MultiVersus has quickly become one of the most popular beat ’em up games for Windows 11/10 PCs since 2022. However, some players can’t enjoy MultiVersus because it doesn’t start on their PCs. Players have reported issues like launch errors 10022 and 0xc0000005 (“the application was unable to start correctly”), preventing the game from starting on their PCs. MultiVersus doesn’t start without showing an error message or code for some players. This is how you can fix MultiVersus not launching on the Windows 11/10 platforms.
Set the Start_protected_game Easy Anti-Cheat File to Run as an Administrator
MultiVersus is one of those multiplayer games that utilizes Easy Anti-Cheat to prevent cheating. Many players say setting the Easy Anti-Cheat start_protected_game file to run with admin rights can fix MultiVersus not launching on their PCs. You can set the start_protected_game file to run with elevated privileges like this.
- Open your Steam software.
- Click on Library to see all your downloaded games.
- Right-click MultiVersus to select Properties.
- Go to the Local Files tab and click Browse.
- Right-click the start_protected_game file and select Properties.
- Go over to the Compatibility tab.
- Select Run this program as an administrator to give the file elevated privileges.
The Run this program as an administrator checkbox
- Finally, click Apply and OK to save the file settings.
It’s also recommended to set the MultiVersus application file in the same folder to run with admin rights.
If you’re an Epic Games user, you can access the MultiVersus folder by right-clicking the game in that software’s Library tab and selecting Manage. Click the Open Install Location button to bring up the installation directory for the game. You can then set the required file to run with admin rights from there.
Reinstall Easy Anti-Cheat
Reinstalling Easy Anti-Cheat is a troubleshooting method confirmed to fix MultiVersus not launching with error 10022. You can do that by manually deleting Easy Anti-Cheat and reinstalling it by verifying game files as follows.
- First, open the MultiVersus game folder as covered for resolution one.
The MultiVersus folder
- Select the start_protected_game and MultiVersus files by holding the Ctrl key.
- Right-click and select Delete to erase the selected files.
- Next, open the MultiVersus > Binaries subfolder in the installation directory for the game.
- Right-click the Win64 subfolder and select Delete.
The Win64 folder
- Now open Steam to bring up the Library tab in that gaming client.
- Right-click on your MultiVersus game and select Properties on Steam’s context menu.
- Click the Verify integrity of game files option to restore the deleted Easy Anti-Cheat.
The Verify integrity of game files option
Epic Games users can also select to verify game files. Check out this Epic support page for details about how to verify files within the Epic Games Launcher software.
Turn Off Your PC’s Antivirus
Players confirm disabling antivirus shields can resolve the MultiVersus error 0xc0000005 startup issue. So, try disabling any third-party security software you have installed before starting MultiVersus. You can turn off most antivirus apps by right-clicking the system tray icons for them and selecting disable shield settings. If MultiVersus starts with the antivirus shield disabled, add the game’s folder to the security software’s exception list and turn the protection back on.
The Real-time protection option
If you haven’t installed additional antivirus software, you can try temporarily disabling the Microsoft Defender before starting the game. This Microsoft help page for disabling Defender provides instructions on how to turn off real-time protection. You can set up an exclusion for MultiVersus as instructed on this MS support webpage.
Disable the Steam Overlay
Steam has an overlay feature that can sometimes conflict with MultiVersus, causing startup issues. Try disabling that overlay specifically for MultiVersus like this.
- Start Steam and click on the Steam menu within that gaming client.
- Click the In-Game tab.
- Turn off the Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game toggle switch.
The Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game option
Delete the Mods Folder for MultiVersus
Mods have been causing MultiVersus startup issues since 2022. Many MultiVersus players have reported the game doesn’t start because of incompatible mods. If you’ve installed any modes, delete the mods folder to remove them as follows.
- Click File Explorer’s taskbar shortcut to navigate to the MultiVersus installation folder.
- Next, open the MultiVersus > Content > Paks subfolders in the game’s folder.
- Right-click ~mods and select Delete.
Set Your Windows PC to Clean Boot
Setting Windows to clean boot disables third-party startup apps and services. This is a recommended troubleshooting method because applying it might disable an app or service that’s conflicting with MultiVersus. This Microsoft webpage tells you how players can perform a clean boot to fix MultiVersus not launching.
The Services tab in MSConfig
Reinstall MultiVersus
Reinstallation of MultiVersus could be required if none of the alternative solutions above work for you. Players have confirmed they’ve kick-started MultiVersus by doing that. These are the steps for reinstalling MultiVersus with Epic Games and Steam.
Steam
- Run your Steam software and click on Library in its tab bar.
- Right-click MultiVersus and move the cursor over Manage.
- Click Uninstall a couple of times to remove MultiVersus.
The Uninstall option within Steam
- Press the Install button for the MultiVersus game in your Steam library to reinstall.
Epic Games
- Start Epic and select Library to see your games.
- Click the three-dot (ellipses) menu button for MultiVersus.
- Select the Uninstall menu option for MultiVersus.
The Uninstall option in Epic Games
- To reinstall, click MultiVersus in your library and press Install.
Other Possible Ways to Fix MultiVersus Not Launching on Your PC
You can also fix MultiVersus not launching with other troubleshooting methods. If the solutions above don’t fix MultiVersus not starting your PC, try applying these additional potential fixes:
- Update Windows and install the latest driver for your PC’s graphics card.
- Open Easy Anti-Cheat and click its Repair option.
- If you have a standard Windows user account, change it to an administrator account. You can set up an admin user account by following the instructions on this page.
- Disable the Windows Defender or third-party firewalls on your PC before playing MultiVersus.
I hope one of those potential solutions fixes MultiVersus not starting on your Windows PC. They’ll probably fix MultiVersus not launching for most players, but nothing is guaranteed to work. You can submit a game support request from this WarnerBros site page if further resolutions for MultiVersus not starting are required.
