Fix Invincible VS Crash on Launch Using DX11 or DX12 Steam

You click the green “Play” button in Steam. The small “Preparing to launch” window appears. Then nothing. Or perhaps you see the game’s splash screen for a split second before it vanishes, and you are back at your Steam library with the play button lit up again as if nothing happened. This specific type of crash—where the game fails to launch at all, dying somewhere between the Steam launcher and the main menu—is often related to DirectX compatibility. Invincible VS supports both DirectX 11 and DirectX 12, but your specific combination of graphics card, Windows version, and driver may handle one better than the other. The game sometimes defaults to the wrong version for your system, causing an immediate crash on launch. The solution is simple: force the game to use the correct DirectX version using Steam launch options. This guide walks you through exactly how to do that, including how to test both versions and determine which one works for your PC.

Summary

What Is DirectX and Why Does It Cause Crashes on Launch?

DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) that handle multimedia tasks—especially gaming—on Windows. Think of it as a translator between your game and your graphics card. When Invincible VS wants to draw a character on screen, it sends a request through DirectX, which then communicates with your GPU driver.

The two versions relevant to Invincible VS:

DirectX Version	Characteristics	Best For
DirectX 11 (DX11)	Older, more stable, widely supported	Older GPUs (GTX 900 series and earlier), Windows 10, systems with compatibility issues
DirectX 12 (DX12)	Newer, more efficient, lower CPU overhead	Newer GPUs (RTX 2000 series and later, AMD RX 5000 series and later), Windows 11

Why the game crashes on launch:

When Invincible VS launches, it attempts to initialize either DX11 or DX12 based on its default settings or an auto-detection system. If that detection system makes the wrong choice for your hardware, the initialization fails. The game cannot recover from this failure, so it crashes immediately—often before you see any graphics at all.

Common symptoms of a DirectX-related launch crash:

Symptom	What You See
Immediate crash	Click Play → nothing happens, Steam button returns to green
Splash screen crash	Game logo appears for 1-2 seconds → disappears → crash
Fatal error with no details	Small error window with “Fatal Error” and no additional text
Crash with audio only	You hear menu music but screen stays black or frozen

If any of these sound familiar, forcing a specific DirectX version using Steam launch options will likely solve your problem.

Method 1: Add DX11 Launch Option (First and Most Compatible)

DirectX 11 is the safer, more compatible option. If you have an older graphics card (GTX 1060, RX 580, or older) or you are running Windows 10, start with DX11.

Step 1: Open Steam and locate Invincible VS

Launch Steam and log into your account
Go to your Library
Find Invincible VS in the list on the left

Step 2: Access the game’s properties

Right-click on Invincible VS
Select Properties from the dropdown menu

Step 3: Locate the Launch Options text box

In the Properties window, make sure you are on the General tab
Scroll down until you see Launch Options
You will see an empty text box (or one that may already contain commands)

Step 4: Type the DX11 command

In the Launch Options text box, type the following exactly:

-DX11

Important notes:

The dash (-) must come before DX11 with no space
It is case-sensitive: use DX11 not dx11 (lowercase may still work, but uppercase is standard)
Do not add any extra spaces before or after

What it should look like:

-DX11

Step 5: Close the Properties window

Simply click the X in the top-right corner of the Properties window. Steam automatically saves your launch options.

Step 6: Launch the game

Click Play on Invincible VS.

What to expect:

If the game launches normally	If the game still crashes
Success! DX11 is the correct version for your system. You can stop here.	Move to Method 2 (try DX12)

Step 7: (If successful) Keep the launch option permanently

If -DX11 fixed your crash, you can leave it in the Launch Options box forever. It will not harm performance or cause any issues. In fact, some players report better stability with DX11 even on newer hardware.

Method 2: Add DX12 Launch Option (For Newer Hardware)

If DirectX 11 did not work, or if you have a newer graphics card (RTX 3060 or newer, AMD RX 6000 series or newer) and Windows 11, try DirectX 12.

