Troubleshooting Guide – PC Games

PC Game Won't Launch ? Follow This Guide
Having Issues Launching an Older PC Game (DirectX 9) ? Follow This Guide
Experiencing a Bug in a PC Game ? Follow This Guide
Contact Support

Troubleshooting Guide – My PC Game Won't Launch

If your PC game won't start, don't worry. Most launch issues can be resolved by following the steps below.

After completing each step, try launching the game again before moving on to the next one.

Step 1 – Check Your PC Specifications

Make sure your computer meets the game's minimum and recommended system requirements:

A supported operating system
A compatible processor (CPU)
Sufficient system memory (RAM)
A compatible graphics card (GPU)
Enough available storage space

If your PC does not meet the minimum requirements, the game may fail to launch or may not run correctly.

Related article:
Generate a DxDiag Report

Step 2 – Verify the Game Files

Corrupted or missing game files can prevent the game from launching.

Depending on your platform (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, etc.), use the Verify Integrity of Game Files or Repair option.

This process will also ensure that the latest available version of the game is installed.

Once the verification is complete, try launching the game again.

Step 3 – Restart Your Computer

A simple restart can resolve temporary software conflicts and free up system resources.

Step 4 – Update Your Graphics Drivers

Outdated graphics drivers are one of the most common causes of launch issues.

Download and install the latest drivers directly from your graphics card manufacturer's official website.

Related article:
How to Update Your Graphics Drivers

Step 5 – Run the Game as Administrator

Locate the game's executable (.exe) file.
Right-click it.
Select Run as administrator.
Check whether the issue has been resolved.

Related article:
How to Locate Your Game Executable (.exe) 

Step 6 – Temporarily Disable Software That May Interfere

Some applications may prevent the game from launching, including:

Antivirus software
Firewalls
Overlay software (Discord, Steam, MSI Afterburner, Overwolf, etc.)
Video recording software

Temporarily disable these applications and try launching the game again.

Related article:
Performing a Clean Boot (MSConfig)

Step 7 – Install Windows Updates

Running an outdated version of Windows may cause compatibility issues.

Install all available Windows updates, then restart your computer.

Step 8 – Reinstall the Game

If none of the previous steps resolve the issue:

Uninstall the game.
Restart your computer.
Reinstall the game.
Try launching it again.
Still Need Help?

If the game still won't launch, please contact our Support team and include the following information:

The name of the game
Your PC specifications (attach a DxDiag report)
The platform you're using (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, etc.)
A detailed description of the issue
Any error message displayed (if applicable)
A screenshot or video of the issue (if possible)
The game's log files (if available – see dedicated guide)

Providing this information will help us identify the issue more quickly and provide an appropriate solution.

Troubleshooting Guide – Older PC Games (DirectX 9)

Some older PC games that rely on DirectX 9 (DX9) may experience launch issues on modern versions of Windows.

This guide covers the most common solutions.

We also recommend following our general PC Game Won't Launch troubleshooting guide before proceeding.

Possible Symptoms

The game does not launch
Black screen on startup
Immediate crash after launching
DirectX-related error message
The game closes and returns to the desktop without an error

Step 1 – Check Your PC Specifications

Ensure your computer meets the game's minimum system requirements.

Verify that you have:

A supported operating system
A compatible processor (CPU)
Sufficient RAM
A compatible graphics card
Enough available storage

Related article:
Generate a DxDiag Report

Step 2 – Install the DirectX End-User Runtime

Many older DX9 games require legacy DirectX components that are not included in recent versions of Windows.

Install the official Microsoft package: DirectX End-User Runtime (June 2010)

Once installed, restart your computer.

Step 3 – Update Your Graphics Drivers

Download and install the latest drivers from your graphics card manufacturer's website:

NVIDIA
AMD
Intel

Related article:
How to Update Your Graphics Drivers

Restart your computer once the installation is complete.

Step 4 – Run the Game in Compatibility Mode

Right-click the game's executable (.exe).
Select Properties.
Open the Compatibility tab.

Enable:
Run this program in compatibility mode
Select Windows 7 or Windows XP (Service Pack 3)

Also enable:
Run this program as an administrator

Related articles:
How to Locate Your Game Executable (.exe)
Using Compatibility Mode

Step 5 – Disable Overlays and Third-Party Software

Some background applications may interfere with older games, including:

Discord Overlay
Steam Overlay
MSI Afterburner / RivaTuner
Antivirus software

Temporarily disable them and test the game again.

Step 6 – Install Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables

Install the latest supported Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables:

Microsoft Visual C++ 2015–2022

x86 : https://aka.ms/vc14/vc_redist.x86.exe

x64 : https://aka.ms/vc14/vc_redist.x64.exe

Some older games may also require previous versions of Visual C++.

If you continue receiving a Visual C++ Redistributable error, install the required versions from Microsoft's official download page.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170

Always install both the x86 and x64 versions, even if you're using a 64-bit version of Windows.

Many games still rely on 32-bit components.

Restart your computer after installation.

Still Need Help ?

If the game still won't launch, please contact Support and provide:

The name of the game
Your DxDiag report
The platform you're using
A detailed description of the issue
A screenshot of the problem (if available)
The troubleshooting steps you've already tried

This information will help us investigate the issue more efficiently.

Troubleshooting Guide – Experiencing a Bug in a PC Game

This guide will help you determine whether you're encountering an actual game bug before contacting Microids Support.

Please complete the following checks first.

Step 1 – Check Your PC Specifications

Some issues may be caused by unsupported or unstable hardware.

Ensure your computer meets the game's minimum and recommended system requirements.

Verify:
Operating system
CPU
RAM
Graphics card
Available storage space

Related article:
Generate a DxDiag Report

Step 2 – Verify the Game Files

Corrupted or missing files may cause unexpected behavior.

Use your platform's Verify Integrity of Game Files or Repair option.

Once complete, launch the game again.

Step 3 – Update Your Graphics Drivers

Install the latest graphics drivers from your GPU manufacturer's official website.

Related article:
How to Update Your Graphics Drivers

Step 4 – Confirm That It Is a Bug

Before reporting an issue, please check the following:

Consult an online walkthrough or game guide.
Verify that the expected behavior is not part of the game's intended mechanics.
If possible, try reproducing the issue using another save file.

Some apparent issues may actually be related to gameplay progression or missed objectives.

Reload a previous save. If the game is divided into chapters, try restarting the entire chapter instead of loading your latest save.

Step 5 – Try These Quick Fixes

Before contacting Support, try:
Restarting the game
Restarting your computer
Disabling overlays (Steam, Discord, etc.)

Step 6 – Contact Microids Support

If the issue persists and you believe you've encountered a genuine bug, please provide:

Required information
Game title
A detailed description of the issue
Clear steps to reproduce the bug
Attach the following files
DxDiag report
Game log files (see dedicated guide)
Screenshots or videos of the issue (if possible)

Providing these details allows our team to reproduce the issue more quickly and investigate it efficiently.

Contact Microids Support

You can contact our Support team using one of the following methods:

Email

support@microids.com

Support Portal

https://support.microids.com/en/support/tickets/new

Please include all the information requested in the troubleshooting guides above to help us resolve your issue as quickly as possible.