Age of Empires III doesn't run on Win10 x64?

[Quasi]

When I try to install the game from my original CD, it says 'This app can't run on your PC // To find a version for your PC, check with the software publisher.' https://goo.gl/CgZu7K

I had no problem with running this game on my previous OS Win8.1 x64. My PC's HW good enough and compatible with the game.

I even tried every possible 'Compatibility mode' and run the autorun.exe as an administrator, but I had no luck with that. As I press the 'Install' bottom, I got the error message.

Do you have any idea what might be going on?

[JtnWasHere]

Age Of Empires 3 - Windows 10

When I installed the game - having already played a previous version of Age Of Empires, I clicked the play button with excitement. There were 3 options; variations on the game.
A window popped up saying that it required an application called DirectPlay. There was an option to install - after a while it popped up again as an error saying: 'Installation unsuccessful' .

I tried to help this by trying to re-enable DirectPlay, but it came up with the same sort of error except this time saying 'Reserved for another operation.'

I think that the objective is to get DirectPlay working again... any ideas of how I can do this?

[DeathAngel]

Windows 10 x68, Steam edition - black screen upon launch. Can hear sound. No visuals. None of these fixes worked. Still trouble shooting...yikes.

[Larson]

Age of Empires 3

[Initialization failed!]

Windows 10 x64

SOLVED:
Right click 'Start' -> Apps and Features/Programs and Features -> Turn Windows features on or off -> Legacy Components ->DirectPlay [checked]. OK!

Steam -> AoE3 properties -> Local files -> VERIFY INTEGRITY OF GAMES FILES...

All work )

[jr2]

All that I had to do to get it working was enable "Direct Play" under "Legacy Components", from the "Turn Windows Features on or off" dialog (type it into the start menu or find it in the Control Panel).

[Randomer]

Age of Empires 3 does not work at all for me!

When I run it from Steam, I get no response that the program has failed to run. It just doesn't run.
I tried all compatibility options on all executables and admin priveleges. On Vista (normal - not SP2) it would show the UAC prompt. It would not if SP2 was enabled.
When I manually ran the executables from the explorer, it would return "The file d3dx9_xx.DLL was not found" with an error box and red cross. I ran https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35 to install directx and after that, the error box would still show up, however there would be no error text in there. I tried to install directx under the directx folder in the aoe3 folder, but still no luck. I tried copying the d3dx9_64.dll into the bin folder. Still no luck.
I also tried the directplay option under 'turn Windows features on or off'.
I added the 5 aoe executables to the Data Execution Prevention exclusions.
I also added the entire aoe3 folder to anti virus exclusions.

I'm really out of options.

Gonna reset the PC.

I'll post back if it works afterwards.

[Selkiy]

Alir - I'm in the same boat as you. No response from the game/Steam beyond the CD key and expansion windows. I've tried all the tricks in this thread and nothing seems to work yet. :(

[Randomer]

Originally posted by Urgmog:

Alir - I'm in the same boat as you. No response from the game/Steam beyond the CD key and expansion windows. I've tried all the tricks in this thread and nothing seems to work yet. :(

Good news! Maybe.

Try installing https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=21
When it ran, it didn't do anything. I tried Windows 7 compatibility and Vista SP2 compatibility.
AOE3 wasn't booting.

Restarted my PC and it worked!!

Credit: SaberByte: https://steamcommunity.com/app/105450/discussions/0/523897653315473905/

[Selkiy]

That worked perfectly! Thank you!

[SP000PY]

Originally posted by Larson:

Age of Empires 3

[Initialization failed!]

Windows 10 x64

SOLVED:
Right click 'Start' -> Apps and Features/Programs and Features -> Turn Windows features on or off -> Legacy Components ->DirectPlay [checked]. OK!

Steam -> AoE3 properties -> Local files -> VERIFY INTEGRITY OF GAMES FILES...

All work )

This worked for me, thanks a lot!

[UAMerX]

Originally posted by Larson:

Age of Empires 3

[Initialization failed!]

Windows 10 x64

SOLVED:
Right click 'Start' -> Apps and Features/Programs and Features -> Turn Windows features on or off -> Legacy Components ->DirectPlay [checked]. OK!

Steam -> AoE3 properties -> Local files -> VERIFY INTEGRITY OF GAMES FILES...

All work )

Thank you very much, that served me well. Muchas gracias!!!

[Trazzlo]

Originally posted by Larson:

Age of Empires 3

[Initialization failed!]

Windows 10 x64

SOLVED:
Right click 'Start' -> Apps and Features/Programs and Features -> Turn Windows features on or off -> Legacy Components ->DirectPlay [checked]. OK!

Steam -> AoE3 properties -> Local files -> VERIFY INTEGRITY OF GAMES FILES...

All work )

Worked for me as well. Thanks a lot.

[MİKESRR]

thanks problem fixed :)

[MetalElse]

So I am having an issue where it says "Initialization Failed" I went to check integrity of the game: and I came back saying one file was missing. So now what do I need to do? Or what is that one file? Thanks!

[MetalElse]

SOLVED:
Right click 'Start' -> Apps and Features/Programs and Features -> Turn Windows features on or off -> Legacy Components ->DirectPlay [checked]. OK!

Steam -> AoE3 properties -> Local files -> VERIFY INTEGRITY OF GAMES FILES...

I have tried this, doesn't work still. I also tried a few other options such as compatibility mode, run it in VX2 ect. Help?

[Nghiato]

Originally posted by collinwestphal:

I had the same issue just now too... I found this in an old thread...

Here's how I fixed it...
-Click Control Panel
- Programs
- "Turn Windows features on or off"
- Open folder called Legacy
- Select DirectPlay

Play game.

it worked