[2021] PC Gamepass Stellaris won't launch

Please 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.

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.
You should add steam.exe and C:/users//AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2.2021.1/paradox launcher.exe to that list.

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 , error.log .  

This is definitely an antivirus app getting in the way:

[17:25:45][virtualfilesystem_physfs.cpp:1193]: Could not open file: settings.txt, error: permission denied

Which one do you use?  

That's the one we have most trouble with, I'm afraid! I assume it has a list of what apps it blocked recently, go into that and tell it not to block this game or our launcher any more.

Good luck!