Treyarch and Activision have done an excellent job by releasing Call of Duty: Black Ops II in 2012 as a first-person shooter video game that has received plenty of positive reviews across all available platforms. However, it seems that the Call of Duty franchise games mostly encounter multiple errors or crashes that we can’t deny at all. Some reports claim that the COD Black Ops 2 Unhandled Exception Caught Issue is appearing while launching it.

This specific crashing issue becomes a major headache to the affected players because the “Error during initialization-Unhandled exception caught” error message keeps appearing quite often. It’s also worth mentioning that the particular error appears on Windows in most cases so you can follow this troubleshooting guide to try resolving it. Here we’ve managed to provide you with a couple of possible workarounds that might go to come in handy.

How to Fix Black Ops 2 Unhandled Exception Caught Issue

Talking about the unhandled exception caught error, it might be occurring due to issues with the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables or DirectX setup on the PC. Whereas an outdated game patch version, corrupted or missing game files on the system, compatibility issues with the Windows version, etc may also trouble you a lot. Now, without wasting any more time, let’s jump into it.

1. Install the required DirectX and Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables

You should install the DirectX and Visual C++ version on your PC for the COD Black Ops II game because some users may skip the installation process during the game installation for the first time. but it’s possible that the game works best when its own libraries are installed. Now, if that’s applicable to you, make sure to head over to the game’s installation directory by following the steps below:

  • Open the Steam client on the PC > Go to Library.
  • Locate COD: Black Ops 2 in the list of games > Right-click on the title.
  • Choose Properties > Go to the Local Files tab.
  • Click on the Browse Local Files option.
  • From the game installation folder, locate and open the redist folder.
  • Double-click on the vcredist_x86.exe file to open it and follow the on-screen instructions to install Visual C++ Libraries.
  • Once done, double-click on the dxsetup.exe file to run it and follow the on-screen instructions to install DirectX too.
  • Finally, restart the PC to apply changes.

If this method fixes the issue for you, try visiting the respective links to grab the latest version of DirectX and Visual C++ programs on the PC.

Note: If you’ve installed the game directly on your PC without the help of the Steam launcher then make sure to right-click on the game shortcut file and select Properties. Then click on the Open file location option from the menu.

2. Run Black Ops II in Compatibility Mode

It seems that the COD Black Ops II game isn’t capable enough to run on your latest Windows OS version for some unexpected reasons. In that case, you can try running the game in compatibility mode by following the steps below. To do so:

  • Open the Steam client > Click on the Library option.
  • Locate the COD: Black Ops 2 title in the list of games and right-click on it.
  • Select Properties > Head over to the Local Files tab.
  • Click on the Browse Local Files option > Now, the installed game folder will open.
  • Now, right-click on the game’s executable shortcut > Choose Properties.
  • Click on the Compatibility tab > Tickmark the Run this program in compatibility mode for check box to enable it.
  • Next, select Windows 7 or Windows 8 from the drop-down menu.
  • Once done, click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
  • Finally, you can reboot the PC to apply changes.

Note: If you have installed the standalone version of the game without Steam then you can directly locate the game’s installation folder and manually right-click on the Black Ops II exe file. Then select Properties and choose Open file location from the menu.

3. Verify and Repair Game Files

The chances are high that somehow your installed game file(s) got missing or corrupted on the system due to several possible reasons. In that scenario, your game files may not run properly, and eventually, the game will lead to crashes. But you can follow the steps below to verify and repair the game files quite easily.

  • Launch the Steam client > Click on Library.

  • Right-click on COD: Black Ops II from the list of installed games.

  • Now, click on Properties > Go to Local Files.

  • Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.

  • You’ll have to wait for the process until it gets completed.

  • Once done, just restart your computer. It should fix the Black Ops 2 Unhandled Exception Caught error.

4. Update COD Black Ops II

It’s also recommended to check for the game update because an outdated version will trigger crashing, lagging, and other potential issues a lot on the PC. Whereas a new patch update most probably fixes some bugs and improves the experience too. To do so:

  • Open the Steam client > Go to Library.
  • Click on COD: Black Ops II from the list of installed games on the left pane.
  • Now, the client will automatically search for the available update.
  • If there is an update available, you’ll see the Update option > Just click on it.
  • Wait for a couple of minutes or so until the game update completes. [Depends on the storage space and internet connectivity]
  • Once done, make sure to close the Steam client.
  • Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes.

5. Check for Windows Updates

If none of the methods worked for you then make sure to check for the outdated Windows OS version or outdated build then just follow the steps below to check and install updates. To do so:

  • Press the Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
  • Click on Windows Update from the left pane > Click on Check for updates.
  • If there is an update available, you should select Download and Install.
  • Wait for the update process to be completed.
  • Once done, reboot your PC to apply changes.

You should also check for the optional updates by following the steps below because some of the device driver updates and security patch updates may appear in a separate section.

  • Press the Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
  • Click on Windows Update from the left pane > Click on Advanced Options.
  • Now, scroll down a bit and find the Additional options section.
  • Click on Optional updates > If there is an update available, make sure to select the update.
  • Click on Download & install > Reboot the system once the update is installed.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.