EA Skate. Crashing My System At Random Intervals

[Terry94]

At random intervals my system will completely hang and I have to hold the power button which is very upsetting almost every time i want to play the game. However, sometimes it'll freeze for a few seconds then unfreeze then prompt with a message box relating to DirectX12 In that link above, there is the MessageBox i'm talking about in the attachments. But a lot more often than not, it's a whole system hold up that requires holding the button..

My laptop is a Dell Inc. Inspiron 16 7640 2-in-1

-OS: Windows 11 Pro
-Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
-Graphics: Intel Arc Graphics
-Memory: 16GB

All drivers/software are up to date.

It can happen either in 10 minutes or after 16 hours (16 hours of gameplay is the longest it has went without doing this.

My CPU usage is fairly low (below 30%) and GPU usage generally sits between 20-45% depending on whats going on in the game, and the RAM usually sits at around 83-89%. I play on the lowest settings they offer on the game.

If you need anything else from me then feel free to ask!

also here is another post on the topic that is also pretty much what i'm going through:

https://community.intel.com/t5/Intel-ARC-Graphics/Skate-Crashing-URGENT/m-p/1715081#M28837

[Terry94]

Also to note, when the system hang happens, nothing in task manager was ramped up suddenly to cause it nor does my laptop get unexpectedly hot before hand etc. just thought I should add that. I know this cause ever since the second time this has happened, I play with task manager open just in case I can see something upon freezing but the task manager stats are always fine and not spiking before it happens

[Terry94]

Also happens on both Steam and EA App launchers. I haven't tried Epic Games launcher but I suspect it would be the same issue with that launcher too.

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Terry94,

Thank you for posting here in our community. To effectively diagnose and address the issue you're experiencing, I kindly ask you to provide detailed responses to the following questions. This information will help us isolate the problem and determine the most appropriate course of action.  

• Please provide the SSU log report and share it here so I can review your system's configuration. 
• Have you made any software or hardware changes to the system recently? 
• What operating system and version?
• Kindly generate a crash dump file by following the steps outlined in this article.
• Are there any specific error messages displayed during the crash? If so, please share screenshots, Just to confirm, is the error message you're encountering the same as the one shown in the thread you shared?
• Could you also provide the download link for the game?
• Have you tried updating the BIOS, graphics driver, and the application itself to the latest versions, then testing the game afterward?
• Have you reached out to Dell Technical Support prior to reporting this issue to us? If so, could you please share the insights or findings they provided? This will help us better understand the troubleshooting steps already taken and avoid duplication.

Please note that this is an OEM device, so we will try to assist you with general troubleshooting steps. However, if the issue persists, you will have to contact the Original Equipment Manufacturer of your device. Your device manufacturer may have altered features, incorporated customizations, or made other changes to some components for better compatibility with your system.

I look forward to your response and am committed to resolving your issue promptly. 

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[Terry94]

Hello Randy,

1.) I have attached the SSU log.

2.) I have not made any software/hardware changes.

3.) My windows version is Windows 11 Pro(10.0.26100 Build 26100.6725).

4.) The crash doesn't generate a crash dump. It hangs the entire system up and I have to hold the power button.

5.) I have attached a screenshot of an error message box I got a couple times but 99% of the time it's a hard crash on the entire system
with no message box.

6.) The game is free-to-play on Steam/EA App/Epic Games (I've only launched with Steam and the EA App, but i suspect the launcher is
not the reason.)

7.) Earlier today, I used the Display Driver Uninstaller (DQU) to completely reset my graphics drivers, then updated to the latest driver I
could through the Intel Graphics Software.

8.) No I have not reached out for support on this issue prior.

Hope that helps!

[Terry94]

Hello Randy,

1.) I have attached the SSU log.

2.) I have not made any software/hardware changes.

3.) My windows version is Windows 11 Pro(10.0.26100 Build 26100.6725).

4.) The crash doesn't generate a crash dump. It hangs the entire system up and I have to hold the power button.

5.) I have attached a screenshot of an error message box I got a couple times but 99% of the time it's a hard crash on the entire system
with no message box.

6.) The game is free-to-play on Steam/EA App/Epic Games (I've only launched with Steam and the EA App, but i suspect the launcher is
not the reason.)

7.) Earlier today, I used the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to completely reset my graphics drivers, then updated to the latest driver I
could through the Intel Graphics Software.

8.) No I have not reached out for support on this issue prior.

Hope that helps!

[Terry94]

Hello Randy, im not sure if you're getting these replies.. they are not showing for me after i post them.. (if they're duplicates then feel free to delete the duplicates, my bad)

1.) I have attached the SSU log.

2.) I have not made any software/hardware changes.

3.) My windows version is Windows 11 Pro(10.0.26100 Build 26100.6725).

4.) The crash doesn't generate a crash dump. It hangs the entire system up and I have to hold the power button.

5.) I have attached a screenshot of an error message box I got a couple times but 99% of the time it's a hard crash on the entire system
with no message box.

6.) The game is free-to-play on Steam/EA App/Epic Games (I've only launched with Steam and the EA App, but i suspect the launcher is
not the reason.)

7.) Earlier today, I used the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to completely reset my graphics drivers, then updated to the latest driver I
could through the Intel Graphics Software.

8.) No I have not reached out for support on this issue prior.

Hope that helps!

[Terry94]

Hello Randy,

1.) I have attached the SSU log.

2.) I have not made any software/hardware changes.

3.) My windows version is Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro(10.0.26100 Build 26100.6725).

4.) The crash doesn't generate a crash dump. It hangs the entire system up and I have to hold the power button.

5.) I have attached a screenshot of an error message box I got a couple times but 99% of the time it's a hard crash on the entire system with no message box.

