB5124010 and pausing updates is the working fix.

Other games