Funky interaction with KB5089573 Windows Update on laptops with two GPUs

Age of Empires II: DE II - Report a Bug
1

:play_button: GAME INFORMATION

:backhand_index_pointing_down: These details are CRITICAL; DO NOT skip them or your issue may not be reviewed.

  • GAME BUILD #: 175278
  • GAME PLATFORM: Steam
  • OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows 11

:play_button: ISSUE EXPERIENCED

The recent Windows update KB5089573 makes the game ignore dedicated Nvidia GPUs and switch to the integrated ones even if you force it to use dedicated GPU inside Nvidia app or Windows app settings.

Uninstalling KB5089573 resolves the issue.

More info in this reddit thread.

:play_button: FREQUENCY OF ISSUE

  • 100% of the time / matches I play (ALWAYS)

:play_button: REPRODUCTION STEPS

Here’s the steps to reproduce the issue:

  1. Update your laptop that has two GPUs (one of them Nvidia) with KB5089573.

  2. Launch AoE2, launch task manager.

  3. Watch AoE2 being choppy, and task manager showing 0% dedicated GPU utilized, even if it’s forced in Windows settings.

  4. Uninstall the update to see game returning to normal behaviour.

:play_button: EXPECTED RESULT

AoE2 should not care about whatever happens with Windows Update to the point of becoming unplayable.

:play_button: IMAGE

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