Tips：This paragraph is translated by machine. If there are any ambiguities or comprehension issues, please reply to me and inform me
On the afternoon of May 21, 2026, Gaijin updated to version 255.119. Upon logging in, I noticed that my DX11 had been switched to DX12. This was a common occurrence, so I didn’t think much of it. Little did I know that this was the beginning of a nightmare. I clicked on DX11 in the settings, restarted the game, and was surprised to find that I was still on DX12
Subsequently, I tried various possibilities. Initially, I assumed that something updated was conflicting with the API settings, so I attempted to reset the graphics settings, but it was ineffective. Then, I enabled low-end graphics card support, but it still wouldn’t switch to DX12. Next, I disabled the discrete graphics card and switched to the integrated graphics card, but it still wouldn’t switch to DX12. Finally, I tried modifying the config file to lock DX11 as read-only, but it was ineffective. Then, I uninstalled and reinstalled the game. I tried both the Steam and official website game clients, but none of the three startup paths (folder, Steam, client) worked. Subsequently, I tried adding startup options such as -dx11/-d3d11/-forcestart -driver:d3d11 and other similar commands, including the properties in warthunder.exe, config file, and Steam launch options, but all failed. Finally, reinstalling the system also failed. During this process, I also sent a support ticket to Gaijin, and Gaijin support replied that I should submit a bug report. Now, everyone can still search for DX11 in the issue area and find a ticket titled “I can’t use DX11” to give me some support. At this point, I was at a loss and had no way out. The frame dropping issue with DX12 on my computer was particularly severe, and it seemed like my normal gaming experience was about to slip away. If nothing unexpected happened, then an unexpected event was about to occur.
The twist began with an API rendering method called “Vulkan”, which is primarily used in the Linux version of War Thunder. It has been hidden on Windows for a long time and requires manual activation. I decided to give it a try anyway. Around May 24th, I was ready to start experimenting with Vulkan, but something unexpected happened. I mistyped a letter, thinking that Vulkan was spelled “Vulcan” and made the same mistake again and again. First, I added the target code -forcestart -driver:vulcan under Warthunder.exe (yes, I had already started making mistakes), then I modified the config file, changing dx11 to “Vulcan” and setting it to read-only. Then, after logging into the game, something very unexpected happened. The Vulkan I expected did not appear; instead, dx11 appeared
For the next three days, on the 25th, 26th, and 27th, I continued to play War Thunder in this manner. There were no issues such as frame skips, frame drops, or crashes, and the issue of running out of video memory was significantly improved (this is a major hint). However, whether it’s due to psychological effects or something else, I still prefer the return of DX11. I’m always afraid that one day I won’t be able to play War Thunder anymore. During this period, I spent a lot of time on Gaijin’s support, issue areas, and forums. I found that although the issue of not being able to switch to DX11 occurred across various device (graphics card) groups, it was particularly prevalent among 50-series laptops (note: I have proven through different means that it is not due to driver issues). Until the early morning of the 28th, three hours ago, I suddenly realized my spelling mistake. I had always thought that the display of DX11 was because Vulkan was hidden in the Windows client. In a hurry, I switched to the correct spelling and tried it out. The result made me break out in a cold sweat: the real Vulkan appeared in the client. Where did the DX11 I was playing come from before?
Before May 21st, my computer’s overall performance with DX11 was as follows: there were no noticeable frame skips, frame drops, or stutters, and it rarely crashed. However, there were still issues with VRAM. Occasionally, DX11 would exhibit similar issues that frequently occurred with DX12 - the computer would suddenly make strange noises, the graphics card usage and VRAM usage would be at full capacity, and the frame rate would drop to very low levels (below 30). I always assumed that your game didn’t have any mechanism for releasing VRAM. In Leafcat’s tests, when running on a 4070 graphics card, War Thunder would experience VRAM overlap, automatically reducing texture quality. However, on the 25th, during the operation of a fake DX11 (actually a real DX11), the system automatically released VRAM to below the red line after each game session ended, and the VRAM remained normal for a long time after turning off the hardware acceleration GPU plan (I had tried turning it off before, but it had no effect). Therefore, I believe that the DX11 and DX12 labels in your game may not necessarily correspond to what you see. It’s highly likely that War Thunder has two versions of DX11. When your computer crashes using DX11, it’s possible that it’s actually running DX12 (otherwise, it’s impossible to explain why my computer still runs DX12 even when I lock the commands and config, and there’s a huge difference in VRAM handling between DX11 and DX12. I checked the directX function of my computer using dxdiag, and both 11 and 12 were intact). RTX 50 series laptops are particularly prone to this issue, and the cases I’ve seen so far are mainly related to 50 series laptops. The real DX11 can be entered by modifying the config file to an unknown entry. Of course, the above is just speculation and still needs to be verified through experiments by more people. There’s also a small chance that Gaijin fixed the garage frame rate limit issue in the 119 update, alleviating the client’s VRAM pressure, but I don’t think this is the main factor. Personally, I experienced a decline in DX11 game performance once this year, and it’s likely that DX12 was introduced at that time. However, this time, the confusion was no longer present. Regardless, as of version .132, some players, including me, still cannot use DX11 without making modifications. I changed the API in the config to DX11, but when I started the game, it still entered DX12. Therefore, I can only play with the config modified to an unknown entry. I’m not sure if this is a bug or if it’s strongly recommended to use DX12. If this method is lost one day, I will lose War Thunder. (I am feverishly planning to build a new computer, but the high prices of memory and hard drives are still a secondary concern. Even if I install a good machine, it may not be able to run War Thunder smoothly.) However, one thing is certain: players who have lost DX11 can return to DX11 by modifying the warthunder.exe property targets and config files. But this is still not a long-term solution. I hope those who are experiencing issues can continue to join me in the forum and issue area to advocate for the restoration of lost DX11 support.
My machine and settings - Core i7-2550HX, RTX 5060 laptop, War Thunder, with high texture settings except for ruts, all other settings at low, anti-aliasing set to high-definition FXAA, anisotropic set to 16x, and low-latency mode enabled.