6.) The game is free-to-play on Steam/EA App/Epic Games (I've only launched with Steam and the EA App, but i suspect the launcher is not the reason.)

7.) Earlier today, I used the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to completely reset my graphics drivers, then updated to the latest driver I could through the Intel Graphics Software.

8.) No I have not reached out for support on this issue prior.

Hope that helps!

[Terry94]

sorry for the duplicate posts.. they were not going through for me at the time so i kept trying to send it, then when i woke up, i decided to try again, only to see that they all sent at once. my bad!

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Terry94,

As per my current investigation, this issue is still ongoing on my end. I’ve observed that similar problems are occurring with other games as well, but they appear to be isolated to the EA Launcher.

Please refer to the article I shared and try performing the steps outlined there. Let me know if you notice any changes after following the steps.

Electronic Arts* Desktop Launcher Crashes at Launch on Intel® Arc™...

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[Terry94]

I use Steam primarily.. I only tried EA App to see if it was just a Steam version thing but I learned that it didn't matter what launcher i used and once it happened on the EA App, I stopped using it altogether because I prefer the Steam platform. 

[Terry94]

Here is more info about it on my original post on the EA Skate forums if interested.

https://forums.ea.com/idea/skate-bug-reports-en/crashingfreezing-on-pc-screenshot-attached/12678364

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Terry94,

Thank you for your feedback and for setting the expectation to continue pushing for driver enhancements and optimizations. We truly appreciate your engagement, and we share the same goal of continuously improving our drivers to address bugs and known issues, particularly in gaming scenarios. We are committed to delivering a better experience for end users, and we welcome all feedback positive or constructive as it helps drive progress.

I reviewed the thread you shared and noted your preference to always use the latest driver versions to keep your system up to date. I completely respect that approach. As I mentioned in my initial response, your system is an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) platform. These systems often come with hand-picked and customized drivers tailored to meet platform-specific requirements. Installing a generic Intel graphics driver may overwrite these OEM-optimized drivers, potentially affecting system stability or performance.

That’s why I initially asked whether you had consulted Dell for guidance. OEMs like Dell, Lenovo, HP, and MSI often provide drivers that are specifically validated for their systems. While the Intel driver is technically compatible, there are key differences between Intel’s generic drivers, WHQL-certified versions, and OEM-provided drivers. For more details, I recommend reviewing this article What Is the Difference between WHQL and Non-WHQL Certified Graphics....

Regarding your specific issue, the game in question clearly lists a discrete graphics card as a minimum system requirement. In such cases, we cannot simply release a driver update to bypass hardware limitations, as doing so may not resolve the issue and could introduce further complications. I recommend verifying the game’s system requirements to ensure compatibility.

As an alternative, you may try downloading the Dell-provided graphics driver by visiting the Dell Support site, entering your Service Tag, and installing the recommended driver. If the issue persists after testing with the OEM driver, it is likely due to a hardware limitation of the system.

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[Terry94]

It weird though because from a performance standpoint, the game runs fine. The CPU usage is below 25% and Arc graphics is below 40% even right up to the crash. Ram usage is a little high but it's not like it's sitting right at 99% or anything. I don't think it's my specs from a performance standpoint cause it runs solid until I'm hit with a sudden system hang, and even while the system is hanging, the already opened task manager shows everything was still running perfectly fine (nothing spiked). I don't know. I see what you're saying, but the game isn't taking a toll on my system at all and if it was then yeah I would chalk it up to just my laptop isn't good enough, but that's literally not the case according to real time metrics while playing the game.

[Terry94]

here is a new type of message box i got just now. never seen this particular one before. 

[Terry94]

after rebooting the game, not even 10 mins later, i got the hard system freeze again where i had to hold the power button. Audio was still working but couldn't do anything else.

[Terry94]

Also just to add... I'm not the only user having this issue. There are plenty of other users on the EA Skate. forums that are having this same issue and their specs are far better than mine.

[Terry94]

I suspect it's related to the EA Javelin Anti-Cheat which is kernel level for some reason.

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Terry94,

While I still stand by the hardware limitations, I also acknowledge the volume of concerns raised. Please allow me some time to coordinate this internally. I will notify you once I have obtained the final disposition regarding this issue.

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[Terry94]

Hey @RandyT_Intel,

Thank you for looking into it.

However I'll say it again, all my component usages are fairly low while playing. Even all the way up till the crash/freeze as I typically play with Task Manager open to see if something spikes up or ramps up over time and it's not the case.

The only component remotely high is the Ram but even that is only around the mid 80% and never goes into the 90s ever.

The CPU is always below 30% and the Arc Graphics usage usually chills at around 25-40% depending whats going on.

I play on the lowest settings possible for everything in the Graphics settings and also play in Windowed Mode and have the fps cap set to 30 in-game.

I think it's either something  to do with their optimizations (or lack there-of), their kernel anti-cheat or something with Intel drivers.. hard to say which though. If you need anything else from me then free to ask!

Something to note though that may or may not be important is the frequency of this happening seems to be a lot more higher on the Steam version of EA skate. than the EA App version. I don't know why that would matter but it seems to be the case for me for some reason. So I would recommend trying it on Steam if you're trying to replicate this for yourself so it happens faster for you.

Thanks.

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Terry94,

After reviewing your case, we found that skate.™ requires a dedicated graphics card (dGPU) to run properly, while your system is currently using Intel integrated graphics.

Unfortunately, this means your current hardware configuration does not meet the game's minimum system requirements.

For better overall performance on your system, we recommend installing OEM drivers from your device manufacturer rather than Intel's generic drivers.

Regarding the game compatibility, we suggest contacting Electronic Arts directly to inquire about potential future support for Intel integrated graphics.

Alternatively, if you're interested in playing this game, you may need to consider upgrading to a system with a dedicated graphics card.

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician