Bioshock 2 not even launching

[Anomi]

i just bought bioshock 2 only to find out that it wont even launch. i click to launch and a box xome up asking me if i want to play bioshock 2 or multiplayer. then i click one, and the box goes away. after a few seconds it does nothing and i go from in game to online (on steam). it's just refusing to launch or start up. i haven't even gotten a chance to put in a serial key yet.

[JRS69]

Try this: Set launch options for the game with “-dx09”
Do this by right clicking on the game in your library, select properties, then on the General Tab, click on Set Launch Options, enter “-dx09” without quotes, select OK and close, run the game and for me it worked, the game loads and I can now play.

[Anomi]

Not working.

-edit-
Damn, i just bought this too and it has to be broken? whyyyy

[Noot Noot!]

i have the same problem

[Ciqa[svk]]

do you have games for windows live installed? this game wont run without it.... i played it like year ago so i dont know if anything changed... and i had a LOT problems with it... gl

[Anomi]

Yeah i went through all the GFWL troubleshoots but nothing worked. i don't think it's GFWL because it's not freezing when i log in, it's not even giving me the chance to log in. I go to my library, hit launch game, select single player, and then my profile says IN GAME BIOSHOCK 2 but then without a single warning sign or any screen popping up it just stops and my profile says ONLINE. this is getting to be pretty frustrating.

[mario]

I only found two fixes for it.

1: (http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1844699) just removing GFWL all together with a .dll

2:Open up Programs and Features from the control panel and uninstall both games for windows live entries. Redownload and install GFWL (http://www.xbox.com/en-US/LIVE/PC/DownloadClient). Start gfwl up, sign in and leave it running in the background.

Now boot up bioshock and you should see the lovely splash screen showing you that something was fixed.
After a bit, windows live should pop up asking you for the bioshock cd key. Enter it in and it'll tell you an update for bioshock is available. Follow the instructions after it downloads and if you're lucky bioshock should be fixed for you.

Now i tried both these fixes with success, but had my saves moved out of the folder for both fixes and only moved them back after the second fix. So I'm unsure if you can use your old saves when removing gfwl all together.

If you need your bioshock 2 cd key, just right click bioshock in your steam library and click view cd key.

[Anomi]

Mario, tried both, and to no avail

i was really hoping that would fix it but i guess not.

[Zakotu]

Try to open Bioshock 2 on Steam while "Games for Windows Marketplace" is open (put your account and pass).

[Anomi]

@Zakotu

tried and didn't work. i'm pretty sure that fix is for people who crash when signing in in game. my problem isn't even letting me in game.

[mario]

Yeah, not even starting up was the problem I was having. The only thing i left out was i did delete the BioShock 2\SP\Builds folder and had steam redownload it, this didn't work and was before trying those other fixes. It could be that by replacing that folder and reinstalling gfwl fixed it or I was just lucky. Hopefully if enough people send in support tickets they'll see there's a demand for a fix.

[Anomi]

I know i've sent my ticket yesterday. still no reply and hoping it gets fixed befrore infinite comes out.

[Steve Harvey]

when i start it launch and when i play like 5 min its just freezes and crash and few day after when i launch it, it dont even start HELP!

[Anomi]

as you can see, crust, your not alone. go send a ticket to steam support so they can know.

[ToR]

Hi, I'm having the exact same problem. Bioshock 2 just will not run. I click play and nothing happens :(. Please update this thread if you can get it working - thanks.

[ToR]

Woohoo, got it working.

Went to start - > All programs -> Microsoft Games for Windows Marketplace -> Games for Windows Market Place

Doing this prompted an update box to appear and a browser window to open. Downloaded the update from the browser, signed into live and then ran Bioshock 2.