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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image1890×615 123 KB

2

Would REALLY love to see any nod of acknowledgement from the devs over here (like, maybe, just confirming if it’s indeed an AoE2 issue, not a thing that Nvidia / Windows devs should take care of on their end), as this thing may grow very ugly over time if left unattended.

Also, looking out for any AMD folks out there to see if this thing affects them as well.

3

Having same issue on desktop. Running 4070 and and integrated GPU. For some reason age uses the integrated GPU instead of my 4070. It happened ever since I patched KB5094126 on 6/10 with nothing else changed.

4

Having the same problem after the windows update, howevery mine does not show the option of uninstalling the KB5089573, its not in my uninstall list of windows updates. Tried everything, new nvidia drivers shutting off the intergrated intel gpu, nothing… this is a huge Microsoft F-up again! Hope the developors can fix it in a update for the game soon. Game is now unplayabale

5

Update: I removed Windows security update: KB5094126 this did the trick for me, finally runs on my 5070 again. Block windows updates untill there is a fix guys!

6

I had the very same problem. Dedicated nvidia GPU was ignored by AOE2, only using the integrated intel graphics.

Uninstalling KB5094126 fixed the issue. But KB5089573, which was included in KB5094126, seems to be the root cause.

7

Same issue here.

System:

  • Dell G3 15
  • Windows 11
  • AoE2 DE Steam version
  • Game build: 178524 / Version 101.103.47452.0
  • Intel UHD Graphics 630
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design
  • Intel driver: 31.0.101.2115
  • NVIDIA driver: 32.0.16.1047

AoE2 DE was using Intel UHD Graphics 630 at around 99–100%, while the NVIDIA GPU stayed at 0%.

I did not have KB5089573 installed, but I had KB5094126 installed. After uninstalling KB5094126 and restarting Windows, AoE2 DE uses the NVIDIA GPU again.

After uninstalling KB5094126:

  • NVIDIA GPU usage during benchmark: around 34%
  • Dedicated GPU memory usage: around 2.2 / 6.0 GB
  • Intel GPU usage: around 19%

So in my case, KB5094126 seems to be related to this issue.