10 ways to fix Steam games not launching [Guide for Gamers] -

Even though Steam is a beloved PC gaming platform, many users complained that they can't run any games.
This can happen to any gamer because the game library may not be set up correctly.
You should use a reliable third-party tool to update all drivers on your PC automatically.
Your files may be corrupted, so make sure you check the integrity of your game folders.

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Steam is the most popular digital distribution platform for PC games with millions of active users.

Unfortunately, some of these users have reported that Steam games are not launching on Windows 10, so is there anything that you can do to fix this problem?

Users report that they are unable to play any game on Steam, and some of them have reported missing executable errors.

This is a big problem since you won’t be able to access any of the Steam games that you bought, but there are a few things that you can do if you notice that the Steam game won’t launch.

As an added new feature, you can now enjoy Microsoft Store games on Steam as well,

Why won’t my Steam game open?

Many Windows 10 users play Steam games regularly, but sometimes issues with Steam can occur. Speaking of issues, here are some common problems reported by users:

Steam games aren’t launching – This is a common problem and it’s usually attributed to your antivirus software. Simply add Steam to the list of exceptions and check if that helps.
Steam won’t launch any games – Another relatively common problem with Steam. If you can’t run any games, the issue might be related to third-party applications on your PC. Simply remove the problematic applications and the problem should be resolved.
Steam Preparing to launch loop – Sometimes you might get stuck with Preparing to launch message while trying to run Steam games. If this happens, be sure to install the required Visual C++ components.
Steam game failed to launch error code 80 – Sometimes errors can appear while trying to run certain games. If that happens, update your graphics card drivers and check if that helps.
Steam game failed to start missing executable – This problem can occur if your game files are damaged. To fix the problem, verify the integrity of game cache and try to run the game again.
Steam game says running but won’t open – According to users, sometimes the games might not open at all. However, you should be able to fix this problem by using the solutions from this article.
Steam is not launched error – In this case, your PC doesn’t recognize the fact that Steam is already running, and thus causing issues

As you can see from the list above, there are plenty of variations to this problem. That being said, users have also voiced concerns in a variety of manners, about the game seemingly opening in the background, but not showing any sort of image on the screen.

Steam game running but not showing
Steam game running but not launching
Steam game running but not playing

It can be extremely infuriating to see this happening, especially if you’re excited about playing the game you’ve waited a long time for.

Even more, some users have reported another pesky error saying that Steam shortcut launch failed appears on their screen, pointing towards an issue with the actual shortcut of the software.

No matter where you find yourself exactly when comparing with the lists above, this guide will provide you with some very useful steps to resolve this problem once and for all, and get back to enjoying the story of your favorite games on Steam.

What can I do if the Steam games are not launching?

1. Move your installed games to a different location

Start Steam.

Go to your game library and find the smallest game that you have installed and right-click it.

Go to the Local Files tab and click on Browse local files.

Verify that the games are installed under Steam.

Select steamapps, choose common, and click on [Title of the game].

If the game folder can’t be opened, you need to verify the integrity of the game files. This will re-download the game to the default location.

Once you have re-downloaded the games, use the Move Install Folder option to migrate your games to a different location.

Repeat the above steps for all the Steam games which are not launching.

NOTE

Optional: If your Steam games are not launching, then you should move them to a different drive. This is a diagnostic step that will confirm if the problem lies with your storage solution.

2. Update your graphics card drivers

According to users, you might be able to fix this problem simply by updating your graphics card drivers.

Your drivers are a key component, and if there are any problems with them, the Steam games might not be able to run.

To fix the problem, it’s advised to update your graphics card drivers. To do that, you need to find the model of your graphics card and download the latest drivers for it from the manufacturer’s website.

If this seems too complicated, you can always use third-party tools to update all drivers on your PC automatically.

Some of the most common Windows errors and bugs are a result of old or incompatible drivers. The lack of an up-to-date system can lead to lag, system errors or even BSoDs.To avoid these types of problems, you can use an automatic tool that will find, download, and install the right driver version on your Windows PC in just a couple of clicks, and we strongly recommend DriverFix. Here’s how to do it:

Download and install DriverFix.

Launch the application.

Wait for DriverFix to detect all your faulty drivers.

The software will now show you all the drivers that have issues, and you just need to select the ones you’d liked fixed.

Wait for DriverFix to download and install the newest drivers.

Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

DriverFix

Drivers will no longer create any problems if you download and use this powerful software today.

Disclaimer: this program needs to be upgraded from the free version in order to perform some specific actions.

3. Delete/move GameOverlayRenderer64.dll file

According to users, sometimes certain files can cause issues with Steam games and prevent them from launching. However, you can fix this issue simply by removing a single problematic file.

In most cases, the problematic file is GameOverlayRenderer64.dll, and to fix the problem you need to remove it.

To do so, follow these simple steps:

Open the File Explorer on your PC.

