[2021] "Error: Failed to create graphics device. Exiting."

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.


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 .  

samthemadman said: The part about windows defender confuses me.
What part of EU4 requires ransomware'ish code?

As with our other games, it writes its user files to the Windows User Documents folder, which is specifically protected by the Windows Defender Ransomware function.

samthemadman said: Closing steam on every crash?

This game does not close Steam with every crash. Believe me we'd know well before now if that were so!

samthemadman said: I also noticed the game and even the launcher are moving my mouse to fixed points sometimes.
This is a useless feature and you should not be surprised that this causes security issues.

That is not a feature in the game, but either a bug or some Windows/hardware issue you have, I suspect, which might also be involved in your original problem.


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 .  

If you set eu4.exe to "disable fullScreen optimisation" you should be able to run it in fullScreen okay.