Lost Ark is a free game that combines the best of ARPG combat and MMO depth to create a vast and dynamic world with thrilling battles. It is co-developed by Tripod Studio and Smilegate’s game development subsidiary, Smilegate RPG. This game is currently available for free to PC users via Steam. However, just like other video games, it seems that Lost ARK has it’s own problems, such as problems launching the game. If you are looking for possible solutions to fix the Lost ARK won’t launch issue, then keep on reading.
There is a high chance that your Lost ARK won’t launch due to some possible causes, such as outdated graphics drivers, outdated game versions, corrupted game files that are either missing or corrupted, unnecessary background tasks, etc.
Problems with Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, startup services, antivirus issues, PC hardware incompatibility, overlay applications, overclocked CPU/GPU, issues DirectX, etc. may cause problems launching the game on your Windows PC. We will now see the workarounds listed down below that will help you to fix the problem.
How to Fix Lost ARK Won’t Launch Issue
Now, without wasting any more time, let’s get to work. Make sure to follow the solutions listed down below one by one until the problem is resolved.
Solution 1: Check System Requirements
First of all, you need to check if your PC meets the system requirements for the game. Sometimes incompatible PC hardware can cause some problems when launching games. We have covered the requirements of the game so that you can check your configuration.
OS: Windows 10 (64-bit only)
Processor: Intel i3 or AMD Ryzen 3
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 / AMD HD6850
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 50 GB available space
Recommended System Requirements:
OS: Windows 10 (64-bit only)
Processor: Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 5
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 50 GB available space
Solution 2: Run the game as an Administrator
If you don’t run your video game with admin privileges it can lead to problems launching the game or crashing on launch or even the game not loading issue. So, better to just run the exe file of the game as administrator on your Windows computer and check if it fixes the problem. To run the game as an administrator, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Right-click on the Lost ARK exe shortcut file on your PC.
Step 2: Now, select Properties.
Step 3: Click on the Compatibility tab.
Step 4: Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox.
Step 5: Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.
Solution 3: Verify Integrity of Game Files
If in this case your game files are corrupted or missing due to unexpected reasons then checking and repairing game files using the game launcher can be of great help to you. To verify the integrity of the game files, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Launch Steam.
Step 2: Then, Click on Library.
Step 3: Then, Right-click on Lost ARK from the list of installed games.
Step 4: Now, click on Properties.
Step 5: From there, Go to Local Files.
Step 6: Then, Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
Step 7: You’ll have to wait for the process until it gets completed.
Step 8: Once done, just restart your computer.
Solution 4: Update Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable
Step 1: Head over to the following path on your PC- C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Steamworks Shared\_CommonRedist\vcredist.
Step 2: You should see the following folders:
2012\vc_redist.x64.exe
2013\vc_redist.x64.exe
2019\vc_redist.x64.exe
Step 3: Just make sure to run all of these executable files that are present. (If you’ve different folders, then run the vc_redist.x64.exe file in those folders)
Step 4: Finally, restart your PC to fix the issue.
Solution 5: Update DirectX
Step 1: Go to the following path on your PC – C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Steamworks Shared\_CommonRedist\DirectX folder path.
Step 2: Next, run the DXSETUP.exe file to reinstall/update DirectX.
Step 3: Once done, restart your computer to apply changes.
Solution 6: Update GPU Drivers
It appears that some affected players have reported outdated graphics drivers. If you are also using outdated graphics drivers, make sure to check for updates by following the steps listed below:-
Step 1: Press Windows + X keys to open the Quick Link Menu.
Step 2: Now, click on Device Manager from the list.
Step 3: Double-click on Display adapters.
Step 4: Then, Right-click on the dedicated graphics card that you’re using.
Step 5: Next, select Update driver.
Step 6: Now, Choose to Search automatically for drivers.
Step 7: If there is an update available, the system will automatically download & install it.
Step 8: Once done, restart the computer to apply changes.
Step 9: This method should fix the Lost ARK Won’t Launch on PC issue. If not, you can head over to the next method.
Solution 7: Disable Overlay Apps
According to some affected gamers, disabling the Steam overlay on Windows computers has helped them to fix the problem of the game not launching. There may be problems with processes or system resources that may be causing the problem.
For Steam Overlay:-
Step 1: Open the Steam client.
Step 2: Go to Library.
Step 3: Now, right-click on Lost ARK.
Step 4: Then, Select Properties.
Step 5: Head over to the General section.
Step 6: Here just uncheck the Enable Steam Overlay checkbox.
