Cyberpunk 2077 no longer runs properly since patch 1.5? We help!

Patch 1.5 caused some rejoicing, but not everyone can enjoy the new features. We’ve picked out some possible solutions to the most common problems.

Since its much-discussed release in December 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 has been gradually improved by developer CD Projekt Red. But patch 1.5 brings by far the biggest overhaul of the futuristic role-playing game in one fell swoop.

As is to be expected with so many changes, some players have experienced new problems since the patch. So that you can continue to cruise smoothly through Night City, we provide you with the most promising solutions.

If you want to know what Update 1.5 has in store for you, our handy summary and patch notes will help you:

Cyberpunk 2077 – Patch 1.5 and next-gen upgrade are here, all info

This can help with crashes after patch 1.5

When does the problem occur? Since the update, some PC players have been complaining about crashes directly after starting the game, i.e. either before reaching the main menu or when loading the game world.

This provides a remedy: for most of them, outdated mods are apparently to blame for the misery. In rare cases, however, the service of certain onboard sound solutions can also be responsible. Various players report in the (Subreddit) of the game that the following steps have helped them. It’s best to try them out:

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• If you use a mod manager, then simply deactivate all mods in its user interface

• If you have installed them manually and in the meantime have forgotten which folders in the game directory are affected, a complete reinstallation of the game is recommended

• It’s best to open the main directory of the game first, then uninstall it as usual and remove any mod remnants left in the folder before you download Cyberpunk again

• If you want to be extra thorough, type %localappdata% in the path of any folder above, which will take you straight to the local application data on drive C:\. Delete the CD Projekt Red and REDEngine directories there. If you are concerned about an existing Witcher installation, delete only content from these folders that are clearly labelled Cyberpunk

• The Red Modding team, who are behind hobbyist tools like CET, WolvenKit, RedScript, Red4Ext etc., recommend in a separate announcement to uninstall all modding tools as well, because they also have to adapt to the changed code of 1.5.
  
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  If you have already thoroughly uninstalled all mods or never had any on, then the following tips might help you:

  • Disabling overlays such as Discord or MSI Afterburner can also help. Buyers on gog.com also report that launching the EXE file directly led to success after it failed via the Galaxy Launcher
  • Some users report that adding the game to their antivirus program’s exception list helped
  • You should also set the game as trusted in all public and private firewall settings
  • If your Windows 10 version is older than 1909, the developers recommend an update. You can check your version by pressing the Windows key+R simultaneously and executing the command “winver”. The information in front of the brackets is crucial here (such as 1809 or 21H2)
  • Update your graphics card driver and, if necessary, make sure that you remove all remnants of the old driver beforehand using the Display Driver Uninstaller. The driver downloads for Nvidia cards can be found here and those for AMD cards here
  • Quits programs that are unnecessary for playing such as performance measurement displays or malware protection
  • Use the factory settings of your GPU and CPU. Any kind of overclocking or underclocking can lead to flatline crashes in Cyberpunk

   

  If none of this helps, a service of your onboard sound could be the source of the problem. Many mainboards, such as those from ASUS or Alienware, rely on a service called “Nahimic Services”. Turning off this service has helped many gamers.

  How to do this:

  • Open your Task Manager and switch to the “Services” tab
  • Sort the list by name and see if you see an entry called “Nahimic Services “
  • If you do, right click on it and select “Open Services “
  • In the newly opened window, look for the entry “Nahimic Services” again and right-click on it to open its properties
  • Change the start type from Automatic to Disabled. Then click on Exit and try whether Cyberpunk now starts. It may also be necessary to restart your PC before the change takes effect

  It is possible that certain functions of your sound software (e.g. the equalizer) will no longer work as usual. Therefore, remember to reactivate the service after playing or test whether the Manual start type is an acceptable compromise for you. Ideally, the service will then only start as soon as you open your software.

  Update from 17 February: In the meantime, similar problems have become known with the sound drivers of “A-Volute” and “Sonic Studio”. As a Linux player on (Reddit) found out, the reason for the crashes could be that these drivers are simply too slow for the audio initialisation carried out by Cyberpunk at the start of the game. This gives hope to those affected that CD Projekt can remedy the situation with a compensating code change.

