Fix Baldur’s Gate 3 Crash at Startup and Game Not Launching

Baldur’s Gate 3 has been highly anticipated by RPG enthusiasts. However, some players have faced frustrating issues, such as the game crashing at startup or failing to launch entirely. These problems can be disheartening, especially when you’re eager to immerse yourself in the rich fantasy world of Faerûn. In this article, we will explore various troubleshooting steps to fix Baldur’s Gate 3 crash at startup and game not launching issues.

Read: Fix Baldur’s Gate 3 Not Launching on Steam Deck

How to Fix Baldur’s Gate 3 Crashing and Not Launching Issue

The issue is reported by a lot of users, and currently, there is no official fix from the developers. However, there are a few solutions suggested by users to fix Baldur’s Gate 3 Crash at Startup and Not Launch issue.

Launch the Game from Executable

It happens a lot with Steam games, you may not be able to launch the game from the desktop shortcut or the library; however, attempting to launch the game with the executable works. Go to the Baldur’s Gate 3 folder and locate bg3.exe. Right-click on the file and choose to run as an administrator.

Uninstall and Reinstall the Game

In some cases, incomplete or corrupt installations can lead to crashes or startup issues. To resolve this, uninstall Baldur’s Gate 3 completely and then redownload and reinstall the game. Make sure to back up your saved files before uninstalling to avoid losing your progress.

Delete Mods and Save Files

If you have installed any mods or custom content, they might be causing conflicts with the game’s code, resulting in crashes. Remove all mods and custom content and try launching the game without them. Additionally, delete all saved files associated with the game to eliminate any corrupted data that could be triggering the crash.

Check Rendering Modes: Vulkan and DirectX 11

Baldur’s Gate 3 offers two rendering modes: Vulkan and DirectX 11. Some players have reported issues with both modes, while others found success by switching between them. Try launching the game with both rendering modes to see if either of them resolves the issue. To do this, follow these steps:

• Open Steam and go to your library.
• Right-click on Baldur’s Gate 3 and select “Properties.”
• Go to the “General” tab and click on “Set Launch Options.”
• Add “–vulkan” to launch with Vulkan and “–dx11” to launch with DirectX 11. Separate multiple options with spaces.
• Click “OK” to save the changes.

Check Antivirus and Firewall 

Antivirus and firewall software can sometimes interfere with the game’s execution, leading to crashes or issues during startup. To rule out this possibility, temporarily disable your antivirus and firewall software, then try launching Baldur’s Gate 3. If the game launches successfully, add an exception for the game in your security software settings to prevent future conflicts.

Update Video Drivers

Outdated or incompatible video drivers can also contribute to game crashes. Ensure that your graphics card drivers are up-to-date and compatible with the latest version of Baldur’s Gate 3. Visit your graphics card manufacturer’s website (NVIDIA or AMD) to download and install the latest drivers for your specific graphics card model.

Delete Traces of Early Access Version

If you participated in the Early Access version of Baldur’s Gate 3, remnants of that version may interfere with the full release. To resolve this, delete all traces of the Early Access version, including save files, mod files, and any leftover installation files.

Run System File Checker (SFC)

Running the System File Checker (SFC) utility in Windows can help detect and repair corrupted system files that might be affecting the game’s performance. To use SFC, follow these steps:

• Open a Command Prompt window as an administrator by right-clicking on the Start menu and selecting “Command Prompt (Admin).”
• In the Command Prompt window, type “sfc /scannow” (without quotes) and press Enter.
• Allow the utility to scan and repair any detected issues.

Ensure that you have the latest game updates installed. Check the game’s store page on Steam or the official Larian Studios website for any available patches or hotfixes.

Read: Can you Play Baldur’s Gate 3 on Mac