Inside the search bar, copy-paste the name of the file GameOverlayRenderer64.dll.

The usual path for reaching this file will vary depending on where you have the Steam app installed on your PC, but is generally: C:/Program Files (x86)\ Steam

Wait for the search process to complete.

Right-click the resulted file, and move it, or delete it.

Alternatively, you can just move the file to a different location and that will achieve the same results. Keep in mind that this is just a workaround, but it works according to users, so be sure to try it out.

4. Check your antivirus software

In some cases, Steam games can’t launch due to your antivirus software. To fix that problem, be sure that the game you’re trying to run, and the entire Steam directory are added to the list of exclusions in your antivirus.

In addition, you can try disabling certain antivirus features or disable the antivirus entirely and check if that helps.

In some cases, you might have to completely uninstall your antivirus to fix the problem with Steam games.

If removing the antivirus solves the issue, we have to recommend switching to a different antivirus solution.

Some antivirus software has a gaming mode feature that allows you to run your games without any interference from your antivirus, so be sure to try it.

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5. Upgrade Rivatuner Statistics Server

If Steam games fail to launch on your Windows 10 PC, the issue might be related to third-party applications.

Many users claim that Rivatuner Statistics Server was the problem, but the issue was resolved after updating it.

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In case you don’t know, this application is a part of MSI Afterburner software, and by updating the Afterburner software you’ll update Rivatuner Statistics Server as well.

This is a long-term solution, so if you’re having this problem, be sure to try it out.

6. Check for problematic applications

According to users, sometimes third-party applications can cause this and other errors to appear. If you’re having issues with Steam games, the culprit might be a third-party application.

Users reported that Razer Synapse caused this issue to appear, and to fix the problem, it’s advised to turn the application off before starting the game.

However, you can still use the software if you start it after starting your game. Another application that can cause the problem is Logitech Joystick Utility, so you might have to disable it.

In some cases, the only way to fix the problem is to remove the problematic application.

There are several ways to do that, and the best one is to use an uninstaller software since it will remove all files and registry entries associated with the problematic application.

Once you remove the problematic application with reliable uninstaller software, the issue should be completely resolved.

7. Install the necessary Visual C++ components

If certain Steam games won’t run, the problem might be the missing Visual C++ components.

Most games require Visual C++ Redistributables to run and to fix the problem you need to install the missing Visual C++ components.

This is relatively simple to do, and you can do it by going to the game’s installation directory and looking for _CommonRedistvcredist folder.

Once you are inside the vcredist directory you’ll see two setup files. Run them both to install the necessary components.

After the necessary components are installed, the game should start without any issues.

Added to this, you can also explore how to use Steam Common Redistributables, which will provide useful while interacting with the Steam application.

8. Verify the integrity of game files

Open your game library, and locate the problematic game. Right-click it and choose Properties from the menu.

Navigate to Local files tab and click Verify integrity of game files.

The verification process will now start. Keep in mind that this can take a bit, so be patient and don’t interrupt the process.

After the verification process is finished, try to run the game again.

According to users, if Steam games won’t launch, you might be able to fix the problem by verifying the integrity of game files.

Your files can get corrupted and that will cause issues with the game. However, you can fix the problem simply by verifying the integrity of game files.

9. Run the game in Compatibility mode

Locate the game’s .exe file, right-click it and choose Properties.

Navigate to the Compatibility tab, and check Run this program in compatibility mode for.

Select the desired version of Windows, and click Apply and OK to save changes.

You can fix the problems with certain Steam games simply by running them in Compatibility mode.

In case you’re not familiar, by using Compatibility mode you can fix various issues with older games and run them on your PC.

Although this feature is intended for older games, it can also work well with newer games as well. After doing that, try to start the game again and check if the problem is resolved.

10. If your Steam games are not starting, start from scratch

Start Steam and go to your Library.

Right-click on a game, select Manage, and choose Uninstall.

Repeat for all installed games.

Open Control Panel, and go to Programs and Features.

Find Steam and uninstall it.

Reboot your PC.

Download the Steam client from the official website.

Install Steam and set up your game library directory by going to Steam.

Select Settings, go to Downloads, and choose Steam Library Folders.

Reinstall your games.

As drastic as this measure sounds, if there is something fundamentally wrong with your Steam library, the only way to fix Steam games not starting is to start over.

By reinstalling everything, you ensure that you are running the latest version of the Steam client that all your games are installed in the correct folders, and have the latest patches applied.

Because there have been cases in which Steam was running very slow for some users, there are clearly some issues to iron out by the platform’s developers, as this has happened even on high-end gaming PCs.

Even more, some users see the Steam windows simply going black for no reason, or even that after running the game successfully and starting to load it properly, the game closes suddenly without any error message showing.

We hope that this solution has been helpful to you, but if you need more information, we have also covered what to do when you’re unable to run Steam games on Windows 10, so make sure that you check it out.

Also, for more suggestions or other questions, feel free to access the comments section below.

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