[2023] I have a problem with this launcher, my game won't start up, because of "some kind" of Steam problem.

You should be able to start the game from eu4.exe directly, although you may not be access to the DLC when run that way.


As for that error, it seems to be a launcher problem - except that those other games all use the same installation of the same launcher!


Could you please do the following? It will generate a debug log that the launcher team can use to "deep dive" into what actually happens with the launcher.

• Right click the game in question in Steam > Properties > Launch Options
• Paste in this: --pdxlDebug
• Run the game
• Once it fails to launch, locate the logs in the following place

%LocalAppData%\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\
(example: C:\Users\{user}\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\)

And attach them here, thanks.  

I'm afraid not - .json files are not logs, and the other one is the standard log not the detailed log.

They should have names like launcher-2023-01-19.log  

I can see at least 3 files that match my description, with >0 bytes, in that screenshot ... ?!?  

This looks different to the other cases we're looking into, despite similar symptoms:

2023-01-18T14:26:07.551Z (pid:70276) error [SteamService]: Failed to initialize Steam API: Error: Steam initialization failed. Steam is running,but steam_appid.txt is missing. Expected to find it in: ~\AppData\Local\Programs\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2.2023.1.1\steam_appid.txt

That steam_appid.txt file does not exist on my system for this game either yet it works fine - I can only guess you have a bad installation somewhere along the line!

Let's try a clean reinstall of Steam, launcher and game:


- move any valued save games elsewhere
- "uninstall" in Steam-EU4
- exit the Steam app entirely
- manually delete both the Steam/SteamApps/common/EU4 AND Documents/Paradox Interactive/EU4 folders

- uninstall Paradox Launcher v2 from the Windows "Apps and features" utility, if still present.
Delete the following folders if still present:

- C:/users/{userName}/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/
- C:/users/{userName}/AppData/Local/Paradox Interactive/
- C:/users/{userName}/AppData/Roaming/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2/
To see the AppData folder you'll need to enable View Hidden Items in File Explorer.

- delete everything in the Steam folder EXCEPT steam.exe and the SteamApps folder
- run steam.exe AS THE WINDOWS ADMIN USER to rebuild all that
- 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

Good luck!  

kcire_repie said: Is there any quick solution rather than uninstalling the whole (steam,game and launcher) ? It consume a lot of time and energy.
Maybe just wait 6 month until paradox fix the bug .... and everything will run/updating smooth again (been there)

You haven't replied here before; the above recommendation was to a different person who may well have a different problem cause than you do.

If you supply the logs I asked for, we can tell if you have same problem as them, in which case the above steps are necessary; OR you have the more common different problem, for which there is no current solution.