Ashes of Creation EAC Failure Reason 5 Error Fix Guide
If Ashes of Creation keeps crashing with an EAC Failure Reason 5 error, the problem usually comes from broken files or Easy Anti-Cheat not verifying the client. The fix is pretty simple once you know where to look.
What the EAC Failure Reason 5 Error Means
This happens when Easy Anti-Cheat finds a damaged or missing game file during startup. The error usually lists a line like pakchunk200_s40 or pakchunk303_s5. It appears after the character select screen when the loading bar finishes, and then the game suddenly closes.
How to Fix the EAC Failure Reason 5 Error
Most players fixed the issue with a few quick steps.
Verify the game files in Steam. Open Steam, right-click Ashes of Creation, go to Properties, then Installed Files, and select Verify Integrity. This replaces missing or corrupted .ucas and .pak files.
Restart your PC after verifying. This resets Easy Anti-Cheat’s file check and clears cache data.
Run Steam and the game as Administrator. It gives EAC permission to access protected files.
Add the game folder and EAC folder to your antivirus exceptions. Some antivirus programs block EAC from scanning files.
Turn off overlays or injected tools like MSI Afterburner, Discord overlay, or ReShade. These sometimes trigger EAC to flag the client.
If you notice a file named Burbs then make sure you don’t delete it or it can continue crashing your game.
Repair Easy Anti-Cheat manually if it keeps failing. Go to the game folder, open the EasyAntiCheat folder, and run EasyAntiCheat_Setup.exe. Choose Repair Service, then reboot your PC.
Extra Troubleshooting Tips
If the crash keeps happening every few minutes, update your GPU drivers and check that your Windows installation is healthy with sfc /scannow in Command Prompt. Some players also reported fewer errors after reinstalling the latest EAC build or switching to a clean boot mode.
Final Blurb
EAC Failure Reason 5 looks serious, but it’s just a broken file check. A full Steam verify and restart fixes it for most players. Keep overlays off, run the game clean, and you’ll be back in Verra without random shutdowns.
FAQ
What causes the EAC Failure Reason 5 crash
A corrupted or missing game file, usually inside the .pak or .ucas directory.
Can repairing files fix it completely
Yes, most players confirm the Steam repair stops the crash entirely.
Why does it only happen after character select
The game performs a deeper integrity check when loading into the world.
Should I reinstall the entire game
Only if verifying and repairing EAC both fail. It’s rarely needed.
Is this a known bug
Yes, Intrepid is aware and investigating. A patch is expected in a future update.
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