[2021] game wont load.

Issues like this are never anything to do with firewalls. Antivirus, sometimes, but never firewalls.


In the game launcher please set Display mode to Borderless.

IF that doesn't help, 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.

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 , error.log .  

That launcher is not up to date but looks like it is trying to. Does it eventually do that and put an orange dot up the top left? Then when you exit and rerun it does it say the current launcher version 2021.1 ?

Exit the Steam app entirely then run stellaris.exe directly from WIndows Explorer. Do you see any Windows error when you do that?

Does CK3 work on this machine okay? How about it's predecessor CK2?  

There is, but I want to know what version shows now please. And is there a red or orange dot up the top left of the launcher.  

The launcher looks fine now, great.

I didn't follow what happened when you ran stellaris.exe directly from Windows Explorer, which bypasses the launcher. Do you see a Windows error when run that way?  

I don't understand how it can return to the launcher, as the launcher is not involved when you run stellaris.exe directly ... ?!? The launcher is completely unloaded at this point, is that right?  

You exit Steam entirely, and run stellaris.exe directly from Windows Explorer. You see that screenshot above which then disappears, and then you see the launcher? Is that right?

Can we maybe see a movie of that? Because as I say running stellaris.exe does not trigger the launcher, at all.  

I don't see our launcher in that screenshot at all, I suspect we are talking past each other here! When you say "back to the launcher" do you perhaps mean the Steam client, or the Windows desktop?


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 .  

If you exit our launcher and run stellaris.exe directly from Windows Explorer, it is really not possible that the launcher starts. I don't know what could be happening to you here !

Exit our launcher AND the Steam app entirely. Then run stellaris.exe from WE, as above. If you still only see the screenshot from post #10 above I'm not sure what could cause that.

Do the same with CK2 or CK3 - what happens there?

Let's run some Windows updates. 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.

Then run this Windows repair tool:

Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files

Describes how to use the System File Checker tool to troubleshoot missing or corrupted system files in Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7 or Windows Vista. support.microsoft.com