Since Windows 10/11 prioritizes DirectX 11/12, you must force the game to use DX9.

The error is rarely caused by a virus (though you should always scan suspicious files). Instead, it is typically a compatibility issue between the older game engine and newer hardware/software. Common triggers include:

Despite being released in 2013, Dead Island: Riptide behaves better on older memory management.

If crashing at startup or during loading:

The Chrome Engine has a severe bug with multi-core processors. If the game tries to use more than one core, x86_rwdi.exe will crash within minutes. The fix is to force it to run on a single CPU core—but you must do this after the game launches.

Advanced Method (Using a Batch File):

Note: You have to do this every time you launch the game. For a permanent fix, use a third-party tool like “Process Lasso” to save CPU affinity rules.