Help! Cyberpunk2077.exe won't launch via Steam

[Denreik]

I'm at my wits end and can't find any more info on this issue elsewhere. The problem is that steam isn't able to launch the game via \AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Steam\Cyberpunk2077.exe. If I try launching the game via steam it tries synchronizing the files and then immediately stops without any error messages, without launching the game. If I launch Cyberpunk2077.exe file manually from main exe or shortcut the game will prompt for permission to make changes to hard drive and then start, but Steam won't recognize that the game is being played. So the game works, just not via Steam. I suspect this might have something to do with the game being installed to another hard-drive and steam's admin privileges, but I am not sure.

The things I've tried:

-Removed and reinstalled all my GPU-drivers (before realizing that issue was with Steam, not with the game)
-Updated windows
-Made sure that game shows at Steam>Downloads>Steam Library Folders and clicked on "repair folder".
-Cleared Download Cache at Steam>Downloads
-Verified integrity of game files via Steam "Local Files".
-Granted "run as administrator" status to: Steam\steamapps\common\Cyberpunk 2077\bin\x64\Cyberpunk2077.exe and to the shortcut icon at ..\Start Menu\Programs\Steam\Cyberpunk2077.exe
-Tried opening Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe as administrator and then launching the game.

What else can I do?

[Loken]

What are your system specs?
Are you using ReShade or have any mods installed?
Try disabling your antivirus and any unwanted apps.
You can also download and reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Packages (x86 and x64) and then run the installers as an administrator.

[Denreik]

Originally posted by Moto4090:

What are your system specs?
Are you using ReShade or have any mods installed?
Try disabling your antivirus and any unwanted apps.

No reshade, no mods what so ever. First clean install. Private and Public traffic are allowed at Windows Defender Firewall, although for some reason "Cyberpunk 2077" shows twice on firewall list.
Not aware of any unwanted apps.

Specs:
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 6-Core Processor 3.60 GHz
RAM: 16Gt
Windows 10 Home
Nvidia GeForce RTX3060 OC 12Gb VRAM.
Installed on SSD 870EVO

[Denreik]

Update: I now also tried reinstalling steam twice with two different methods and it didn't work. I also installed another game on the same drive (as a test) where steampunk is installed and it worked fine, so I suppose this is cyberpunk specific problem.

[Denreik]

Originally posted by Dex:

Does the red launcher executable work by itself?

Yes, works by itself, just not via Steam. Some site recommended these steps:

*Find the .exe file of the game
*Right-click > Properties > Compatibility Tab
*Tick the “Disable Full-Screen Optimizations” tab
*Now, click the “Change high DPI settings” button
*Tick “Override high DPI scaling behavior” and select “Application” from the drop-down menu

But they're not helping either.

Originally posted by Dex:

Have you tried adding "--launcher-skip" to the steam launch options?

Added. Doesn't work.

Originally posted by Dex:

When you say "no mods", after you uninstalled the game ,were there any files still in the folders at all?

No, it was a clean install on a system that didn't previously have the game.

[Denreik]

Don't know if it's relevant, but in an attempt to fix the problem I tried installing RedMod and reinstalled steam in C:\Program Files\Steam instead of C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam. After this when I tried running the game it said REDprelauncher.exe error mfc140u.dll not found. This error showed up a few times and then it went back to its usual launch>stop without displaying errors. I uninstalled and then installed back Microsoft Visual C++, without effect. The only thing I haven't tried is reinstalling the whole 70Gb game..should I?

[Leynx & Fenrir]

With patch 1.6 came a terrible bug screwing the RED launcher for many Steam users.

As long you can run the Cyberpunk2077.exe (I advise to do so as administrator) from SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Cyberpunk 2077\bin\x64, it should be fine. Alas, no more achievements for you choom.

It seems turning off cross save help avoiding further problems once the game is loaded.

There are no official fix from CDPR and the fix or going around I found are all about clean install of the game and launcher (including local files for games and launcher). Damn Corpo rats!

I tried but nothing worked for me but it might do the trick for you.

From my own experience, launchers (from Ubiplay to RED, etc.) are just making things worse for little benefit for the players. I might be wrong.

