Space Engineers 2 crashing on AMD 26.8.1? Update first

Make sure the report matches this incident

Keen's record is narrow. It names Space Engineers 2, AMD driver 26.8.1, and Radeon RX 9000 series cards. It does not say that every crash on an AMD system has the same cause.

• Game: Space Engineers 2 is the program that crashes.
• GPU: the PC uses a Radeon RX 9000 series graphics card.
• Driver: AMD Software reports Adrenalin Edition 26.8.1.
• Build: the installed game build is known, not assumed from a finished download bar.
• Scope: the failure repeats in the same world or scene without wider Windows instability.

If the GPU, driver, build, or failure pattern does not match, pause this rollback path. Use the broader game-crash guide to separate a save, mod, memory, device, runtime, update, or whole-PC problem.

Record the current state

Before changing anything, write down the Space Engineers 2 build, Windows version, exact GPU, AMD Software version, Windows display-driver version, crash timing, error text, affected world, and recent changes. Note whether other games or Windows itself fail.

Use one controlled test. Record whether the game crashes at startup, the menu, a world load, a specific scene, or after a period of play. Do not run the same crash loop over and over. One repeatable result is enough to compare after the update or rollback.

Back up saves and keep the logs

Back up local saves, worlds, and blueprints before driver cleanup or repeated restarts. Keep the newest game log, Render12 log, and crash-report files with the build and driver record. Do not delete them just because a forum post calls a folder “cache.”

Logs can contain a Windows username, device name, full local path, email address, server or world details, tokens, and account information. Redact private values before posting or attaching a log. Keep an untouched local copy so the evidence is not lost during redaction.

Update the game before touching AMD software

Install all current Space Engineers 2 updates through Steam. Then read the installed build back in the game or its current supported version display. Keen says 2.4.0.93 fixed the exact RX 9000 and 26.8.1 crash. Its August 28 notice says 2.4.0.95 added unstable AMD driver detection.

Test the same affected world or scene once after the update. Keep the driver, mods, game files, and test condition otherwise unchanged.

• The same test now works: keep the before-and-after record. A driver rollback is not the next step.
• The exact crash remains: confirm RX 9000 and AMD 26.8.1 again, then prepare the official rollback path.
• A different error appears: save it and follow that new failure. Do not call it the same incident.
• Windows or other games also fail: widen the diagnosis before using a one-game fix.

Prepare the correct previous driver

Use AMD's official previous-driver page for the exact Radeon RX 9000 model and Windows version. Do not download a package from a driver mirror. If the computer is a laptop or all-in-one, check the PC maker's driver guidance before replacing an OEM package.

Save the correct installer locally before removing the current graphics package. Make sure you can sign in after a restart, that important work is closed, and that the system has reliable power. If Safe Mode, BitLocker recovery, the previous package, or display recovery is not understood, stop and get help before cleanup.

Use AMD Cleanup Utility as documented

Keen's incident page points to AMD Cleanup Utility, a restart, and a previous driver for the affected card. AMD says the utility removes AMD graphics and audio driver software. It does not remove AMD chipset drivers.

AMD recommends Safe Mode for the best cleanup result, can create a restore point, and requires a restart when cleanup finishes. The display may flicker or go blank during removal. Read AMD's current instructions before starting and do not interrupt a normal cleanup because the display changes.

If cleanup reports an error, Windows cannot recover the display, or the restart enters BitLocker recovery you did not prepare for, stop adding changes. Keep the exact message and use AMD or Windows recovery guidance.

Install, read back, and retest once

Install the official previous driver matched to the GPU and Windows version. Restart if the installer requires it. Open AMD Software and read the installed version back. A closed installer is not proof that the version changed.

Launch Space Engineers 2 and repeat the same limited world or scene test. Keep the updated game build and the original test condition.

• The previous driver is installed and the same test works: the controlled result supports the driver branch for this PC. Save the versions and result.
• The previous driver is installed and the same crash remains: the driver is less likely to be the whole explanation. Send the redacted logs and test result to Keen instead of repeating cleanup.
• The driver version did not change: check the package, installer result, OEM path, and whether Windows replaced the driver.
• The PC now fails outside the game: stop the game test and move to wider driver recovery.

Keep this separate from the Starfield issue

AMD's 26.8.1 notes also list a Starfield crash on some RX 9000 products. That is a separate game and vendor record. If Starfield is the affected title, use the Starfield and AMD 26.8.1 guide. Do not use one game's fix as proof about the other.

A successful rollback also does not prove that every 26.8.1 system is defective. It shows only that one controlled version change affected this exact reproduction.

Where OmniMend fits

OmniMend does not update Space Engineers 2, remove or roll back AMD drivers, back up saves, repair a world, or prove the cause. On a supported Windows PC, it can help gather and organize the build, GPU, driver, crash timing, and wider system clues before or after the vendor-directed steps.

Download OmniMend for Windows if you want an optional diagnostic check. Review what OmniMend can inspect, keep private saves and account data out of public reports, and approve any supported repair action separately.