Launching the game failed

[RTErk]

I have tried everything, from different forums to the forum made in here, nothing has changed. I have downloaded different stuff, made the Windows Defender not touch some files, made all of them run in admin mode, deleted and installed the game with the "clean" way 2 times and verified the integrity of the game files countless times. I have even deleted the Paradox Directive folders in the Users folder and deleted and installed the game then. I have tried nearly everything and the problem remains. Is this about the new DLC?

To summarise the problem: I open the game, all DLCs open and no mods on (even if I have mods on it still doesn't open) and when I press the big PLAY button, it gets hightlighted and then back to normal with a red warning sign next to it that reads: Launching the game failed. What am I supposed to do now?

 

[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, 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 .

 

[RTErk]

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, 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 .

It didn't work. I have formatted my computer and that's when this problem occured so I don't have settings.txt, system.log and error.log (since I could never open the game after the format) but the rest are here.

 

[AndrewT]

If you exit Steam and run eu4.exe by itself, do you see a Windows error when it fails then?

And you may as well update that AMD video driver to 2021:

http://support.amd.com/en-us/download

 

[RTErk]

If you exit Steam and run eu4.exe by itself, do you see a Windows error when it fails then?

And you may as well update that AMD video driver to 2021:

http://support.amd.com/en-us/download

I see a Windows error but the game opens up and I can just play it normally. All DLC on, just some bugs here and there but the game still doesn't open from Steam. I have updated my video driver by the way, thanks about that!

Edit: I opened the game again after I closed Steam, now no DLCs are on. So... I don't really understand.

 

[AndrewT]

So you have no problem now, is that right?

 

[RTErk]

So you have no problem now, is that right?

Well, the game doesn't open from Steam and when I try to open it from the folder all the DLCs are disabled so I still have a problem.

 

[AndrewT]

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.

 

[RTErk]

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.

I use Avast and I did all those things and the game still doesn't open.

 

[AndrewT]

You may need to check with Avast support that all 4 of those .exe files have read and write rights to the Windows user Documents folders, and the AppData folders.

And did you do this part?

also set all those .exe files (EXCEPT eu4.exe!) to run as the Windows Admin user.