Playing a new game means you get to experience a new world with a unique setting, but this is almost always accompanied by bugs and errors. Similarly, with the global release of Wuthering Waves in May 2024, players have been encountering various errors in-game. While some have reported encountering the error code 126, others are complaining that the game doesn’t even launch on their systems. That said, an error that has been troubling a lot of players on PC is the error code 258. So, what is this error? Why does it occur? We have shared all the details regarding the same, as well as workarounds on how to fix the problem. So, consider reading until the end if you too are facing the same issue.
The error code 258 in Wuthering Waves is a Fatal Error that occurs whenever you try to launch the game. Due to this error, the game crashes, and you won’t be able to play it. Now, the Fatal Error is pretty common in various games and is not limited to Wuthering Waves only. Due to this, there are various workarounds available that you can try to fix the issue, as these workarounds have fixed the issue in other games too. So, without further ado, let’s get right into it.
Also read: Wuthering Waves 1.1 Release date, banners & more details
Wuthering Waves error 258: How to fix it
Well, there is no official fix for this problem, and you shouldn’t expect one. Why? Because this is not a game-related error, but rather a system-related one. So, a few tweaks in your system should be enough to fix the problem. We have shared some basic workarounds first, and then some more complex ones. But if you follow them step by step, you shouldn’t have any problem trying them out.
1) Restart
Fatal Errors in games can be the result of incompatible programs running in the background. So, to make sure this isn’t the case, begin by restarting your PC and then launching the game. If the issue was indeed related to this, a restart will be all you need to get rid of it.
2) Verify Game Files
Next comes the Verify Game Files method, which is quite a popular workaround on Steam. But wait. Wuthering Waves is not available on Steam. So, you will need to verify the game files via the game’s own launcher or via the Epic Games Launcher. To do this on the Epic Games Launcher, first, launch the client, go to Library, and then click on the game’s tile. Here, you should see a three-dot button. Select it. Now, click on Manage, and then Verify. This will initiate the verification process. Once it is completed, launch the game to check if the issue persists.
3) Disable Full Screen Optimization and Reduce Native Resolution
For this workaround, begin by heading to the game’s installation directory and finding the game’s .exe file. Once found, right-click on it, and then select the Properties option. Now, switch to the Compatibility tab, and then make sure that the Disable Fullscreen Optimization option and the Run as Administrator option are checkmarked. Once done, select Apply and Ok. After this, go to the Settings menu of your system, click on System, and select the Display tab. Now, under the Scale & Layout section, set the Display Resolution to the lowest value and then the Scaling option to 100%. After this, launch the game to check if the issue persists.
4) Run the game via Steam and add a custom Launch Option
Although Wuthering Waves is not available on Steam, you can add the game to the Steam client, and then launch it. Doing so is pretty straightforward as well. First, launch Steam, and then go to Library. In the Library tab, you will find the Add a Non-Steam Game option at the very bottom. Select it, and then add the .exe file of Wuthering Waves by heading to the game’s installation directory (C:Wuthering Waves\Wuthering Waves Game\Client\Binaries\Win64). After this, you will see that Wuthering Waves has been added to your Steam library. Now, right-click on the game, and select Properties. In the General tab, add the following command: “-dx11”. Next, launch the game and then check if the same error occurs again. Doing so fixed the issue for Reddit user actualhelioz, so give this method a try.
5) Add -dx12 Launch Option
As stated in the previous workaround, if the -dx11 command didn’t fix the issue in Wuthering Waves, you can try running the game using the DirectX 12 command. For this, follow the same steps to access the game’s properties menu via Steam and then add the “-dx12” command. After this, launch the game and then check if the issue persists. Reddit user Bertranch fixed the fatal error in the game by trying this workaround, so we recommend you do the same.
6) Edit LocalStorage.db
Now, this fatal error can also occur due to a graphical setting being enabled by default in-game. So, you need to tweak it to make sure that the game doesn’t crash. This is a workaround that involves a bit of complexity, but it’s doable if you follow the steps mentioned carefully.
- Start by downloading the SQLite Database Editor. Make sure to download the version compatible with your system.
- Once downloaded, install it, and then open the editor.
- After this, select the Database Editor option, and head over to the game’s installation folder: Wuthering Waves Game\Client\Saved\LocalStorage\LocalStorage.db.
- Here, select the LocalStorage.db file and then click on Browse Data.
- Next, you have to find the GameQualitySetting parameter. Once you find it, look for the KeyFSREnable option. Once found, change the value from 1 to 0.
- After this, select File and then the Apply Changes option.
- Now, launch the game and then check if the issue persists.
These are the available workarounds for you to try if you encounter the error code 258 in Wuthering Waves. We hope that you find this guide informative. If you did, consider visiting Android Gram for more such interesting content on all things gaming.