8 Ways You Can Fix Helldivers 2 Not Launching on a Windows PC

Helldivers 2 has only been out a few months, but there are already plenty of players reporting startup issues for that game. One HD2 player said this on Steam, “When hitting play to launch the game (Helldivers 2) it cancels two seconds in, and nothing happens.” Many players report nothing happens when they click Play to launch Helldivers 2. Others have reported a black screen startup issue for the game. This is how you can fix Helldivers 2 not launching on a Windows PC.

Change Compatibility Settings for Helldivers 2

Players have confirmed that setting a Helldivers 2 to run with administrator rights has kick-started that game for them. So, selecting that compatibility setting is something worth trying first. You can set Helldivers 2 to run with elevated rights like this.

1. Bring up Steam and go into its Library tab.
2. Right-click your Helldivers 2 game and select Manage > Browse local files.
3. Double-click the Bin subfolder in the Helldivers 2 directory.
4. Next, right-click the helldivers2.exe file to select Properties.
5. Click Compatibility in the helldivers2 Properties window.
6. Select Run this program as an administrator.
   
   

   The Run this program as an administrator option

7. Click Apply to set the selected compatibility option.
8. Select OK to close out of the properties window for Helldivers 2.
9. Double-click the helldivers2 file in the installation folder to start the game.

If the issue still arises with the game set to run as admin, try selecting some additional compatibility options. Right-click the helldivers2 file to bring up its Compatibility tab again. Select Run this program in compatibility mode for Windows 8 and try running the game again. Alternatively, select the Windows 7 compatibility setting and Disable fullscreen optimizations option.

Set Steam to Run With Administrator Rights

Players also confirm they’ve fixed Helldivers 2 not launching by setting Steam to run with admin rights. You can permanently set Steam to always run with admin rights, much the same as the Helldivers 2 game. Bring up your Steam installation folder and right-click the steam.exe file to set that software to run with administrator rights as covered in steps four to eight for the preceding resolution.

The Steam Properties window

Install the Visual Studio C++ 2012 Update 4 Package

The 2012 Visual Studio C++ Redistributable package installs runtime components and DLL files required for Helldivers 2. Installing this package is a player-confirmed way to fix Helldivers 2 not launching. These are the steps for installing the 2012 Visual Studio C++ Redistributable package.

1. Open this Visual Studio 2012 Update 4 page.
2. Click Download to bring up file selection options.
3. Select either the VSU_4\vcredist_x64.exe (64-bit) or VSU_4\vcredist_x86.exe (32-bit) option, depending on your PC’s system architecture. Most Windows 11/10 PCs are 64-bit models.
   
   

   Download options for Visual Studio 2012

4. Next, click the Downloads button or option in your browser and the vcredist_x64.exe or vcredist_x86 file.
5. Click the Install or Repair button within the Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 window, depending on what option you see.
   
   

   The Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 Redistributable window

Verify Helldivers 2’s Files

Your Helldivers 2 game could be failing to launch because it has missing or corrupted files. This resolution is particularly recommended if Helldivers 2 doesn’t launch after recent game updates. This Steam support page tells you how players can select to verify a game within that gaming client.

The Uninstall option

Disable Overlays

Players have also said they’ve fixed Helldivers 2 not launching by disabling overlay features for GeForce Experience, Steam, and other software. Discord, Steam, and GeForce Experience are widely used software packages for gaming that include overlay features that can crash games in different ways when enabled. So, try turning off the overlay settings in the Steam, Discord, and GeForce Experience software installed on your PC.

The In-Game Overlay option

Clean Boot

Clean boot is the troubleshooting method that disables third-party startup items and services. This stops many unneeded background apps from starting with Windows when restarting your PC. Clean booting can fix gaming startup issues because it might eliminate background apps or services interfering with your games. Go through the steps on this Microsoft clean boot page to apply this possible solution.

The Services tab in System Configuration

Delete the Helldivers 2 Game Folder

A few players confirmed deleting the Helldivers2 data folder can fix the game not starting. However, applying this resolution will erase saved Helldivers 2 game data. So, some players may prefer to try other possible fixes first. This is how you can delete the Helldivers2 folder.

1. Start your Run accessory by right-clicking on the Start menu button and selecting it from the Power User Menu.
2. Enter %appdata% into Run and click OK to access the Roaming folder.
3. Open the Arrowhead subfolder.
4. Right-click the Helldivers2 subfolder within the Arrowhead folder to select Delete.
   
   

   The Delete context menu option

Reinstall Helldivers 2

Finally, try reinstalling Helldivers 2 for a final potential solution. This is a more thorough way to fix corrupted game files than verifying. You can reinstall Helldivers 2 like this.

1. Go into the Library tab inside your Steam software.
2. Right-click Helldivers 2 and select the Uninstall context and confirmation options.
   
   

   Steam’s Uninstall option

3. Restart your PC after restarting Helldivers 2 and reopen the Library tab in Steam.
4. Click the Helldivers 2 game to select its Install option.
   
   

   The Install option for a game in Steam

Other Possible Ways to Fix Helldivers 2 Not Launching

There are numerous other potential ways to fix Helldivers 2 not launching beyond those listed above. Here are some further suggestions for kick-starting Helldivers 2.

• Disable third-party antivirus shields before starting Helldivers 2.
• Clear the download cache for Valve’s gaming client by following the steps on this Steam page.
• Reinstalling the nProtect GameGuard for Helldivers 2 by clicking the gguninst uninstall and GGSetup install files in the game’s installation directory.
• Disable the Steam Input Controller by selecting the Disable Steam Input option on the Controller tab for Helldiver 2 in Valve’s gaming client software.
• Delete the user_setting_config file in the Users > [user folder] > Appdata > Roaming > Arrowhead > Helldivers2 folder path.

Many players have fixed Helldivers 2 not launching on Windows PCs by applying the resolutions in this guide. So, there’s a reasonable chance one will work for you, but you’ll probably have to apply multiple potential fixes to find it. If the game still doesn’t start, I can only advise contacting the help service for Helldivers 2 by clicking Submit a request on this Arrowhead page.

Best Guides for HELLDIVERS 2

What Are Scout Striders and How to Kill Them

Best Farm for Easy Medals, Requisition Slips and XP

6 Ways to Fix the Helldivers 2 Black Screen Bug on a Windows PC

6 Ways to Fix Helldivers 2 Stuttering and FPS Drops on a Windows PC

4 Ways to Fix the Msvcr110.dll Helldivers 2 Error on Windows PCs

7 Ways to Fix Regular In-Game Helldivers 2 Crashing on a Windows PC

6 Ways to Fix the Helldivers 2 “Failed to Join Game Lobby” Error on a Windows PC

Why Lost Planet 2 Did It Better Than Helldivers 2

Best Ways to Find Bile Titans and Kill Them