ERROR: Unable to Launch Game. Please reinstall the game.

[xXUmbrellaAgentXx]

"ERROR: Unable to Launch Game. Please reinstall the game."
I haven't been able to play RDR1 for over a week now because of this error. No matter what I do, it simply will not allow me to play the game again. Rockstar did a launcher update, and afterwards the game stopped working. I've uninstalled and reinstalled the game, the launched, scrubbed all data of it off my system with a fresh reinstall, nothing works. Anybody else running into this and any way to fix it? I tried to get a refund but they refuse to give me one, even over this.

[Weisser Falke]

Originally posted by xXUmbrellaAgentXx:

"ERROR: Unable to Launch Game. Please reinstall the game."
I haven't been able to play RDR1 for over a week now because of this error. No matter what I do, it simply will not allow me to play the game again. Rockstar did a launcher update, and afterwards the game stopped working. I've uninstalled and reinstalled the game, the launched, scrubbed all data of it off my system with a fresh reinstall, nothing works. Anybody else running into this and any way to fix it? I tried to get a refund but they refuse to give me one, even over this.

I assume you mean rockstar launcher asking for game RDR reinstall....
I've had same issue, even before update. I bought can't even get that far now, because it comes up with 'Steam Apai not found' error or something. Have you had same issue?

Tried getting help on a other discussion but nobody answered! 🥲

[xXUmbrellaAgentXx]

Originally posted by ViggyTheBear:

Originally posted by xXUmbrellaAgentXx:

"ERROR: Unable to Launch Game. Please reinstall the game."
I haven't been able to play RDR1 for over a week now because of this error. No matter what I do, it simply will not allow me to play the game again. Rockstar did a launcher update, and afterwards the game stopped working. I've uninstalled and reinstalled the game, the launched, scrubbed all data of it off my system with a fresh reinstall, nothing works. Anybody else running into this and any way to fix it? I tried to get a refund but they refuse to give me one, even over this.

Did you mean a fresh reinstall of Windows at the end and that didn't help? Are you using any additional launch options for this game like a commandline.txt on the game's folder or Steam's game properties?

No, i meant a clean install of both the game and rockstar launcher. No special properties or any launch options out of the norm. Just one day right after rockstar updated, the game stopped working and so did gta v and rdr 2.

[xXUmbrellaAgentXx]

Originally posted by Weisser Falke:

Originally posted by xXUmbrellaAgentXx:

"ERROR: Unable to Launch Game. Please reinstall the game."
I haven't been able to play RDR1 for over a week now because of this error. No matter what I do, it simply will not allow me to play the game again. Rockstar did a launcher update, and afterwards the game stopped working. I've uninstalled and reinstalled the game, the launched, scrubbed all data of it off my system with a fresh reinstall, nothing works. Anybody else running into this and any way to fix it? I tried to get a refund but they refuse to give me one, even over this.

I assume you mean rockstar launcher asking for game RDR reinstall....
I've had same issue, even before update. I bought can't even get that far now, because it comes up with 'Steam Apai not found' error or something. Have you had same issue?

Tried getting help on a other discussion but nobody answered! 🥲

no help as of yet sadly.

[xXUmbrellaAgentXx]

Also, steam will refuse to give you a refund if this becomes a permanent problem with the rockstar launcher, which it seems to be and has yet to get rockstars attention so we may be waiting a few months before a fix. It is most definitely the launcher, as all rockstar games now no longer launch. not just this one. This may not have happened to everybody (and i'm not sure how that could even be possible due to the fact it was directly caused by a update to a launcher we all must use to play the game.), but it is keeping me from playing games i PAID FOR and of course there is over 2 hours playtime, it worked before rockstar decided to sabotage people! lol like wtf? This is not just a isolated incident either.

So i ask, why is there no update, patch or fix yet? seems to be a legit reason to get a refund if you can no longer play the game AT ALL because of the launcher, the third p[arty Launcher is REQUIRED to launch a SINGLE PLAYER GAME!!!


let that sh*t sink in, they asked $50 for a single player game, that requires a at all times online launcher, to launch and even play, and if said launcher is broken, all games requiring that same launcher are also broken for all who have this issue.


Steam however, is backing this and totally ok with games that break right after launch, just wondering how long until we get games only coded to work for 2 hours, then bam! they crash and nobody can get a refund even if the game was a legit scam? might be a bit off the rails there but seriously.....this is why this online always digital world is GAAARRRBAAAGGGEEEEE.


