How to resolve the "Failed to check for updates. Exiting application" message?

Question

When I'm open some games like Crackdown 3 and State of Decay 2, it loads to the main menu but then I get a message saying "Failed to Check for Updates. Exiting Application" and the games is closed automatically.

Answer 1

For any games that use the Windows Update service to check for and install updates, such as Crackdown 3 and State of Decay 2 in my case, there is likely something stopping the Windows Update service when playing games.

After many hours of research I found that in my case I have an application called Killer Control Centre which is to improve my Wi-Fi and internet connection by monitoring and prioritising network traffic.

This app has a special gaming setting called GameFast Mode. In it's self this is a good thing but games that use the Windows Update service for their updates, such as Crackdown 3 and State of Decay 2 in my case, fail because this setting disables the Windows Update service when you start playing a game.

To fix this is very simple. In the list at the bottom of the "GameFast settings screen" is a list called Services to pause. Scroll through this list until you find "Windows Update" and unselect it. That's it... it should now work.

Answer 2

I couldn't be bothered to do this so i just uninstalled it and installed it again, worked fine for me then. Turned out it was a newer version of the game (juggernaut edition) that for some reason didn't download the normal way.

Answer 3

Go to Microsoft Store and find the downloads and updates, click update all, find State of Decay in the list and prioritise this update.