Microsoft has flagged compatibility issues between Windows 11, version 24H2, and several popular Ubisoft games. The affected titles include Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Assassin’s Creed Origins, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.
Users have reported that these games may become unresponsive during various stages — whether at launch, during loading screens, or even in active gameplay. A black screen sometimes appears, further disrupting the gaming experience.
Ubisoft has rolled out a temporary fix for Star Wars Outlaws to mitigate the impact. While this measure prevents the game from completely failing or freezing, it doesn’t address potential performance issues some players might still encounter. Other games remain without specific patches for now.
Acknowledging the seriousness of the issue, Microsoft has introduced a compatibility hold for devices with these games installed. This hold prevents affected systems from receiving the Windows 11, version 24H2 update through the standard Windows Update channel.
“We recommend that you do not attempt to manually update to version 24H2 using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant or the media creation tool until this issue has been resolved,” Microsoft explains.
IT administrators can track these compatibility blocks using safeguard IDs 54437462 and 54580160 in Windows Update for Business reports.
Microsoft has also strongly advised against manually updating to version 24H2 using tools like Windows 11 Installation Assistant or the Media Creation Tool, urging users to wait until a resolution is available.
For gamers encountering unresponsive Ubisoft titles, Microsoft recommends a manual workaround to regain control:
- Launch Task Manager: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc or right-click the Start button and select Task Manager.
- End the task: Navigate to the Processes tab, locate the game (or its launcher), select it, and click End Task.
This procedure will forcibly close the game, though it is a temporary measure at best.
As of now, Microsoft and Ubisoft are collaborating on a permanent solution to these issues.
Microsoft said that the issue is limited to devices running Windows 11, version 24H2. No server platforms are impacted.
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