7 Days to Die: How to Fix Game Crash (UnityPlayer.dll Issue)

I had an issue where my client would crash after an hour or so of playing or sometimes a few seconds after joining a server.

I checked the Windows Event Viewer and error logs and found the issue was related to UnityPlayer.dll.

I tried various fixes, such as:
* Verifying game files
* Running the game in DirectX 10 mode
* Updating graphics drivers
* Reinstalling the game
* Updating Windows

❗ I would recommend trying these first before attempting the fix I eventually applied. None of these worked for me but they may work for you. The fix that worked for me requires more system modification that might affect other games/apps, so if you can fix your crashing with one of these less invasive methods, that would be ideal for you.

I also tried more “scary” fixes, such as:
* Disabling XMP profile in BIOS
* Resetting BIOS settings to default values

❗❗ These are not recommended! Messing around in the BIOS can seriously and permanently damage your system components/hardware, so I do not recommend it!

Ultimately, the solution for me was something else entirely…

The solution for me was to uninstall all old Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages and reinstall a fresh copy of the latest supported versions.

(These redist packages grow over time if you play a lot of indie titles, especially Unity games.)

You may have fewer or more redist packages installed than I did. In any case, remove them all.

You can find the latest supported VC++ redist downloads from Microsoft here:

Latest Supported Redist Downloads[docs.microsoft.com]

Make sure you pick the right type for your system (likely x64 if you have a modern CPU).

I only needed to install the first one (Visual Studio 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022) and then 7DTD ran like a dream. Better performance, and no more crashes even after several hours of play!