NVIDIA's 576.76 GPU Hotfix Driver Arrives To Fix Crashes In These Games
NVIDIA has released yet another out-of-band GeForce hotfix driver to resolve persistent crashing issues in a handful of games. Curiously, one of those games is Dune: Awakening (as pictured above), which doesn't actually release to the public at large for another six days. Even the 'Advanced Access' period for those who pre-purchased the game won't be able to play it until tomorrow.
Be that as it may, the release notes for NVIDIA's new 576.66 GPU hotfix notes that Dune: Awakening "may crash during gameplay." Evidently, it's an issue that came up during play testing ahead of the game's release, and NVIDIA's been able to figure out the root cause and dole out a fix, just in time for the Advanced Access period.
In case you're not familiar with NVIDIA's hotfixes, they're essentially updated driver packages with fixes for specific issues. They're not doled out through the NVIDIA App; instead, you have to manually download and install them, though you should only do so if you're experiencing any of the issues listed in the release notes. Otherwise, there's no benefit. Furthermore, the same fixes get applied to the next regular driver release anyway.
"These drivers are basically the same as the previous released version, with a small number of additional targeted fixes. The fixes that make it in are based in part on your feedback in the Driver Feedback threads and partly on how realistic it is for us to quickly address them. These fixes (and many more) will be incorporated into the next official driver release, at which time the hotfix driver will be taken down. To be sure, these hotfix drivers are beta, optional and provided as-is," NVIDIA explains.
As it applies to the 576.66 GPU hotfix, it addresses a couple of issues specific to the GeForce RTX 50 series, along with a few other fixes. Here's the full list...
- Dune: Awakening may crash during gameplay
- EA Sports FC 25 may crash during gameplay
- [RTX 50 series] Dragons Dogma 2 displays shadow flicker
- [RTX 50 series] Video playback in a web browser may show brief red/green flash corruption
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 may crash
NVIDIA's driver team has been especially busy since the GeForce RTX 50 series launch. Gamers have complained about game crashes and black screens, along with other issues, resulting in an unusual number of hotfixes being doled in out in a relatively short period of time.
In regards to this one, NVIDIA gave a heads up on X, which quickly elicited replies pointing out ongoing issues not addressed by this hotfix. So, it's not a cure all for every issue. That said, if you're experiencing any of the issues above, you can give the 576.66 hotfix a try.
