How to fix ‘crash on startup’ error in Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak

One of the most frustrating bugs in any game is not being able to play it. That's the issue users who are experiencing the “crash on startup” error in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak are facing. The error does exactly what it sounds like—crashes your game just as you try and start it. Here’s the fix.

Fixing 'crash on startup' in MHR Sunbreak

The first step is to verify your installation. The error is sometimes caused by an issue with the game not installing properly. Remember, you’ll need Monster Hunter Rise to have installed correctly and updated to play Monster Hunter Rise. On Nintendo Switch, you can reinstall a game purchased on the Nintendo eShop by navigating to your User Icon in the top-right corner of the shop settings and clicking Redownload. Navigate to Monster Hunter Rise and reinstall the game.

On Steam, this is even easier. Right-click the game in Steam and press Properties. Navigate to Local Files and click Verify integrity of game files. Alternatively, you can right-click the game and click Uninstall and then Reinstall the game. However, make sure you back up any saves before doing this, as it could delete your save data.

Related: When do new weapon Switch Skills unlock in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

Update your Graphics Drivers

The next step is to see if there’s an issue with any of your graphics drivers. On PC, you’ll need to make sure your graphics card is fully up to date with its display drivers. To make sure your drivers are up to date, access the Device Manager on your computer. Select display adapters and find your graphics card. You should see an option to update your drivers. Click Search automatically for drivers to download the latest ones for your computer. Some graphics cards will have their own interfaces for downloading drivers, in which case, you should use these for updating your drivers.

Miscellaneous troubleshooting 

• On PC, restart your computer and see if that fixes the issue. Next, use Task Manager to close any unnecessary background tasks. In some cases, these can disrupt your game.
• On Switch, make sure you completely shut down and restart your console. Don’t just put it to sleep. A full restart can solve many of the issues the console will face, and you might find you’re due for a software update.

If all these fail, your best option is patience. Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak released June 30, 2022, and the Capcom team is likely fast at work developing fixes for numerous bugs and issues with the game if you're reading this close to launch.

For more Monster Hunter Rise info and troubleshooting, check out How to prepare for Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak on Pro Game Guides.