[2023] Exit Code Null - game won't open

Please do a full **clean** re-install:

- move any valued save games elsewhere
- "uninstall" in Steam-CK3
- manually delete both the Steam/SteamApps/common/CK3 AND Documents/Paradox Interactive/CK3 folders
- re-install game in Steam, run a Steam Verify when done.
- add CK3.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 CK3 or Documents CK3 locations, before installing again.


THEN Right click on ck3.exe , properties, compatibility. Tick "disable fullScreen optimisations" untick every other box in that dialog, Apply and exit.

Then in the launcher Game Settings menu, select fullScreen display mode, Vsync off, cap refresh rate at 60.


If those don'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/CK3/pdx_settings.txt .
From your Documents/Paradox Interactive/CK3/logs/ folder, attach here system.log , error.log , exceptions.log  

Please make your own new thread in future, rather than re-opning old ones. Thanks.

What happens if you run ck3.exe directly from File Explorer?  

Did you do this?

AndrewT said: THEN Right click on ck3.exe , properties, compatibility. Tick "disable fullScreen optimisations" untick every other box in that dialog, Apply and exit.

Then in the launcher Game Settings menu, select fullScreen display mode, Vsync off, cap refresh rate at 60.

 

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

ck3.exe (in the Steam CK3-binaries folder)
dowser.exe (in the Steam CK3-launcher folder)
C:/users/{UserName}/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2.2023..12/paradox launcher.exe
C:/users/{UserName}/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/bootstrapper-v2.exe

IF that doesn't help, also set each of those .exe files (EXCEPT ck3.exe !) to run as the Windows Admin user.

Then the game should run from Steam/our launcher, and enable all the DLCs.  

A new launcher came out recently - maybe your AV app doesn't like it?  

Did you implement those settings I gave above? You don't mention them either way.  

Thario94 said: Okay, I did all that now. The Launcher now says, there is no game installed.

You must have run the launcher from the desktop shortcut or Paradox launcher.exe, which is a standalone mode for users who do not want to run Steam. It does need a separate game installation if used that way, but this game is no longer supported on that platform.

You'll need to run it from the PLAY button in your Steam Library instead.  

Thario94 said: I know that, but when I install it on Steam and start the game there, the launcher opens and can't find the game

That sounds exactly as if you are running the launcher from Paradox Launcher.exe , not via Steam. You are not doing it from a desktop shortcut or anything like that?

Can we see a screenshot of it please?  

Can I see a screenshot of the launcher when you get the "can't find games" message please? I'm struggling to see how that would come up when run from Steam!