Windows update that breaks some multiplayer games linked to our desire for gaming PCs that light up all the colors of the rainbow

In the latest Windows update KB5121003, a bug has emerged that has caused some multiplayer games to become unresponsive, including popular titles like Arc Raiders, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and The Finals. Embark Studios, the developer of two of these games, initially suspected that a single driver, inpoutx64.sys, was to blame. Upon further investigation, Microsoft agreed, stating that the issue appears to be related to the interaction between inpoutx64.sys, the affected games, and the latest Windows update.

Microsoft acknowledges that the exact cause of the problem is still unclear and is currently working to understand the relationship between the RGB components, the games, and the update. The company believes that the issue may be linked to peripherals or internal device components that have RGB lighting features. These devices might install drivers or code components with file names similar to inpoutx64, which, when found in a system, trigger the problem when launching certain games.

To resolve the issue, Microsoft suggests disabling the driver via the registry. Users should open the Windows registry by typing "regedit" in the start menu, navigate to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\inpoutx64, find the registry value named Start, and change its value data to 4. It is strongly recommended to back up the registry before making these changes, as it may be necessary to undo the change if needed.

Microsoft warns that disabling the driver may affect some RGB lighting features or the software used to control them. As the company continues its investigation, those affected may need to choose between playing their games or having a visually appealing PC. Alternatively, they could choose to roll back their PC to a previous Windows update and wait for a proper fix.