Vulcan Crashes Doom 2016 Alt Tab

Caroline Mae

2 min read

·

06-01-2025

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The highly anticipated Vulkan API, promising enhanced graphics performance, has unfortunately introduced a significant issue for players of Doom (2016): alt-tabbing crashes. This problem, impacting a considerable portion of the player base, disrupts gameplay and necessitates a workaround.

The Problem: Unexpected CTDs

Numerous reports across various gaming forums and social media platforms highlight a consistent crash-to-desktop (CTD) when attempting to alt-tab out of Doom (2016) while using the Vulkan renderer. This isn't a minor inconvenience; it completely interrupts gameplay, forcing players to restart the game and potentially lose unsaved progress. The issue seems independent of hardware specifications, affecting both high-end and mid-range systems.

Investigating the Cause

While the precise cause remains elusive, preliminary investigations point towards a potential incompatibility between Doom (2016)'s Vulkan implementation and certain system configurations or background processes. Some speculate that conflicts with other applications or drivers may be contributing factors. Id Software, the game's developer, has yet to release an official statement or patch addressing the problem directly.

Workarounds and Solutions

Until a permanent fix arrives, players can employ several workarounds to mitigate the crashing:

• Minimize Instead of Alt-Tab: Instead of using the standard alt-tabbing method, try minimizing the game window using the window's minimize button. This approach appears to be less disruptive for some users.
• Disable Background Applications: Before launching Doom (2016), temporarily close any unnecessary background applications or services that might be competing for resources.
• Update Drivers: Ensuring your graphics drivers are fully updated is crucial. Outdated drivers can frequently introduce instability.
• Reinstall the Game: As a last resort, reinstalling Doom (2016) may resolve the issue if corrupted game files are to blame.
• Switch to OpenGL: If tolerable, revert to the OpenGL rendering option. While it might result in slightly lower performance, it eliminates the alt-tabbing crashes.

Looking Ahead: Awaiting a Patch

The Doom (2016) Vulkan alt-tabbing crash remains a frustrating obstacle for many players. While the aforementioned workarounds provide temporary solutions, a proper fix from Id Software is urgently needed. We'll continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available. We strongly encourage affected users to report the issue through official channels to expedite a resolution.