Deadlock "Access violation" crash in matches (fixes)
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Last checked
October 5, 2026
Deadlock crashes once or twice per match with no dialog, and the crash dump (.mdmp) in the game folder is labelled "Accessviolation" or shows 0xC0000005 Access Violation, often naming a game DLL such as animationsystem.dll or scenesystem.dll.
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An access violation means the game read memory it shouldn't, which can be a bug in the game, a mod or leftover mod file, bad RAM, or an unstable CPU. Two players posted these crashes on Steam Discussions after the September 2026 update, and one said they'd had escalating matchmaking bans from crashing out of matches (5 days at the time of posting). A separate September 2025 thread traced the same 0xC0000005 crash, in scenesystem.dll, to an Intel 14th Gen CPU, and the poster stopped crashing after a motherboard BIOS update. Repliers suggested disabling mods, verifying files and testing RAM, but nobody confirmed a fix for the recent crashes. If Deadlock closes at the Valve logo instead, see the Deadlock crashing at launch page.
Fix it, step by step
Remove mods and any leftover mod files (unconfirmed)
Disable every mod, then verify the game files in Steam (right-click Deadlock > Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity). Repliers suggested this for a player whose crash dump named animationsystem.dll, and asked whether old mod files could clash with the update's changes. The poster hadn't used mods this update, and nobody reported it worked.
On an Intel 13th/14th Gen CPU, update your motherboard BIOS (one report)
A player with a 14th Gen CPU read their .mdmp in WinDbg (!analyze -v), found scenesystem.dll with 0xC0000005, ruled out the game files, GPU driver and RAM, then updated their motherboard BIOS (July 2025 version) and played ten matches without a crash. The post is from September 2025 and no one else confirmed it.
Test your RAM if the crash dumps name different DLLs (unconfirmed)
A reply said that if every dump points at the same DLL it may be a corrupt file, but if the DLL differs each time, faulty RAM is more likely. Windows Memory Diagnostic (mdsched.exe) is the built-in test. Nobody confirmed this was the cause for Deadlock.
- NoteUnconfirmed
No confirmed fix yet; this page will be updated. Crash dumps are in Steam\steamapps\common\Deadlock\game\bin\ (or the Windows CrashDumps folder), so attach one when reporting in the Bug Reports section of forums.playdeadlock.com. Crashing out of matches can add matchmaking bans, according to one poster, so avoid queueing while it keeps happening.
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