How To Fix the Last of Us PC Crash at Launch Issue

Ali Hashmi
Ali Hashmi
5 Min Read
The Last of Us Part 1 Screenshot

The Last of Us Part 1 is now available on PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store. Following Returnal, this is the second PlayStation Studio release on PC in 2023, and while the PC port is demanding, there are tons of graphical options to tweak with DLSS and FSR support. Like with every other modern PC release, there are a few technical problems. If you’re running into the Last of Us PC crash at launch issue, here are a few things I recommend doing.

1

Verify Game Files

The first thing you need to do is check the state of your game files. It’s possible that something went wrong during the download or installation process, which is why you’re running into a crash. Thankfully, you can verify your game files no matter what client you’re using.

Steam

  • Open Steam and navigate to your library
  • Right-click on The Last of Us Part 1 in your library
  • Click Properties
Steam > Library > Right-click The Last of Us Part 1 > Properties
Properties
  • Select the LOCAL FILES tab
  • Click on Verify Integrity of local files…
Properties > Local Files > Verify integrity of game files
Verify Integrity of game files

Epic Games Launcher

  • Open your Library in the Epic Games Launcher
Epic Games Launcher library
Epic Games Launcher Library
  • Now, click on the three dots next to The Last of Us Part 1
  • Here, select Manage
Library > Three Dots > Manage
Manage
  • Click on the Verify button next to Verify Files
Verify Button
Verify button

2

Update Your GPU Drivers

Make sure that you have the latest drivers for your GPU installed. You can get the latest ones from the links below.

NVIDIA (531.41) and AMD (23.3.2) have released drivers supporting The Last of Us Part 1.

GeForce Experience Drivers Download
GeForce Experience Drivers Download

3

Update DirectX and Visual C++ Redistributables

Ensure that both DirectX and Visual C++ Redistributables are on the latest version.

Download button for DirectX
DirectX Download

4

Switch to Dedicated GPU (Laptop Users)

Ensure that your dedicated GPU is being utilized instead of the integrated one.

Switching to the dedicated Nvidia GPU

  • First, open the Nvidia Control Panel
  • Then navigate to 3D Settings and then Manage 3D Settings
  • Open the tab Program Settings and choose The Last of Us Part 1 from the dropdown menu
  • Next, select the preferred graphics processor for this program from the second dropdown.
  • Your Nvidia GPU should show as High-performance Nvidia processor
  • Save the changes

Switching to the dedicated AMD GPU

  • First, open Radeon Settings
  • Then navigate to Preferences, followed by Additional Settings
  • Here, select Power and then Switchable Graphics Application Settings
  • Select The Last of Us Part 1 from the list of applications
  • If The Last of Us Part 1 isn’t in the list, click the Add Application button and select the executable from the installation directory. This adds the game to the list, and you’ll be able to select it afterward.
  • In Graphics Settings, assign the High-Performance profile to the game.

5

Update your Windows

Please ensure that you are on the latest version of Windows. The Last of Us Part 1 requires Windows 10 version 1909 or above, so you’ll need at least that. Updating is essential as many modern releases require the OS to have the latest updates.

Windows Update section in Settings
Check for Updates and ensure Windows is updated

We hope this guide helped fix the Last of Us PC crash at launch issue. Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

6

Let Windows Automatically Manage Virtual Memory

If you have a higher-end system, it’s possible that the Windows page file isn’t offering enough space to allocate the VRAM budget.

It’s recommended that you allow Windows to manage it automatically. This can be done by following the steps below.

  • In Windows Search, type “sysdm.cpl” and select the result under Best Match
Windows Search > sysdm.cpl in Best Match
sysdm.cpl in Windows Search
  • Select the Advanced tab, and then select Settings under Performance
System Properties > Advanced > Settings
System Properties
  • Here, select the Advanced tab
  • Click on Change under Virtual Memory
Performance Options > Advanced > Change
Performance Options
  • Now, check “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives
Virtual Memory > Automatically manage paging file size for all drives
Automatically manage paging file size for all drives
  • Press OK after you’ve checked it

We hope this guide helped fix the Last of Us Part 1 crash at launch issue. Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

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Gaming enthusiast, massive Soulsborne fan with hundreds of hours spread across different Soulslike titles, and a passionate writer. Always on the lookout for interesting games with unique mechanics and design especially in the indie space. He loves to write informative guides for newer and ongoing releases.
1 Comment
  • I found a way that worked
    Basically let the game crash then you will get two pop ups on relaunching the game.
    I skipped the one about safe mode and then one popped up asking to monitor the game as I play and I accepted that and it never crashed again. I also deactivated antivirus software on this run so I don’t know if that was the issue but after them two steps it ran for about 5 hours perfectly and no issues.

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