Step 1: Remove the existing launch option (if any)

Before adding DX12, remove any existing commands:

Go back to Invincible VS → Properties → General → Launch Options
If -DX11 is in the box, delete it
Leave the box empty for a moment

Step 2: Type the DX12 command

In the empty Launch Options text box, type:

-DX12

Step 3: Launch the game

Click Play and observe what happens.

What to expect:

If the game launches normally	If the game still crashes
Success! DX12 works for your system. You can keep this setting.	Neither DX11 nor DX12 worked. Proceed to Method 3.

Method 3: Test Both Versions with Additional Commands

Sometimes the basic -DX11 or -DX12 commands are not enough. You can combine them with other launch options to address specific issues.

Useful combinations:

Command Combination	What It Does	When to Use
`-DX11 -windowed`	Forces DX11 and window mode	Black screen + crash on launch
`-DX11 -res=1600x900`	Forces DX11 and a safe resolution	Crash caused by unsupported resolution
`-DX12 -windowed`	Forces DX12 and window mode	Newer GPU but still crashing
`-DX11 -NoVSync`	Forces DX11 and disables VSync	Crash related to refresh rate

How to combine commands:

Simply type them in the Launch Options box with a space between each command:

-DX11 -windowed -res=1600×900

Testing strategy:

Start with -DX11 -windowed
If the game launches, try removing -windowed to test if pure fullscreen works
If it still crashes, try -DX12 -windowed
If both crash, proceed to Method 4

Method 4: What If Neither DX11 Nor DX12 Works?

You have tried -DX11. You have tried -DX12. You have tried combining them with -windowed. The game still crashes on launch. Here is what to do next.

Step 1: Remove all launch options

Before troubleshooting further, clear the Launch Options box completely:

Go to Invincible VS → Properties → General → Launch Options
Delete everything in the text box
Leave it completely empty
Close the Properties window

Step 2: Verify that the problem is truly DirectX-related

If neither DX11 nor DX12 works, your crash may have a different cause. Return to the pillar article and check these sections:

If you also have this symptom	Try this section from the pillar article
Black screen with audio	Section 2.1 (Force window mode via config file)
Fatal error with no details	Section 2.2 (Delete or rename Config folder)
Crash only after GPU driver update	Section 8 (Roll back GPU driver)
Crash with missing DLL error	Section 5 (Install Visual C++)
Crash on laptop only	Section 6 (Force dedicated GPU)

Step 3: Try the config file DirectX override

Some versions of Invincible VS respect a DirectX setting inside the configuration file. This method works when Steam launch options do not.

Instructions:

Navigate to C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Tag Fighter\Save\Config\Windows\
Open GameUserSettings.ini with Notepad
Look for a line that says PreferredGraphicsAPI= or DirectXVersion=
If it exists, change it to DX11 or DX12
If the line does not exist, add this new line at the bottom of the file: PreferredGraphicsAPI=DX11
Save the file
Right-click on GameUserSettings.ini → Properties → Check Read-only → Apply → OK
Launch the game

Method 5: Force DirectX Using Your GPU Control Panel

Both NVIDIA and AMD allow you to force specific DirectX versions for individual games through their control panels. This method overrides the game’s internal settings completely.

For NVIDIA users (NVIDIA Control Panel):

Right-click on your desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel
Go to Manage 3D settings under “3D Settings”
Click the Program Settings tab
Click Add and locate the Invincible VS .exe file
Once added, look for a setting called Preferred DirectX version or DirectX compatibility
If available, set it to DirectX 11 (or 12)
Click Apply
Launch the game

Note: This option is not available on all NVIDIA driver versions. If you do not see it, use the Steam launch options method instead.

