Game remains running after exit.

[Vilune]

After choosing to exit the game, FFXIV remains running with a black screen, memory utilization skyrockets, and the game hangs in a hard crash that requires task manager to close.

[Breakbeat]

I have the same experience. Close is required via task manager, or, for me, I can wait a few seconds until it asks me if I want to close the program or wait, then tell it to close anyway, then cancel the 'report to Microsoft' about the crash.

[MilkieTea]

This has been happening to me too! I was wondering if I was the only one, ahah.

[Casti_EL]

Sounds like some other process/application is locking one or more files/processes that FFXIV uses for some reason, thus not allowing it to close in a timely manner. I'll assume you're not using any 3rd party mods so Anti-virus maybe? Or something to do with Direct X/Graphics Drivers? Just an off-the-top-of-my-head thought on it based on similar issues I've seen with other applications in the past.

[MilkieTea]

Sounds like some other process/application is locking one or more files/processes that FFXIV uses for some reason, thus not allowing it to close in a timely manner. I'll assume you're not using any 3rd party mods so Anti-virus maybe? Or something to do with Direct X/Graphics Drivers? Just an off-the-top-of-my-head thought on it based on similar issues I've seen with other applications in the past.

I’ll check if it’s my antivirus. Unfortunately I’ve got McAfee so it’s probably something to do with that.

[Dynratygus]

Good morning, and thank you for posting on the Final Fantasy XIV Technical Support Forums.

Can you submit a Final Fantasy XIV system report? Simply go to the 'Config' option on the Final Fantasy XIV launcher and to the right of 'System Information' click on 'Display.' In addition to the system report, what have you tried to alleviate the issue? Also, were any updates or changes made to the PC?

Thank you for visiting the Final Fantasy XIV Technical Support Forums.

[Stasya]

I have similar expirience but without crash, if i boot up game then exit its fine, if i play for couple hours game upon exiting will turn into black screen that just keeps using cpu/gpu resources that needs to be closed by task manager (this is windowed no border)

[MilkieTea]

Alright this is how I fixed it for me: check your antivirus (if you have one) and add the game to the exceptions list. Ever since, the game hasn’t been hanging up when I close it.

I genuinely have no idea why, but a lot of antiviruses that are used by the mainstream kind of act like malware in and of themselves and need to be worked around.

[Breakbeat]

In my case, it's not antivirus, unless it's Windows Defender. I have a very clean computer, when it comes to installed programs, and I don't run 3rd party antivirus programs. I don't set programs to auto-update or notify me of things, so when they're closed, they're closed. I'm familiar with task manager so I can see if there's oddball stuff running in the background - there isn't. My system tray is kept barren (only "safely remove USB devices" and the Windows Defender shield), and my background processes are entirely clean (normal, common Windows features are running).

Logitech G-Hub is the exception in my case - it's always running, per my preference, but if I disable it and play, I still get the black screen / memory spike / required forced exit perhaps 10% of the time. I see no behavioral difference between having G-Hub enabled and having it disabled. It's perhaps 1-in-10 times for me; logging in and out four or five times a day, I end up seeing the black screen and needing to force exit about once every other day.

Just to note, I honestly don't care about the bug, it takes three seconds to resolve and it doesn't happen after every play session. I'm just here to kick in my two cents, hopefully to help those for whom the problem is a larger issue.

That being said, I've added the entire FFXIV installation as an exclusion in Windows Defender, so I'll see if that makes a difference, and report back soon.

Good luck all!

[ShikiRyougi]

I have this same exact issue, did anyone find a solution? Also on a fresh Windows 11 install, the only things I ported over were my .cfg file and character settings/hotbar/etc stuff and it exhibits this behavior 100% reproducability every time I exit the game, i have to click the black screen to make it go away or force quit it through task manager.

PC: RTX 3090, i9-12900KF, 64GB RAM, Windows 11 Pro, game installed on SSD.