Nothing but crashes -- 100% unplayable; what broke???

I came back to the game a few days ago after a couple months break. It is NOT an exaggeration when I say the game has become 100% unplayable. I'm talking burning six portals before completing even 20% of a map because that is how frequent the crashes are. I have had a handful of maps I'll start with that will complete no problem, but then once the crashes starts, they don't stop. It's not a disconnect back to the character select screen. It's a CTD.

I am currently on my Windows (10, NOT 11) installation just because I needed a particular program I can't be bothered to get working under my normal Linux setup (which has proven to be, overall, more stable than Windows). I am playing via Steam (which is normally what I use. Haven't used the standalone client in a while).

System Specs:
CPU: Ryzen 7 5700G (not using the integrated GPU, just what was available at the time)
GPU: 7700 XT
RAM: 64GB DDDR5 (the game is not being RAMdisk-ed)
The game is running of an M.2 SSD.
Note that this setup has been perfectly fine for PoE in the past at 1440p.

List of examples of precise moments when I've crashed:
-Loading into a 100% fresh map
-Moving once loaded into a map
-Having an enemy run on screen
-Dealing damage for the first time once loaded into a map
-Being damaged for the first time once loaded into a map
-"Game Event Dialogue" happening
-Picking up loot (no I'm not joking)
-Using Flame Dash
-Having someone else load into my map
-Having someone else in my map use an MTX
-Having someone else in my map use an attack/spell
-Having a Syndicate member spawn
-Having a harvest monster spawn
-And my personal favorite: standing still at the spawn point and someone else moving

I have burnt 5 maps testing these crashes and, as you can see, there seems to be absolutely no rhyme or reason/consistency to what is causing them. In each of those 5 maps, I did not see more than 20% completion. In 3 of them, they crashed 6 times/portals before even killing 30 mobs. The crashes are THAT frequent.

Troubleshooting steps already taken:
-Verifying Steam game files
-Rebuilding shader cache
-Turning down settings
-Turning OFF settings
-Changing servers
-Updating GPU drivers (this was done regardless of PoE recently because I needed driver updates for a program I use to make game mods)
-No, I'm not using a VPN right now

Does it run ok on your Linux setup? and what distro?

Myself and others have had the same crashing issues for a couple weeks now, or more. I think the crashes are not bound to any one OS or Linux distro either.

I have been having constant crashes on Bazzite over the past 2 days that has gotten progressively worse now. This after 0 crashing on Linux in previous leagues and this league until recently.

here's a few other threads about crashing (mostly Linux related), if you want to peruse them:

https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3924743/page/2#p26617077
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3917556/page/4
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3924072/page/4#p26616937

you can probably tell I've been looking for answer myself..