Microsoft has acknowledged a new Windows 11 problem that can cause certain games to freeze, close unexpectedly, show errors, or in some cases restart the entire PC.
The issue is linked to the August 11 KB5121003 update for Windows 11 version 25H2. It may also affect Experimental Preview Build 26340.9212, making the problem relevant to both regular and preview installations.
The fault appears to involve the inpoutx64 driver, which is commonly used by RGB control tools, hardware monitoring utilities, fan control software, and some system tuning applications. Microsoft has published a temporary workaround, although it requires changing the Windows registry and may disable features that depend on the affected driver.
Several Unreal Engine 5 games are affected
The known reports currently involve multiple games built with Unreal Engine 5. Affected titles include Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, Arc Raiders, and The Finals.
The symptoms are not limited to simple crashes. Depending on the system, a game may become unresponsive, close without warning, show an error message, or trigger a complete system restart.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Windows version | Windows 11 25H2 |
| Problem update | KB5121003 |
| Update release | August 11, 2026 |
| Driver involved | inpoutx64 |
| Known affected games | Marvel Tōkon, Arc Raiders, The Finals |
| Possible symptoms | Freezes, crashes, errors, PC restarts |
| Temporary fix | Disable inpoutx64 through the registry |
| Main drawback | RGB, monitoring, fan control, tuning, or macro functions may stop working |
The inpoutx64 driver allows software running at the user level to communicate more directly with hardware. Although the driver was originally created for older hardware access, it is still used by modern utilities that control RGB lighting, monitor system information, adjust cooling behavior, or expose low level hardware functions.
That connection explains why the bug may appear on systems with certain RGB peripherals or motherboard control applications installed.
Microsoft's workaround disables the affected driver
Microsoft's temporary fix involves changing the Start value for the inpoutx64 service to 4, which disables the driver after a reboot.
You can reach the relevant location in Registry Editor under:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\inpoutx64
The Start value must then be changed to 4 before restarting the PC.
This workaround should only be considered if the gaming issue is actively affecting your system. Editing the registry carries risk, so creating a backup before making changes is important.
Disabling inpoutx64 can also create new problems. RGB lighting software may stop working correctly, hardware monitoring tools could lose access to some sensors, fan control applications may be affected, and memory tuning or other system utilities could lose functionality. Some keyboard macro features may also depend on software that uses the driver.
For that reason, the workaround is a tradeoff rather than a complete solution. If disabling the driver causes more problems than the original game crashes, restoring the previous configuration may be the better option.
An official fix is still needed
The issue adds another compatibility problem to Windows 11 at a time when Microsoft is trying to improve gaming reliability and overall system performance.
If you have already installed KB5121003 and your games are working normally, there is no clear reason to change your registry. The problem appears to depend on specific software and hardware combinations.
For affected players, however, the current choices are limited to using the temporary driver workaround, removing or avoiding conflicting software where possible, or waiting for Microsoft to issue a proper update that resolves the conflict without disabling hardware control features.
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