Windows 11 security update crashes Arc Raiders multiplayer games
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A Windows 11 security update caused crashes in some multiplayer games, including Arc Raiders and The Finals, prompting Arc Raiders developer Embark to issue a quick workaround while it prepared a permanent fix. The issue mattered because it could interrupt matches and, in some cases, trigger system restarts, despite the affected update being a routine mandatory security patch that most players could not simply skip.
The update in question, KB5121003, was released on 11 August for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. Embark traced the conflict to the inpoutx64.sys driver and published steps to stop and remove that service and file as a temporary fix; uninstalling the update entirely was another reported workaround, though doing so would have stripped out its security fixes.
- Windows 11 update KB5121003 broke Arc Raiders and The Finals
- Embark linked the crashes to the inpoutx64.sys driver
- Workaround: remove that driver, or uninstall the update
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Windows 11 updates are delivered regularly to patch security flaws, and installing them is normally mandatory rather than optional for most users. Occasionally these updates clash with other software running on a PC, including games, causing crashes or other problems. This is one such case, affecting people who play certain online multiplayer titles.
Arc Raiders and The Finals are both multiplayer games made by Embark Studios, a games developer. Embark has become known for responding quickly to technical problems affecting its games, and in this instance has put out its own guidance for players while Microsoft addresses the issue at the source.
The situation matters because it highlights a recurring tension: security updates are meant to protect users, but they can also introduce unexpected side effects that disrupt everyday use, in this case interrupting people mid-game or affecting their PC's stability. It also shows how individual software makers sometimes step in with fixes for problems that originate in someone else's product.
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Originally published by PC Gamer as “The latest Windows 11 update is borking some multiplayer games, but Arc Raiders’ developer has a quick workaround”.