Fix: Risk of Rain Returns Crashing, Won’t Launch, or Not Responding on PC

Risk of Rain 2 is an incredibly popular online co-op action roguelike game that has captivated gamers worldwide. Developed by Hopoo Games and published by Gearbox Publishing, it offers an immersive gameplay experience with unique loot combos and new survivors. However, some players have reported encountering issues with the game not launching on their PCs. If you’re facing this frustrating problem, don’t worry! In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the potential causes of Risk of Rain 2 not launching and provide you with a variety of solutions to fix it.

Ensuring Your PC Meets the Minimum System Requirements

Before diving into troubleshooting methods, it’s crucial to ensure that your PC meets the minimum system requirements to run Risk of Rain 2 smoothly. Inadequate hardware specifications can lead to launch issues. Here are the minimum system requirements for Risk of Rain 2:

• Operating System: Windows 7 or newer (64-bit)
• Processor: Intel Core i3-6100 / AMD FX-8350
• Memory: 4GB RAM
• Graphics: GTX 580 / AMD HD 7870
• Storage: 4GB available space

If your current hardware falls short of these requirements, consider upgrading your PC to resolve the launch issues.

Updating Your Graphics Drivers

Outdated or corrupt graphics drivers can often prevent games from launching properly. It’s crucial to keep your NVIDIA or AMD graphics drivers up-to-date to avoid conflicts. Here’s how you can update your graphics drivers:

1. For NVIDIA graphics cards, use the GeForce Experience app to download the latest Game Ready Driver from the official NVIDIA website.
2. For AMD graphics cards, visit the AMD website and download the latest Adrenalin drivers.

After downloading the updated drivers, perform a clean installation and then attempt to launch Risk of Rain 2 again.

Verifying the Integrity of Game Files

Corrupted game files can also be a culprit behind the game not launching. Steam provides a useful feature to verify the integrity of game files and automatically replace any corrupted files. Follow these steps to verify the integrity of Risk of Rain 2 game files:

1. Open your Steam library and locate Risk of Rain 2.
2. Right-click on Risk of Rain 2 and select “Properties.”
3. In the properties window, navigate to the “Local Files” tab.
4. Click on “Verify Integrity of Game Files.”

Allow Steam to scan and repair any missing or damaged files. Once the process is complete, try launching the game again.

Running Steam as Administrator

In some cases, launching Steam itself with administrator privileges can resolve launch issues. Here’s how you can run Steam as an administrator:

1. Close Steam completely if it’s open.
2. Locate the Steam executable (Steam.exe) on your PC.
3. Right-click on the Steam executable and select “Run as administrator.”
4. Launch Risk of Rain 2 once Steam has reloaded.

Running both Steam and Risk of Rain 2 with elevated permissions can potentially resolve any permission-related conflicts.

Adding Exceptions to Antivirus and Firewall

Overzealous antivirus software or firewall settings may block the game executable, resulting in launch issues. To ensure that Risk of Rain 2 is not being blocked, add exceptions to your antivirus and firewall settings:

1. For antivirus software, disable real-time scanning temporarily or add the Risk of Rain 2 game folder to the exclusions list.
2. For Windows Firewall, create an inbound rule to allow the RiskofRain2.exe file through.

By adding these exceptions, you can prevent antivirus software or firewall settings from interfering with the game launch process.

Reinstalling or Updating Risk of Rain 2

If the above solutions haven’t resolved the issue, it may be necessary to reinstall Risk of Rain 2. Over time, game installations can become corrupted, leading to launch problems. Follow these steps to reinstall the game:

1. Uninstall Risk of Rain 2 from your Steam library.
2. Download a fresh copy of the game from your Steam library page.
3. Install the game again and check if it launches normally.

Additionally, ensure that Risk of Rain 2 is fully updated to the latest version by verifying the game file integrity through Steam. Updates often include fixes for launch-related issues.

Disabling Overlay Apps

Certain third-party overlay apps, such as Discord or Nvidia GeForce Experience, have been known to cause launch issues with games. Temporarily disabling these overlays for Risk of Rain 2 can help determine if they are the cause of the problem. Here’s how you can disable overlays for Discord and Nvidia GeForce Experience:

• For Discord:

1. Open Discord and go to User Settings.
2. Navigate to the “Overlay” section.
3. Disable the in-game overlay feature.

• For Nvidia GeForce Experience:

1. Open Nvidia GeForce Experience and go to General settings.
2. Disable the in-game overlay feature.

By disabling these overlays, you can eliminate potential conflicts and improve the chances of Risk of Rain 2 launching successfully.

Running in Compatibility Mode

Running Risk of Rain 2 in compatibility mode for an older version of Windows can sometimes resolve startup problems. Here’s how you can set the game to launch in compatibility mode:

1. Right-click on the RiskofRain2.exe file and go to “Properties.”
2. In the properties window, navigate to the “Compatibility” tab.
3. Check the box that says “Run this program in compatibility mode for.”
4. Select either Windows 8 or Windows 7 from the drop-down menu.
5. Apply the changes and try running the game again.

Running the game in compatibility mode can help overcome any compatibility issues with newer versions of Windows.

Updating Windows and Drivers

Outdated Windows builds or system drivers can disrupt game launching and performance. It’s essential to keep your Windows 10 operating system and device drivers up to date. Here’s how you can update them:

1. Go to Settings and click on “Update & Security.”
2. Install the latest Windows updates available.
3. Visit your device manufacturer’s website and update chipset, BIOS, audio, network, and other system drivers to the latest versions.

By updating the core system software and drivers, you can often fix instability issues that may be causing Risk of Rain 2 to fail to launch.

Restarting Your PC

Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve various technical issues, including launch errors. Before attempting any other solutions, try restarting your computer. This can help terminate any background processes or tasks that may be interfering with the game launch. After restarting, launch Risk of Rain 2 again and check if the problem persists.

Contacting Risk of Rain 2 Support

If none of the above solutions have resolved the issue, it may be necessary to seek further assistance from the Risk of Rain 2 support team. They can provide specific guidance and troubleshooting steps tailored to your situation. Reach out to them through the official support channels and provide them with detailed information about your problem.

Final Thoughts

Experiencing launch issues with Risk of Rain 2 can be frustrating, but with the help of the solutions provided in this guide, you should be able to overcome them. Remember to ensure that your PC meets the minimum system requirements, update your graphics drivers, verify the integrity of game files, and try running Steam as an administrator. Additionally, consider adding exceptions to your antivirus and firewall settings, reinstalling or updating the game, disabling overlay apps, and running in compatibility mode. Updating Windows and drivers, restarting your PC, and contacting the support team are also viable options. By following these steps, you’ll increase your chances of successfully launching Risk of Rain 2 and enjoying the thrilling gameplay it offers.

Remember, if you need further assistance or have any additional questions, reach out to the Risk of Rain 2 support team. They are dedicated to helping players like you overcome any technical hurdles and ensure an optimal gaming experience.

Happy gaming!