How to fix the "Initialization Error" when first starting Borderlands GOTY Enhanced.

[KCChiefsFan]

Seen a lot of ppl getting this error with BL and trying to start it from the Steam launcher.

It is the Steam launcher that is the issue. Unfortunately no matter what you can try -- even verifying you file integrity and restarting the Steam client -- you will continue to get this message.

The best way to get around this error is to do the following:
1) Go into \Steam\steamapps\common\BorderlandsGOTYEnhanced\Binaries\Win64 and right-click on the 'BorderlandsGOTY.exe' and then click 'Run as administrator'. This will run the game, and you will still be logged into Steam and avail to get achievements, play online, etc.

2) Right-click the same 'BorderlandsGOTY.exe' and select 'Copy'. Go to your desktop, right-click again, select 'Paste as shortcut'. Now you have the executable on your desktop, you can run as administrator from here as well.


Hopefully Valve, 2K, or Gearbox will come up with a patch or something to correct the steam issue, but until then, you will just have to launch from the exe and not Steam.

Hope this helps.

[Jur1z]

Not sure if this helps but you can turn off launcher in game options https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1704384795

[Arrowbane]

Thanks KCChiefsFan!! I have been trying to figure this out for a while.

[BedGoblin]

i tried this and it told me i was missing a bunch of stuff i verified game files and restarted steam completely and even reinstalled the game and it still doesn't work for me

[BedGoblin]

guys install the og bl1 goty and it will fix it ♥♥♥♥♥♥ stupid
this is another way to fix it

[BedGoblin]

nvm\

[420Llamas]

It seems virtual display drivers can cause an issue with the launcher. Though this bug could also affect people with both an integrated and discrete GPU. ie. Laptops and some desktop configurations. Uninstalling programs like SpaceDesk fixed the launcher for me. Disabling/uninstalling integrated display adapters may also fix this issues for some users

[bubak]

Go to your windows users documents/my games/Borderlands Game of the Year folder and delete everything except binaries folder :)

[Akis]

If it happened after a COOP game - verify game files.

[[Astra]Schmoopy]

@bubak after hours of trying every solution - this worked xD

[Jackson]

Thank you! Fixed for me.

[filler]

this came in clutch and worked like a charm that actually works

[TYRIAN_2050]

sadly it didn't work for me

[Pickwick The Second]

There's another weird solution someone has suggested, and it worked for me; hopefully it will for you, because that launcher bug is frustrating!

You don't have to delete any files. Go to the Steam game folder (Program Files > Steam > steamapps > common > Binaries > Win64 or whatever yours is.) You will have a file named "Launcher", and that's the one that's not working post-patch. Change the name to something else (add "old" or "renamed" to the front if you'd like to keep track of it.)

There's one more application file in this folder, named something like "BorderlandsGOTYenhanced". Change this file's name to "Launcher", and then Steam will use it to start the game instead of the original launcher file. For me, it worked.

I even uninstalled after beating the second playthrough and promptly reinstalled because I had forgotten that I wanted to try the DLC. Again, the launcher complained of corrupted files, and again, changing the file names worked.

[ム-Uesugi]

@Pickwick The Second bro you are the goat:) it worked for me. THANK YOUUU SO MUCH.

[ezegyemailadress]

It's the end of 2024 and I just started having this issue. Running the exe file as admin seems to work. God bless