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  You want to see the NextGen version in action before you start worrying about possible solutions? Here’s the launch trailer:

  How to check your game files for bugs

  Various problems such as crashes, immortal enemies or faulty graphic elements can be caused by corrupted game files. A simple and quick way to eliminate this source of error is to check the game files and load a game save that was created before the problem occurred. This process can take a few minutes.

  This is how you start the check on the different platforms:

  • Steam: Right-click Cyberpunk 2077 in the game list of your library and select Properties. Navigate to the Local Files tab and select Check Game Files for Errors. Steam will now match your installation with the latest version they have
  • Epic Games: Find the game in your library and then click on the three dots. From the drop-down list, select Review
  • GOG.com: The DRM-free version of Cyberpunk can be installed without the launcher, but you should start GOG Galaxy to check it. Select Cyberpunk 2077 in the Games owned tab and click on the icon to the right of the Play button, which looks like two sliders. Via Manage Installation you will find the option Check / Repair

   

  What helps with FPS drops?

  Since the ray tracing shadows have been completely reworked to include all light sources instead of just the sun and moon, the amount of graphics card RAM required for this feature has also increased.

  So it may happen that your old graphics settings now exceed your VRAM budget and every time it is completely filled, you will notice frame drops. Try the following:

  • Make sure you have removed any graphics mods that use extra VRAM (such as “Surfaces” from Nexusmods)
  • Try another Nvidia DLSS or AMD FSR quality level
  • Reduces RT shadow quality

  If your FPS continues to be unusually poor, turning off all overlays, including the Steam FPS counter, will also help.

  Your mouse just won’t stay in the game window?

  When does this problem occur? If you move your mouse too far to the left or right, it moves out of the game window and prevents you from controlling your character properly? This can also be caused by old mod remnants.

  The solution: Have you installed the popular Cyber Engine Tweaks in the past? Try to delete all remnants of this mod or install your game into an empty folder.

  V is barely recognisable in menus?

  When does the problem occur? Some players with AMD graphics cards complain about insufficiently lit character in character creation and inventory.

  The Solution: This appears to be an AMD driver issue. According to CD Projekt, AMD is currently investigating the underlying cause. As a temporary fix, you can downgrade to version 21.10.2

   

  Cyberpunk 2077: Developer officially turns down big player request

  Night City will not get a functioning underground network from CD Projekt Red. This is confirmed by a developer of Cyberpunk 2077 in an exchange with a fan

  Who doesn’t miss it: public transport. Already a real adventure in the real world, so what would underground rides be like in Cyberpunk 2077? A good question, to which we won’t get an answer for the time being, at least not from the official side.

   

  (For now) no underground for Night City

  The metro network of Cyberpunk 2077, or rather the absence of it, is a curious case. Before the release, various trailers, screenshots or gameplay footage showed a functioning underground, but it never made it into the finished game. Only remnants of it can be found – such as railway stations, rails or goods trains gondolaing around.

  No wonder that one or the other disappointed fan sorely misses this means of locomotion and fast travel. Packed subways and stations would undoubtedly contribute to the immersion of Cyberpunk 2077 and create a more genuine feeling of a living, stinking big city.

  However, at least for the time being, you should not hope that CD Projekt Red’s Night City will miss out on a Metro system or that it will be delivered later. Because as (Marcin Momot) – Global Community Director of CD Project Red – reveals, there are simply no plans for this. Accordingly, no future updates for Cyberpunk 2077 are likely to deliver an underground network:

  Spotted on Reddit. 👀 pic.twitter.com/hhLQGjdGXV

  – Cyberpunk 2077 Community (@CP2077Community) February 16, 2022
  

  Plans can change at any time, of course. But with this, at least for now, fans should not get their hopes up about exposing V to public transport in the foreseeable future. For that, however, there is – as so often – a suitable mod.

  What do you think about CD Projekt Red’s statement on the Night City underground network: Is this a feature you absolutely want to see in Cyberpunk 2077? Or can you do without it with a clear conscience?