[Denreik]

Originally posted by Leynx & Fenrir:

With patch 1.6 came a terrible bug screwing the RED launcher for many Steam users.

As long you can run the Cyberpunk2077.exe (I advise to do so as administrator) from SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Cyberpunk 2077\bin\x64, it should be fine. Alas, no more achievements for you choom.

Thanks to you post I realized that the issue was with mfc140u.dll. I searched solution for it and fixing it fixed the launch problem via Steam.

[Denreik]

Update: I fixed the problem. Thank you everyone for your help!

Here's the fix (for people who have a 64-bit Windows system):

1. To make sure you have this problem go to game install location at \SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Cyberpunk 2077\ and run REDprelauncher.exe. If it shows mfc140u.dll -error then this fix is for you.

2. If your steam folder is at C:\Program Files (x86) then reinstall Steam to C:\Program Files\Steam. Do this by backing up your steam game files folder at \Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\ to another location entirely and then run uninstall.exe (which will delete entire Steam-folder). Then do a fresh install to C:\Program Files\Steam\. Drop backed up \steamapps\ to new \Steam\ -folder location.

3. Go to https://www.sts-tutorial.com/download/mfc140u and scroll down. Download both mfc140u.dll (32-Bit) and mfc140u.dll (64-Bit). Extract, but keep track which dll file is which. Move the 64-bit .dll file to C:\Windows\System32 and the 32-bit .dll file to C:\Windows\SysWOW64

4. Restart your PC. Run the game. This should fix the mfc140u.dll -error. If all else is in order the game will now work via Steam.

[Skum]

Youre a GOAT for coming back and saying how you fixed the issue after resolving it. Thanks!

[Sprite_Can]

Originally posted by Denreik:

Update: I fixed the problem. Thank you everyone for your help!

Here's the fix (for people who have a 64-bit Windows system):

1. To make sure you have this problem go to game install location at \SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Cyberpunk 2077\ and run REDprelauncher.exe. If it shows mfc140u.dll -error then this fix is for you.

2. If your steam folder is at C:\Program Files (x86) then reinstall Steam to C:\Program Files\Steam. Do this by backing up your steam game files folder at \Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\ to another location entirely and then run uninstall.exe (which will delete entire Steam-folder). Then do a fresh install to C:\Program Files\Steam\. Drop backed up \steamapps\ to new \Steam\ -folder location.

3. Go to https://www.sts-tutorial.com/download/mfc140u and scroll down. Download both mfc140u.dll (32-Bit) and mfc140u.dll (64-Bit). Extract, but keep track which dll file is which. Move the 64-bit .dll file to C:\Windows\System32 and the 32-bit .dll file to C:\Windows\SysWOW64

4. Restart your PC. Run the game. This should fix the mfc140u.dll -error. If all else is in order the game will now work via Steam.

THANK YOU GOD THANK YOU MY MF MAN

[Sprite_Can]

it uh.. didnt work.
♥♥♥♥

[scaramanga_goldgun]

Originally posted by Sprite_Can:

it uh.. didnt work.
♥♥♥♥

Have you tried adding "--launcher-skip" to the steam launch options?

[Sprite_Can]

I have yes, to no avail

[scaramanga_goldgun]

Originally posted by Sprite_Can:

I have yes, to no avail

and i assume that you have uninstalled and reinstalled leaving no local files... damn, wait for the next big update maybe they will fix your issue

[JColorfulTTV]

Yes uninstall EVERYTHING.

Okay here is how i did it. Took like 3 days of trial and error.

I cleared the download cache for steam, before figuring out what worked for my PC also.

Basically go into control panel and choose uninstall programs from your PC. Choose Cyberpunk2077 and hit uninstall.

Then go into my computer files and search for any and all files listed under the name Cyberpunk 2077 within the "This PC" catagory.

Delete all the files that come up with the game Cyberpunk 2077 name.

Then delete these files from the trashcan too to completely remove them from your computer.

Then go into Steam and install the game. It should install everything new since there shouldnt be any files left. I had 2 or 3 files left over that wouldnt let me delete them before installing the game. (a random jpeg file and weird cyberpunk internet explorer file???) Just try to delete as much as possible.

Game should work once installed. It worked for me.