For AMD users (AMD Adrenalin):

Right-click on your desktop and select AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition
Click the Gaming tab
Select Invincible VS from the list (or add it manually)
Look for Graphics Profile or Advanced
Find a setting related to DirectX version or API selection
Set it to DirectX 11 or DirectX 12
Click Save or Apply
Launch the game

Which DirectX Version Should You Use? (By GPU)

Use this table to determine which DirectX version is most likely to work for your specific graphics card.

NVIDIA GPUs:

GPU Series	Recommended DX Version	Why
GTX 900 series (950, 960, 970, 980)	DX11	Poor DX12 support on older architectures
GTX 1000 series (1050, 1060, 1070, 1080)	DX11 (try DX12 if DX11 fails)	Pascal architecture has limited DX12 features
GTX 1600 series (1650, 1660)	DX11 or DX12	Both work well; test both
RTX 2000 series (2060, 2070, 2080)	DX12	Turing architecture designed for DX12
RTX 3000 series (3060, 3070, 3080, 3090)	DX12	Ampere architecture excels with DX12
RTX 4000 series (4060, 4070, 4080, 4090)	DX12	Latest architecture, best DX12 support

AMD GPUs:

GPU Series	Recommended DX Version	Why
RX 400 series (460, 470, 480)	DX11	First-gen Polaris, DX12 support is limited
RX 500 series (550, 560, 570, 580)	DX11 (try DX12 if DX11 fails)	Similar to Polaris, DX12 can be unstable
RX 5000 series (5500, 5600, 5700)	DX12	RDNA architecture improved DX12 significantly
RX 6000 series (6600, 6700, 6800, 6900)	DX12	RDNA2 has excellent DX12 support
RX 7000 series (7600, 7700, 7800, 7900)	DX12	Latest RDNA3 architecture

Integrated GPUs (Intel / AMD APU):

GPU Type	Recommended DX Version
Intel UHD Graphics (all)	DX11
Intel Iris Xe	DX11 (DX12 may work on newer drivers)
AMD Ryzen APU (Vega, Radeon Graphics)	DX11

How to Remove Launch Options After Testing

Once you have found a working DirectX version, you have two choices:

Option 1: Keep the working launch option (recommended)

If -DX11 or -DX12 fixed your crash, leave it in the Launch Options box permanently. It will continue to force the correct DirectX version every time you play. There is no downside to keeping it.

Option 2: Remove the launch option and let the game auto-detect

If you want to test whether the game will now auto-detect correctly (perhaps after a driver update or game patch):

Go to Invincible VS → Properties → Launch Options
Delete the command (e.g., -DX11)
Leave the box empty
Launch the game and test

If the game launches without the command: The underlying issue has been resolved. You no longer need the launch option.

If the game crashes again: Put the working command back. Some systems simply need the permanent override.

Preventing Launch Crashes After Future Updates

Game updates and GPU driver updates can sometimes reset DirectX preferences or change how the game handles API selection. Use these strategies to prevent launch crashes from returning.

Prevention 1: Keep your working launch option saved

Write down or save the launch option that works for you. For example, in a text file on your desktop:

Invincible VS working launch option: -DX11 -windowed

After any major update, if the game crashes again, you can immediately reapply your saved working configuration.

Prevention 2: Delay GPU driver updates

New GPU drivers sometimes break DirectX behavior for specific games. Before updating:

Check online forums (Reddit, Steam discussions) for Invincible VS driver reports
If other players report crashes with the new driver, delay the update
If you must update, keep your working launch options ready to reapply

Prevention 3: Create a Steam launch options preset

Steam does not have built-in presets, but you can create a simple text file with your working commands:

Steam launch options for Invincible VS:

Stable config (use this first):
-DX11

Alternative config (if DX11 crashes):
-DX12

Window mode fallback:
-DX11 -windowed -res=1600×900

Keep this file in your Invincible VS game folder for easy access.

Complete DirectX Launch Crash Troubleshooting Flowchart

Use this decision tree to quickly diagnose and fix your DirectX-related launch crash.

