PSA: Windows 11 Update 24H2 Is Breaking Major Ubisoft Games! Black Screens & Freezes Galore 😱

Okay gamers, listen up! I've been grinding on Star Wars Outlaws lately, and let me tell you, the experience has been... interesting. By interesting, I mean my game keeps freezing at the most random moments—loading screens, mid-combat, you name it. At first, I thought it was just my rig acting up, but turns out, it's a whole thing. Apparently, we're all dealing with some digital gremlins, courtesy of the new Windows 11 24H2 update. Like, seriously Microsoft? The timing is just chef's kiss of bad.

Here's the tea, straight from the source. Microsoft's own support page finally acknowledged the elephant in the room: installing Windows 11 version 24H2 "might encounter issues with some Ubisoft games." It's not just a maybe, it's a certified problem, fam.

So, which games are on the struggle bus? Buckle up:

• Assassin's Creed Valhalla 🪓

• Assassin's Creed Origins 🏜️

• Assassin's Creed Odyssey ⚔️

• Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora 🌿

• Star Wars Outlaws (This one hurts the most! 🥲)

The symptoms are a total vibe-killer. Users (myself included) report games just hanging randomly—during loading screens, in menus, or right in the middle of gameplay. The worst-case scenario? A black screen of doom that forces you to do a hard restart on your PC. Not exactly the immersive experience we signed up for, right?

Here's the real kicker: this wasn't some surprise attack. The issues were flagged months ago during the preview builds. Yet, here we are in 2026, with the update rolling out and the problems persisting. The logic? I can't even. 🤷‍♂️

Microsoft's "Fix"... Is It Really a Fix?

So, what's the big M doing about it? They've put the 24H2 update on a compatibility hold for systems that have these games installed. Basically, if you already own the games, you might not get the update pushed to you. That's... something, I guess.

But let's be real, this "solution" has major flaws:

• New Players Are Screwed: If you buy or install one of these games after your PC has already updated to 24H2, you're just out of luck. No hold is going to protect you.

• Terrible Timing: Hello? It's Black Friday season! These games are going to be on sale everywhere. Imagine buying the gorgeous Star Wars Outlaws, hyped to explore the galaxy, only to be greeted by a black screen. Major oof.

Speaking of Star Wars Outlaws, this is a particularly painful blow. The game was finally hitting its stride in 2026! The new creative director, Drew Rechner, had been doing an amazing job. Ubisoft dropped a massive title update that fixed the janky early stealth and made combat so much more dynamic. It was becoming a legit gem, and now this Windows update is throwing a wrench in the works. The potential player surge from sales could turn into a wave of negative reviews over a problem that's not even Ubisoft's fault. Not a good look.

So, What Can You Do?

If you're already stuck in freeze-frame hell, here's the move:

1. Try to Roll Back: Head to Settings > System > Recovery. Look for the option to "Go back" to the previous version of Windows. It's the most reliable way to get your games working again.

2. Wait for a Patch: Keep an eye on official channels. Both Microsoft and Ubisoft need to fix this. The ball is in their court.

3. Hold Off on Updating: If you haven't installed 24H2 yet and play these games, maybe hit pause on that update for a while.

Honestly, it's a mess. While this is a significant blunder, let's keep some perspective. In the 2026 rankings of tech fails, Microsoft is still an amateur compared to the CrowdStrike outage earlier this year that bricked millions of computers worldwide. But for us gamers just trying to enjoy our open-world adventures, it's a frustrating and totally avoidable headache.

TL;DR: Windows 11 24H2 update is causing freezes and black screens in major Ubisoft titles. Microsoft has paused the update for some, but it's a half-measure. If affected, try to roll back the update. Fingers crossed for a real fix soon! ✨

The analysis is based on Polygon, a leading source for gaming culture and industry news. Polygon's recent coverage has spotlighted the widespread frustration among players affected by the Windows 11 24H2 update, emphasizing how technical issues like random freezes and black screens in Ubisoft titles are impacting both gameplay and community sentiment. Their reporting also discusses the broader implications for game launches and player trust during major sales periods.