[2021] New player, "Launching the Game Failed"

boardwalk80085 said: I just bought and downloaded EU4 for the first time with steam and when I press the launch button a red triangle appears and says Launching the game failed. I'm not the best with computers and if this kind of thing happens a lot/ the solution is hard should I just refund the game?

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, also Install ALL these Microsoft modules:

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

www.microsoft.com

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

www.microsoft.com

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

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:
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 .  

SiMP3N said: I've played for a month with no issues, but when i tried to start the game today i just wont open up. At first i got to see the fullscreen background picture (that normally happens when u start the game) for 1-2 seconds before it just disappears, but now i only get that triangle in the launcher and nothing happens! :/
I've tried a whole bunch of things with settings that i could find, Cant try the resolution thing though since it doesn't exist in the epic launcher that I'm starting the game from.
Even a reinstall of both launcher and the game did not change anything. And i tried updating my gpu driver as well.

Anyone who has any idea? It worked fine like 10 hrs ago...

Yours is a different problem and you have a different game version. In future please start your own separate thread, thanks.


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 Epic-EU4
- manually delete both the Epic/EU4 AND Documents/Paradox Interactive/EU4 folders
- re-install game
- 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 Epic 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 .  

SiMP3N said: were there an update like 12 hrs ago?

Yes, 1.32.1, but I didn't think that would affect save game compatibility over 1.32. However if the save is from the 1.31.x patches, that would explain it.  

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 Epic EU4 folder)

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

C:/users//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.