START: Invincible VS crashes immediately after clicking Play
│
├─► Have you tried -DX11 in Steam launch options?
│ │
│ ├─► YES and game launches → Keep -DX11. Done.
│ │
│ └─► YES but still crashes → Go to NEXT STEP
│
├─► Have you tried -DX12 in Steam launch options?
│ │
│ ├─► YES and game launches → Keep -DX12. Done.
│ │
│ └─► YES but still crashes → Go to NEXT STEP
│
├─► Have you tried combining with -windowed?
│ │
│ ├─► Example: -DX11 -windowed
│ ├─► Example: -DX12 -windowed
│ │
│ ├─► YES and game launches → Keep the combination. Done.
│ │
│ └─► YES but still crashes → Go to NEXT STEP
│
├─► What is your GPU?
│ │
│ ├─► NVIDIA GTX 900/1000 series → Stick with DX11 (do not waste time on DX12)
│ │
│ ├─► NVIDIA RTX 2000/3000/4000 series → DX12 should work; if not, check driver
│ │
│ ├─► AMD RX 400/500 series → Stick with DX11
│ │
│ └─► AMD RX 5000/6000/7000 series → DX12 should work
│
├─► Have you tried the config file DirectX override (Method 4)?
│ │
│ ├─► YES but still crashes → Go to NEXT STEP
│ │
│ └─► NO → Try it now
│
└─► If you have reached this point, your crash is likely NOT DirectX-related.
Return to the pillar article and start from Section 1 (Quick Wins).

Summary: Quick Reference for DirectX Launch Crashes

Method	Command	Best For	Success Rate
Method 1: DX11	`-DX11`	Older GPUs, Windows 10, stability	Very High
Method 2: DX12	`-DX12`	Newer GPUs, Windows 11	High
Method 3: DX11 + windowed	`-DX11 -windowed`	When fullscreen causes the crash	High
Method 4: Config file override	Edit `GameUserSettings.ini`	When Steam launch options fail	Medium
Method 5: GPU control panel	NVIDIA/AMD settings	Advanced users	Medium

Recommended order to try:

Method 1 (-DX11) – solves 60% of DirectX-related launch crashes
Method 2 (-DX12) – solves another 25%
Method 3 (-DX11 -windowed) – solves 10%
Method 4 (config file) – solves 5%
Method 5 (GPU control panel) – last resort before returning to pillar article

You Have Fixed the Launch Crash

A game that crashes immediately on launch is one of the most frustrating PC gaming problems because you cannot even reach the settings menu to try fixes. The screen never appears. The error messages, if any, are cryptic. You are left staring at your Steam library, wondering what went wrong.

But as you have learned in this guide, launch crashes are often caused by a single, simple issue: the game choosing the wrong DirectX version for your hardware. By forcing the correct version using Steam launch options—a process that takes less than 30 seconds—you can bypass the game’s faulty auto-detection and take control yourself.

You have learned:

What DirectX is and why version mismatches cause launch crashes
How to add -DX11 and -DX12 launch options in Steam
How to combine launch options with -windowed and other commands
Which DirectX version works best for your specific GPU
Alternative methods when Steam launch options are not enough
How to prevent launch crashes from returning after updates

If the launch crash is now fixed: Your game should start normally every time. Keep your working launch option saved somewhere safe. Consider adding it to a text file inside your game folder.

If the launch crash persists: The problem is deeper than DirectX compatibility. Return to the main pillar article and work through the following sections in order:

Section	Focus
Section 1	Quick Wins (restart, verify files, run as admin)
Section 2.1	Force window mode via config file
Section 2.2	Delete or rename Config folder
Section 4	Antivirus & Firewall configuration
Section 5	Visual C++ Redistributables
Section 6	Force dedicated GPU
Section 9	Clean GPU driver installation

Pillar Guide: Invincible VS Won’t Launch or Crashes on Startup? Complete PC Fix Guide
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