How to Fix a Steam Game Not Launching
Written by Rimvydas Iliavicius on
How to Fix a Steam Game Not Launching
Steam users sometimes experience an issue where they can't launch their Steam games. If you're having this issue, this article is dedicated to helping you fix it.
Steam's primary function is to allow users to download various games and software within their virtual libraries to their computers. As with all software, however, there are problems. One such situation is when Steam games fail to start.
This issue commonly occurs when trying to launch games such as Lost Ark, Let It Die, Bulletstorm, Tom Clancy's The Division, Planet Coaster, Nosgoth, H1Z1, Riders of Icarus, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Fractured Space, Portal 2, PUBG, and Just Cause 3, among others.
Why Won't My Steam Game Launch?
In most cases, a Steam game won't start due to the operating system interfering with the Steam client or when there are corrupted or damaged files on the system. There are several reasons for this problem and correspondingly different solutions.
In this article, we describe some possible solutions step-by-step. Read the guide below and follow the steps to launch games successfully using your Steam client.
Video Showing How to Fix Steam Game Not Launching
Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- Update Your Windows Operating System
- Update Your Video Drivers
- Verify Integrity of Game Files
- Run Games in Compatibility Mode
- Video Showing How to Fix Steam Game Not Launching
Update Your Windows Operating System
First, try to update your current version of Windows. Checking for updates for the entire Windows operating system is usually a good idea and might solve this problem. To check for Windows Updates, type "check for updates" in Search and click the "Check for updates" result.
You should be automatically directed to the Windows Update section. Click "Check for updates". Windows will start checking for updates. If there are updates available, install them and check for updates again (just to ensure that you have the latest updates on your operating system).
After installing updates (if there were any to install), see if you still have problems when trying to launch games on Steam.
Update Your Video Drivers
A device driver is software that provides information to the operating system and other software about how to interact with particular hardware. In most cases, computers are not able to send and receive data correctly without drivers.
If the appropriate driver is not installed, the device might not function properly, if at all. A faulty driver might need updating or a reinstall.
To update your video drivers manually, use Windows Device Manager. Type "device manager" in Search and click the "Device Manager" result.
In the Device Manager window, double-click "Display adapters" (or click the arrow) to expand that section. This will show the model of the graphics card. Right-click on it and select "Update driver" from the contextual menu.
You will be asked to search for updated driver software automatically or to browse the computer for driver software. If you select the first option, Windows will search the computer and Internet for the latest driver software for your device.
If you select the second option, you must locate and install drivers manually. Using this option requires you to have previously downloaded drivers on the computer or a USB flash drive.
Another way to update or install new drivers for devices is by using third-party software such as Snappy Driver Installer. You can download Snappy Driver Installer from here.
Verify Integrity of Game Files
Verifying the integrity of game files compares the game files you have installed on your computer with those on Steam servers' latest version. If the game files are different, it replaces the files or adds additional files necessary for games to run properly.
To verify game files' integrity, restart the computer and then launch Steam. Go to the Library section, right-click on the game, and select "Properties" from the contextual menu.
Go to "Local Files" tab and click "Verify integrity of game files..." Steam will start verifying game files, and once the process is completed, files will be re-downloaded and replaced by Steam. This process should take up to several minutes.
Restart the Windows operating system and launch the game on Steam to see if the problem persists.
Run Games In Compatibility Mode
Compatibility Mode in Windows 10 is a software mechanism whereby software emulates an older version or mimics another operating system to allow older or incompatible software or files to remain compatible with the computer's newer hardware or software.
To run Steam games in Compatibility Mode, go to the installation folder (usually located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam directory). In the Steam installation folder, find the "steam apps" folder and open it.
Find and open the "Common" folder. You will see a list of gamesToon your computer. Right-click the game you want to launch and select "Properties" from the contextual menu. Look for the "Compatibility" tab in the Properties window and select it.
Under the "Compatibility mode" section, check "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" and select Windows 8 or other versions older than Windows 10 from the drop-down menu. Click "Apply" and "OK" to save the changes and close the properties window.
Try to launch the game on Steam again to see if this solves the problem.
We hope that one of these solutions helps solve the problem, and you can play your games using Steam. If you know of another method to solve the issue (not mentioned in our guide), please share it with us by leaving a comment in the section below.
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