Steam game won't start -- unknown error

[mistakenCynic]

I just yesterday bought the game Europa IV as I wanted to play with some friends and had heard good things about it. The issue is I have not been able to start it as it displays a message saying: An error has occurred while updating (Unknown error). This does not happen with Cities: Skylines or other Steam games. In terms of things I have already tried to find a solution:

• Reinstall the game multiple times
• Flushed my Steam config
• Cleared download cache
• Verified game file integrity
• Made sure there were no settings limiting downloads in Steam settings
• Shifted download regions to make sure it wasn’t an issue with a specific Steam server
• Changed wireless networks and locations
• Reset my router
• Restarted my computer multiple times
• Ran first-aid on my Mac drive twice
• Checked firewall (It was off)
• Reinstalled Steam completely, twice (including deleting ALL files related to Steam)

Repairing the library folder is not an option as it does not show up when I right click the default library.

I'm really hoping there's some solution as Paradox support was completely useless (as if they didn't even read my request) and apparently there is no way to contact Steam support directly, despite the fact that they're making money off of my purchases through commissions.

Thanks so much.

[Cathulhu]

So, if you have problems running a game you've bought from Walmart, do you go to their support and ask them how to solve it? If yes, how did it go?
Anyway, Steam Support can not help with third party game issues. Steam literally has thousands of games.
Steam Support only deals with issues regarding Steam issues and issues with Valve games.
For more information, read this:
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=5806-YFGL-3427&l=

Anyway, what are your full system specs?
What are your system specs including Mac OS X version.

[mistakenCynic]

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

So, if you have problems running a game you've bought from Walmart, do you go to their support and ask them how to solve it? If yes, how did it go?
Anyway, Steam Support can not help with third party game issues. Steam literally has thousands of games.
Steam Support only deals with issues regarding Steam issues and issues with Valve games.
For more information, read this:
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=5806-YFGL-3427&l=

Anyway, what are your full system specs?
What are your system specs including Mac OS X version.

I truly can't seem to figure out why everyone has been so mean and apparently not reading my answers. Please, I am just looking for some genuine help. Paradox, the game developer, actually passed me on to Steam because they said that it does not appear like a game error but a launcher error. I just want a little bit of help trying to figure this out. You didn't have to reply if you were just going to be snarky and rude. And in terms of talking to Walmart, if I bought a game disk and the disk did not work, then I would talk to support and they would most likely exchange the game. This is clearly not the same as physical hardware. Not to mention that Steam might be partially interested in helping me because they got money out of my purchase to run their software.

Now in terms of system specs I have a MacBook Pro 13" (2016 -- no touchbar). That means I have the following technical specifications:
- 2.0GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz, with 4MB shared L3 cache
- 256GB PCIe-based onboard SSD
- 8GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
- Intel Iris Graphics 540

To anyone who would like to point out the lack of a dedicated graphics card as an excuse instead of really trying to help me a little bit, I have successfully been able to play many Steam games on my computer including Cities: Skylines (one of the only games I've come across that specifically disavow any compatibility with integrated graphics cards), so it cannot be an issue with a graphics card as to why the game is throwing an unknown error when attempting to update.

Thank you and I would deeply appreciate and be grateful for solutions.

[Capn Slam]

Have you tried running the actual game EXE as an Administrator?

[mistakenCynic]

Originally posted by Spice Cadet:

Have you tried running the actual game EXE as an Administrator?

I would love to try whatever may work. Is that possible on a Mac?

[Cathulhu]

No, Mac OS X does not have EXE files. Windows does.
Anyway, you didn't answer the question regarding your Mac OS X version.
Keep in mind that the system requirements for Mac do not mention support for Intel videochips, so that may or may not be an issue.

[Adachud]

I'm having the same issue (on Mac, Europa Universalis 4 +DLC not updating), and I was able to get through to Steam support but they just said some crap about it being a local connection issue I should check with my ISP??? Wish I had something that would actually help but at least I can tell you you're not missing out on anything by not contacting steam. My game is still completely broken

[z.thomas]

I'm having the same issue as well. "An error occurred while updating EU IV (unknown error)." Also on a brand new MacBook Pro (2019). I've tried everything in the book and the support page the error dialogue links to: https://help.steampowered.com/en/wizard/HelpWithAppError/?appid=236850&error=1

The only thing I haven't been able to do there is repair my Steam library folder as that is not an option when I right/ctl-click. That being said, I've completely uninstalled and reinstalled both the game and Steam to no avail. Really at a loss here.

• 2.3GHz Intel 8-core i9
  
• 512GB SSD
  
• 32GB 2400MHz DDR4
  
• Intel UHD Graphics 630
  
• MacOS 10.15 beta

Being on the public beta OS was my last thought of what may be wrong... but if you guys aren't also on the beta then that doesn't make any sense.

Any help here would be appreciated!

[Muppet among Puppets]

This happens on mac os?

[Drab]

You'll all get much better results if you go here and use this forum.

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?forums/europa-universalis-iv.731/

[z.thomas]

Originally posted by Drab:

You'll all get much better results if you go here and use this forum.

While this problem seems to be isolated to EU IV for me (my other Steam games launch fine), as @mistakenCynic mentioned, "it does not appear like a game error but a launcher error." Not sure how much help Paradox would be. Steam is having trouble even launching the game to being with...

[00]

thanks a lot man :)

[z.thomas]

One thing that I have noticed in trying to do some more troubleshooting on my own is that my user/Documents/Paradox Interactive folder is missing / not created, which seems like it may be a contributing factor as to why the game won't launch.