[2021] Stellaris won’t launch

In the game launcher set display mode to borderless.


IF that doesn't help, Has the game ever run successfully on this computer? Or never?

IF IT USED TO RUN:
Please do a full **clean** re-install:

- move any valued save games elsewhere, and user_empire_designs.txt from /Documents/Paradox Interactive/Stellaris/ if you have made any custom empires or races.
- "uninstall" in Steam-Stellaris
- manually delete both the Steam/SteamApps/common/Stellaris AND Documents/Paradox/Stellaris folders
- re-install game in Steam, run a Steam Verify when done.
- add stellaris.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 you need to make sure there are no files or folders left under either the Steam Stellaris or Documents Stellaris locations, before installing again.

IF NEVER:
Install ALL these Microsoft modules:

Download Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86) from Official Microsoft Download Center

www.microsoft.com

Download Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Redistributable Package (x64) 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 stellaris.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 FRAPS or the MSI Gaming App or Rivatuner installed, disable it as it clashes with this game.

If that doesn't help:
DXDIAG is a program you run from a command prompt or the Windows start menu 'run' dialog box (or 'search programs' in Windows 7 or later). 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 your Documents/Paradox/Stellaris/settings.txt and pdx_settings.txt .
From your Documents/Paradox/Stellaris/logs/ folder, attach system.log .  

vwaller72 said: I'm having this problem as well. It's infuriating. I've tried every single thing described here and elsewhere. Everything else runs fine on my machine, so the machine isn't the issue, and there seem to be quite a few people having this issue.

Well, if what fixed others in this thread doesn't fix you, you must have a different problem. Always best to start your own thread in future, thanks.

If you went through everything in my post#3 above, pelase supply the files I asked for there, thanks.  

Brooly said: Hello everybody,

i am playing Stellaris on the Mac Book Air M1 2020. When i start the game for the first time i can play it without any issue. When i start the game for the second time it doesn't work. Launcher starts fine but than there is an info, "game could not start"

I have tried everything. Reinstall, change Graphicsettings. The point is, the game just only run after reinstall. But also only one time. after that i need to delete it again and reinstall it. I don't think paradox wanted to do this.

i really need help cause i love this game but i am angry af. I payed money for a awesome game and its not working fine.

every system is on the newest version. Like Big Sure on my mac and the newest launcher from paradox


thank you for helping

This will not be the same problem discussed in this thread. Please make your own new thread in future, thanks.

When you run the game for the first time after a reinstall do you see a MacOS dialog about permissions? If so what response are you giving there?

And what happens if you run stellaris.app directly, which bypasses the launcher?  

This will not be anything to do with the DLCs, I am sure.


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

- move any valued save games elsewhere, and user_empire_designs.txt from /Documents/Paradox Interactive/Stellaris/ if you have made any custom empires or races.
- "uninstall" in Steam-Stellaris
- manually delete both the Steam/SteamApps/common/Stellaris AND Documents/Paradox Interactive/Stellaris folders
In particular you need to make sure there are no files or folders left under either the Steam Stellaris or Documents Stellaris locations, before installing again.
- re-install game in Steam, run a Steam Verify when done.
- start the game with no mods active and test BEFORE you move any save games back - do you still see this problem then?


**File Locations on Mac OS X**
The executable and DLC folder are in Users/USER/Library/Application Support/Steam/SteamApps/common/Stellaris/
To see it go to the Finder, hit command-shift-G (ie Go To) and type in ~/Library/ .
The user files (settings.txt, error logs, saved games, gfx, mods) are in /Users/USER/Documents/Paradox Interactive/Stellaris/ .