Microsoft blames Windows gaming points on RGB lighting gadgets

Microsoft says ongoing points inflicting video games to crash or fail to launch after putting in the August 2026 Windows updates could also be attributable to peripherals with RGB lighting.

As Microsoft defined when it confirmed it is investigating on Wednesday, this identified concern impacts video games like ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and The Finals on methods working Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2.

“Following the release of Windows updates on August 11, 2026 (KB5121003) and later, Microsoft received reports of issues involving inability to run games as expected,” Microsoft mentioned on the Windows launch well being dashboard.

On impacted PCs, customers are additionally experiencing gaming freezes, “EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION” errors, and even sudden system restarts.

In a Thursday replace, Microsoft mentioned the gaming points could also be attributable to drivers or elements put in by RGB gadgets on affected Windows methods.

“Ongoing investigation indicates that this issue is related to peripherals or internal device components which have RGB lighting features. Such devices may install drivers or code components with file names similar to inpoutx64. In systems where these drivers are found, the issue is then triggered by launching certain games,” it noted.

“We are presently working to understand the relationship between these RGB components and the games which trigger this issue. We will provide an update when more information is available.”

Unofficial workaround shared by sport dev

Embark Studios, the Swedish online game developer behind ARC Raiders and The Finals, additionally mentioned these points are attributable to inpoutx64.sys, however added that they stem from adjustments made to the Windows kernel driver.

“We’re aware of a crash that has been impacting some players since the most recent Windows update (KB5121003). This is a crash related to the file inpoutx64.sys, which changed with the Windows update,” Embark said on Monday.

Until Microsoft ships an official repair, Embark shared a multi-step temporary workaround that requires customers to delete the service and take away the inpoutx64 file from the Windows drivers folder.

This is not the primary time Microsoft has needed to handle gaming efficiency and stability points attributable to Windows updates. For occasion, in October 2024, Microsoft blocked Windows 24H2 upgrades that triggered Asphalt 8 crashes and Easy Anti-Cheat blue screens.

In January 2025, it additionally lifted a compatibility maintain after fixing a bug within the Auto HDR Windows characteristic that was breaking some video games on Windows 11 24H2 gadgets.

Early final 12 months, Microsoft additionally eliminated a number of improve blocks that have been stopping Asphalt 8: Airborne, Assassin’s Creed, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora gamers from upgrading their gadgets to the most recent Windows model.