[2021] Stellaris won't load.

Please disconnect your joystick, and any other unusual USB devices you might have, then try the game again - does it work now?

THEN go here:

The latest supported Visual C++ downloads

This article lists the download links for the latest versions of Visual C++. support.microsoft.com And run the x86 and x64 installers there.

If still no good, 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 Interactive/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.  

Pretty hard to see how Steam could cause this. If you run stellaris.exe directly from the Steam-Stellaris folder with File Explorer, does it work or fail still?  

The only difference between the Steam and Paradox launcher versions is in the MP code, they use different MP services. Very hard to see why that would cause a crash on startup.

In the Steam Betas tab for this game select the crossplay branch, which uses the same MP service as the Paradox launcher edition does. Any better or different?