[FIX] Game Not Launching

[Night]

I have struggled for a few hours to diagnose the issues regarding tha launching issues of RDR2.

The problem revolves around the Vulkan Drivers. Vulkan API has changed and RDR2 has not adapted for these changes in GPU drivers. Effectively creating an access violation upon trying to initialize the Game Window.

The simplest and easiest fix is to navigate to

MyDocuments\Rockstar Games\Red Dead Redemption 2\Settings\system.xml

Open this file with any text editor, you are looking for the following string (should be located at line 37)

kSettingAPI_Vulkan

Simply change it to the following:

kSettingAPI_DX12

[Elteria]

THANK YOU!
It worked for me!

[kevwood]

Excellent. Worked a treat for me. Only 3 hrs in and the game stopped launching for no reason that I could see. This fix sorted it.

In case you're not sure how to edit the .xml file. Right click and 'open with' notepad. Make the change and then hit save.

[Link Le Dingue]

the file doesnt exist for me (I downloaded it on steam and the only thing i have is profile in the folder.... plz help am desesperated

[storiesaboutliquid]

its not work ........... ♥♥♥♥ this game

[Pipo]

My problem has nothing to do with the damn API, but probably with the servers of Rockstar's beautiful pile of ♥♥♥♥, something like: activation required

[Shisen]

Aafter trying all day... many fix solutions... game reinstall.... Rockstar Suport....

I deleted the game and reinstalled windows 10
The game finally works on a "fresh" system.

good luck

[Jaskier]

Originally posted by iTüghi:

My problem has nothing to do with the damn API, but probably with the servers of Rockstar's beautiful pile of ♥♥♥♥, something like: activation required

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UPDwpMlVPE

[SKIROW]

Thanks a lot!

[DevilBoyGamer]

Hello guys after finding too much on internet. I found a solution for me. Maybe this will works for you as well. Follow the steps below

1. C:\Windows\SysWOW64

Go to this location and delete these 4 files

vulkan-1.dll
vulkan-1-999-0-0-0.dll
vulkaninfo
vulkaninfo-1-999-0-0-0

2. C:\Windows\System32

Go to this location and delete the same files mentioned above

3. Now go to location where your game is installed and open Redistributables folder. There you will find an exe name VulkanRT install it and restart the system.

Thats all. Try to run the game now it will work now. Worked for me and I hope this works for you as well.

[zariok]

NEW PLAYERS READ THIS! -- ERR_GFX_INIT

This game crashed before I could run it to even have a settings.xml file.

1. Navigate to

   Documents\Rockstar Games\Red Dead Redemption 2

2. If not present, right click -> New -> Folder named "Settings" and enter it
   
3. Right click -> New -> Text Document
   
4. It'll be waiting for a name, name it "system.xml" and ok the warning about name.
   
5. Right click the file -> Open With... -> Notepad
   
6. Copy and paste in the xml below.
   
7. Save, close, and load the game.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<rage__fwuiSystemSettingsCollection>
  <version value="37" />
  <configSource>kSettingsConfig_Auto</configSource>
  <advancedGraphics>
    <API>kSettingAPI_DX12</API>
  </advancedGraphics>
</rage__fwuiSystemSettingsCollection>

TLDR: Put bare minimum xml in file to tell the game to load into DX12 and not their outdated Vulkan implementation.

[TheKillerCobra]

Originally posted by zariok:

NEW PLAYERS READ THIS! -- ERR_GFX_INIT

This game crashed before I could run it to even have a settings.xml file.

1. Navigate to

   Documents\Rockstar Games\Red Dead Redemption 2

2. If not present, right click -> New -> Folder named "Settings" and enter it
   
3. Right click -> New -> Text Document
   
4. It'll be waiting for a name, name it "system.xml" and ok the warning about name.
   
5. Right click the file -> Open With... -> Notepad
   
6. Copy and paste in the xml below.
   
7. Save, close, and load the game.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<rage__fwuiSystemSettingsCollection>
  <version value="37" />
  <configSource>kSettingsConfig_Auto</configSource>
  <advancedGraphics>
    <API>kSettingAPI_DX12</API>
  </advancedGraphics>
</rage__fwuiSystemSettingsCollection>

TLDR: Put bare minimum xml in file to tell the game to load into DX12 and not their outdated Vulkan implementation.

It took the game way longer before it went "Quitting" but in the end I didn't launch. Screen flickered again though which is more then before.

[The Tempted Man]

This doesn't solve anything, I use direct12 and I have the same issues.

[Majson]

Hmm. It works for the first time (Thanks a lot!) But on the second time this bug is still there. I checked if file kSettingAPI_Vulkan somehow returned, but It didn't. I still have kSettingAPI_DX12 in that place :/

[shatten]

Originally posted by zariok:

NEW PLAYERS READ THIS! -- ERR_GFX_INIT

This game crashed before I could run it to even have a settings.xml file.

1. Navigate to

   Documents\Rockstar Games\Red Dead Redemption 2

2. If not present, right click -> New -> Folder named "Settings" and enter it
   
3. Right click -> New -> Text Document
   
4. It'll be waiting for a name, name it "system.xml" and ok the warning about name.
   
5. Right click the file -> Open With... -> Notepad
   
6. Copy and paste in the xml below.
   
7. Save, close, and load the game.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<rage__fwuiSystemSettingsCollection>
  <version value="37" />
  <configSource>kSettingsConfig_Auto</configSource>
  <advancedGraphics>
    <API>kSettingAPI_DX12</API>
  </advancedGraphics>
</rage__fwuiSystemSettingsCollection>

TLDR: Put bare minimum xml in file to tell the game to load into DX12 and not their outdated Vulkan implementation.

This ended up working for me. Thanks so much!

[Shatari]

Originally posted by zariok:

NEW PLAYERS READ THIS! -- ERR_GFX_INIT

This game crashed before I could run it to even have a settings.xml file.

1. Navigate to

   Documents\Rockstar Games\Red Dead Redemption 2

2. If not present, right click -> New -> Folder named "Settings" and enter it
   
3. Right click -> New -> Text Document
   
4. It'll be waiting for a name, name it "system.xml" and ok the warning about name.
   
5. Right click the file -> Open With... -> Notepad
   
6. Copy and paste in the xml below.
   
7. Save, close, and load the game.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<rage__fwuiSystemSettingsCollection>
  <version value="37" />
  <configSource>kSettingsConfig_Auto</configSource>
  <advancedGraphics>
    <API>kSettingAPI_DX12</API>
  </advancedGraphics>
</rage__fwuiSystemSettingsCollection>

TLDR: Put bare minimum xml in file to tell the game to load into DX12 and not their outdated Vulkan implementation.

Dude, you're the best!