EU4 Launching the game failed

[Red Batavian]

After I installed Origins the launcher says: "Launcing the game failed.", I have checked if other versions work, and multiple earlier versions (which previously did work) are now also broken.
Thusfar I have tried the following things:

1. clean reinstall, including deleting both files that stay if you only reinstall on Steam
2. deleting all mods (except some weird mods I couldn't delete)
3. installing the latest visual C++ version
4. run eu4.exe in administrator mode, no change from not doing so

I also remember this being a problem since eu4 was made epic games compatible, but I could just switch to 1.31.5
I know that you are supposed to show logs, but the file doen't exist. possibly because of the complete reinstall

 

[AndrewT]

In the game launcher please set Display mode to Borderless. THEN go here:

Latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable downloads

This article lists the download links for the latest versions of Visual C++ Redistributable packages.

support.microsoft.com

And run the x86 and x64 installers there.

IF that doesn't help, Has the game ever run OK on this computer? Or never?

IF NEVER:
Install ALL these Microsoft modules:

Download Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package MFC Security Update from Official Microsoft Download Center

A security issue has been identified leading to a vulnerability in MFC applications that are built with Visual Studio 2010 and ship the Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package.

www.microsoft.com

Download Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable Update 3 RC from Official Microsoft Download Center

This update is the latest in a cumulative series of feature additions and bug fixes for Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable.

www.microsoft.com

Download DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010) from Official Microsoft Download Center

The Microsoft DirectX® End-User Runtime installs a number of runtime libraries from the legacy DirectX SDK for some games that use D3DX9, D3DX10, D3DX11, XAudio 2.7, XInput 1.3, XACT, and/or Managed DirectX 1.1. Note that this package does not modify the DirectX Runtime installed on your Windows...

www.microsoft.com

(run dxsetup.exe after extracting from this download)

Add EU4.exe to the exceptions list of your antivirus app; ESPECIALLY if you have Windows Defender, add it to the Ransomware "Apps Allowed Through" list.

Also if you have installed RivaTuner, RadeonPro, or a gaming VPN app called Evolve, or the MSI Gaming App, or Duet, disable it as it clashes with this game.


IF that doesn't help:
Please do a full **clean** re-install:

- move any valued save games elsewhere
- "uninstall" in Steam-EU4
- manually delete both the Steam/SteamApps/common/EU4 AND Documents/Paradox Interactive/EU4 folders
- re-install game in Steam, run a Steam Verify when done.
- add EU4.exe to the exceptions list of your antivirus app; ESPECIALLY if you have Windows Defender, add it to the Ransomware "Apps Allowed Through" list.
- start the game with no mods active and test

In particular make sure there are no files or folders left under either the Steam EU4 or Documents EU4 locations, before installing again.

Also if you have installed RivaTuner, RadeonPro, or a gaming VPN app called Evolve, or the MSI Gaming App, or Duet, disable it as it clashes with this game.


IF that doesn't help:
DXDIAG is a program you run from the Windows search box on the task bar. After running it will open a window and start collecting info with a progress bar in the lower-left corner. When it completes click the 'save all information' button and save it to a file then attach that file here.

Please attach here your Documents/Paradox Interactive/EU4/settings.txt and pdx_settings.txt .
From your Documents/Paradox Interactive/EU4/logs/ folder, attach here system.log , error.log .

 

[Red Batavian]

Sadly the things you recommended didn't work, and I can't find the settings.txt (I did find the pdx_settings.txt) and the Documents/Paradox Interactive/EU4/logs doesn't seem to exist, any other possible fixes?
EDIT: put the dxdiag file in

 

[AndrewT]

I see crashes in our launcher in that dxdiag but no mention of this game. Does the launcher appear to work okay, what version shows?

And what happens when you run eu4.exe directly? Any Windows error show up?

 

[Red Batavian]

It appears that eu4 can work if I run it from eu4.exe, but I can't use any DLC that way and it gives the attached error. because of this I think it's an issue with Steam or the launcher and how they interact with eu4, furthermore the launcher says in the bottom left "2021.9", which is probably the version of the launcher, and eu4's version is "EU4 v1.32.0.0 Songhai (f507)", although it also doesn't work in the opt-in beta

 

[AndrewT]

If eu4.exe runs okay the problem is with the launcher not running it with enough permissions, most likey. That is usually an antivirus app getting in the way of those files being copied from the Steam folders to that /mod/ folder, or a file permissions issue.



What antivirus app do you use? You need to make sure all these apps are in its exceptions lists:



eu4.exe and dowser.exe (in the Steam EU4 folder)

C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2.2021.9/paradox launcher.exe

C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/bootstrapper-v2.exe



IF that does not help, also set all those .exe files (EXCEPT eu4.exe!) to run as the Windows Admin user.

 

[Red Batavian]

That still doesn't help, is there maybe a way to reinstall the launcher, which could maybe fix the issue?

 

[AndrewT]

Certainly the launcher can be reinstalled but that really should not be necessary.

You are sure you allowed all 4 of those .exe files through your AV app, whatever it is?

AND then set them (except eu4.exe) to run as the Windows Admin user?