Windows 11 gamers are facing another frustrating problem after the latest August update, and this time, RGB lighting software appears to be at the center of the issue.
Microsoft has confirmed that certain games can freeze, crash, throw “EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION” errors, or even cause unexpected system restarts on affected PCs. The company says its investigation points toward RGB-enabled peripherals and internal components, specifically the drivers or software installed to control their lighting.
RGB Lighting Drivers Are Causing Trouble
The issue has been reported following Microsoft’s KB5121003 update for Windows 11. Microsoft says the affected systems may have RGB components that install drivers or code with names similar to inpoutx64.
According to Microsoft, the problem affects peripherals or internal hardware components that include RGB lighting. When certain games are launched on systems containing the problematic components, the game can become unstable.
This is particularly interesting because the RGB hardware itself doesn’t necessarily appear to be defective. Instead, the conflict seems to involve the low-level drivers and software used to control the lighting.
The inpoutx64.sys driver has previously been associated with RGB-control software and other utilities that need low-level access to PC hardware. Microsoft Q&A discussions also identify the driver as something commonly used by RGB lighting software.
ARC Raiders and Other Games Are Affected
So far, Microsoft has specifically identified several games affected by the problem:
- ARC Raiders
- MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls
- The Finals
Players have reported different symptoms depending on their hardware and software configuration. These include complete game freezes, crashes to the desktop, EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION errors and, in some cases, automatic Windows restarts.
The problem appears especially troublesome for players of ARC Raiders and The Finals, both developed by Embark Studios. The developer has separately linked crashes to changes involving inpoutx64.sys after the Windows update.
Why Anti-Cheat Could Be Part of the Problem
One possible explanation is the way modern anti-cheat systems interact with low-level drivers.
Drivers such as inpoutx64.sys can operate at a very low level within Windows, giving software access to hardware resources. That can be useful for RGB control and hardware-monitoring utilities, but it can also attract scrutiny from security and anti-cheat software.
The August Windows update appears to have changed how certain low-level driver behavior is handled. That may expose compatibility problems that previously went unnoticed, potentially causing games or their anti-cheat systems to fail when the affected driver is present.
However, Microsoft has not yet confirmed the exact technical cause. The company says it is still working to understand the relationship between the RGB components and the games triggering the issue.
Microsoft Is Still Investigating
For now, Microsoft has not released a permanent fix.
The company is investigating the issue and says it will provide more information when it has a clearer understanding of the problem. That means affected gamers may need to wait for a Windows update or driver/software update that resolves the compatibility issue.
Some game developers and users have already discussed temporary workarounds involving the problematic driver, while another option is rolling back the August Windows update. However, removing a security update can leave a PC without important security fixes, so users should be cautious about taking that route.
What Windows 11 Gamers Should Do
If your games suddenly started crashing after installing the August update, it may be worth checking whether your PC has RGB-control software or hardware utilities that install low-level drivers.
That could include software used to control RGB lighting on keyboards, mice, motherboards, memory modules, fans, controllers and other gaming components.
For now, the safest approach is to avoid deleting system drivers unless you know exactly which application installed them and to wait for an official fix where possible.
Microsoft’s investigation is particularly important because RGB lighting has become almost standard across modern gaming PCs. If the problem is ultimately caused by a broader compatibility change in Windows, the impact could extend beyond the three games currently identified.
Bottom Line
What initially looked like another Windows 11 gaming bug is turning into a much more unusual driver compatibility problem.
Microsoft is now pointing toward RGB-enabled hardware and low-level lighting drivers, with files resembling inpoutx64 appearing to be involved. Games such as ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls and The Finals can freeze, crash, display access-violation errors or trigger unexpected restarts on affected systems.
The investigation is still ongoing, so the exact cause — and whether Windows, the RGB drivers, or anti-cheat software is ultimately responsible — remains unclear.
For gamers, though, one thing is already clear: that glowing RGB hardware on your desk might be connected to why your game keeps crashing.
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