Step 7: Then, Go back to Library.
Step 8: Now, Re-open Squad to check for the not launching issue.
Solution 8: Install All Pending Windows Updates
It is possible that one of the Windows system files is conflicting with the game. Sometimes incompatibility issues can also occur when you haven’t updated the OS software for a while. So make sure to install each pending Windows updates and keep them on the latest OS version. To install all pending windows updates, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Press Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
Step 2: Next, click on Update & Security.
Step 3: Select Check for updates under the Windows Update section.
Step 4: If there is a feature update available, select Download and install.
Step 5: Wait for some time until the update gets completed.
Step 6: Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes immediately.
Solution 9: Disable Antivirus and Firewall Program
Step 1: Click on the Start menu.
Step 2: Type Control Panel and click on it.
Step 3: Now, type firewall in the search box.
Step 4: Then, Click on Windows Firewall.
Step 5: From the left pane, click on Turn Windows Firewall on or off.
Step 6: Make sure to select Turn off Windows Firewall for the Private, Domain and Public Network Settings.
Step 7: Finally, reboot the PC to apply changes and try checking the issue.
Now, you’ll have to disable the anti-virus protection(Windows Defender) as well by following the steps below:-
Step 1: Head over to the Windows Settings.
Step 2: Then, click Privacy and Security.
Step 3: Now, go to Windows Security.
Step 4: Then, go to Virus & threat protection.
Step 5: Then, Click on Manage settings.
Step 6: Then, turn off the Real-time Protection option.
Step 7: Once done, make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.
Step 8: If in case, you’re using a third-party antivirus program then make sure to turn it off manually.
Solution 10: Launch the Game in Windowed Mode (Steam)
Try running the game in windowed mode to check if it helps. Sometimes a computer with average hardware specifications can cause some problems with full screen display when running a game.
Step 1: Open the Steam client and go to Library.
Step 2: Then, Right-click on Lost ARK.
Step 3: Now, Select Properties.
Step 4: In the General section, click on Set Launch Options.
Step 5: Next, copy & paste the following command-line argument: (-windowed -noborder).
Step 6: Make sure to save the changes and try running the game again to check if Lost ARK is launching properly or not.
Solution 11: Perform a Clean Boot
Step 1: Press Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Step 2: Now, type msconfig and hit Enter to open the System Configuration window.
Step 3: Then, Go to the Services tab.
Step 4: Now, Enable the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.
Step 5: Click on Disable all.
Step 6: Then, Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
Step 7: Now, click on the Startup tab.
Step 8: Then, Click on Open Task Manager.
Step 9: Under the Startup tab from the Task Manager interface, click on the particular tasks which are enabled for startup boot.
Step 10: Now, Click on Disable.
Step 11: Make sure to select the high-impact startup programs and disable them one by one.
Step 12: Once all is done, restart your PC to apply changes.
Step 13: Finally, check whether the Lost ARK Won’t Launch on PC issue has been fixed or not.
Solution 12: Close Background Processes
Step 1: Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open Task Manager.
Step 2: Click on the Processes tab.
Step 3: Select the task that you want to close.
Step 4: Once selected, click on End Task. Make sure to do the steps for each task individually.
Step 5: Once done, just restart your computer to change effects immediately.
Solution 13: Reset Lost ARK
Step 1: Press the Windows (Start) + X keys to open the Quick Link Menu.
Step 2: Select Apps and Features.
Step 3: Click on Lost ARK from the list of installed programs to select it.
Step 4: Now, click on Advanced options.
Step 5: Then, Select Reset.
Step 6: Once done, reboot your computer and try to launch the game.
Solution 14: Reinstall Lost ARK
If none of the methods work for you, try reinstalling Lost ARK game and check if that helps you to fix the problem. To reinstall the Lost ARK, follow the steps listed down below:-
Step 1: Launch the Steam client on your computer.
Step 2: Now, go to Library.
Step 3: Right-click on the Lost ARK game.
Step 4: Head over to Manage.
Step 5: Then, Select Uninstall.
Step 6: If prompted, click on Uninstall again and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation process.
Step 7: Once done, make sure to reboot your computer to apply changes immediately.
Step 8: Open the Steam client again and install the game again using the existing Steam account.
Wrapping Up
I hope this guide helped you in resolving the Lost ARK won’t launch issue. If it did, let us know in the comments section down below.
Experiencing difficulties with your Device, check out our “How To” page on how to resolve some of these issues.