Now i can't play any rockstar game, and until they fix it or contact me back i cannot do anything about it.

I love being ripped off $50 on a platform that %100 supports scamming. :D

[Weisser Falke]

I only just bought RDR 1 got like 20 minutes trying to launch, but if this means I can't even play RDR2... 😭
Someone please help or advise? 😢

[molly avast]

Same issue. Can't launch the game at all even after reinstalling it and the Rockstar launcher

[Reapercallin]

i had this issue running in compatibility mode, try setting the .exe apps to run as admin?

i recently had to just disable v-sync and enable Nvidia Reflex Low Latency to get this game to stop giving me ACCESS_VIOLATION

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Generic Error; RDR2 does the same thing sometimes.
Just verify game cache and play.

DO NOT allow Drives to go to Sleep, which they do by default in WinOS unless manually changed.

Disable Fast Startup + Hibernation via CMD (Run As Admin)
powercfg -h off

Set PageFile manually to MIN = 8192 / MAX = 1.5X your installed RAM
Once entered the values and clicked SET, click OK. Then restart Windows to fully apply the changes.

[Reapercallin]

Originally posted by Bad 💀 Motha:

Generic Error; RDR2 does the same thing sometimes.
Just verify game cache and play.

DO NOT allow Drives to go to Sleep, which they do by default in WinOS unless manually changed.

Disable Fast Startup + Hibernation via CMD (Run As Admin)
powercfg -h off

Set PageFile manually to MIN = 8192 / MAX = 1.5X your installed RAM
Once entered the values and clicked SET, click OK. Then restart Windows to fully apply the changes.

see thing about all that is we mostly have done all that and it has made no difference what so ever. i verified the game, nothing was missing or needing to be replaced, msi, discord, synaps were all turned off, i don't even have rivaturner, game set to lowest setting, game set to run as admin, fast startup was disabled for me a very long time ago, yet this error happens every time i play about not even 5 minutes of it, yet the other day i played much more just fine, rebooted pc and all. and my pc doesn't even have hibernation mode on

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Don't set the game EXEs to "Run As Admin"
Only the Steam and Rockstar Launcher.
Only changes to game EXEs might need to be applied is "Disable Full Screen Optimization" as some games have issues with that.

Launch Steam via Run As Admin
Launch Rockstar via Run As Admin
Then launch RDR2 from Rockstar Launcher, not Steam.
Once you see the "STORE" portion disappear from Rockstar Launcher, X out that window along with Steam window and then game should load up in a few moments afterwards.

If your PC has two GPUs such as GPU Onboard the CPU + Dedicated GPU card; then go into Windows Graphics Settings; add the two game EXEs for RDR2 and once added change their options to High Performance GPU.

[Reapercallin]

Originally posted by Bad 💀 Motha:

Don't set the game EXEs to "Run As Admin"
Only the Steam and Rockstar Launcher.
Only changes to game EXEs might need to be applied is "Disable Full Screen Optimization" as some games have issues with that.

Launch Steam via Run As Admin
Launch Rockstar via Run As Admin
Then launch RDR2 from Rockstar Launcher, not Steam.
Once you see the "STORE" portion disappear from Rockstar Launcher, X out that window along with Steam window and then game should load up in a few moments afterwards.

If your PC has two GPUs such as GPU Onboard the CPU + Dedicated GPU card; then go into Windows Graphics Settings; add the two game EXEs for RDR2 and once added change their options to High Performance GPU.

may just be a typo but umm... this is for rdr1 not 2

either or, tried what you suggested and no change.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Yes, sorry, for both RDR1 and RDR2; the steps are all the same.

[Crimson]

Originally posted by xXUmbrellaAgentXx:

"ERROR: Unable to Launch Game. Please reinstall the game."
I haven't been able to play RDR1 for over a week now because of this error. No matter what I do, it simply will not allow me to play the game again. Rockstar did a launcher update, and afterwards the game stopped working. I've uninstalled and reinstalled the game, the launched, scrubbed all data of it off my system with a fresh reinstall, nothing works. Anybody else running into this and any way to fix it? I tried to get a refund but they refuse to give me one, even over this.

What CPU do you have?

[xXUmbrellaAgentXx]

Ryzen 5 3600

[Crimson]

Originally posted by xXUmbrellaAgentXx:

Ryzen 5 3600

Never mind then, that should work fine. I assume you still haven't got it working hence you replied?