Horrible Launcher Update caused ESO to be unplayable for me...

RaikaNA · June 27

ESO was running just fine prior to the Launcher update... I am unable to play the game anymore after.. I managed to get the event done and got my tickets in. I then jumped into cyrodill with my guild to do some pvp... I experienced so many loading screens.. when we encountered battles... my game would freeze every few seconds.. It became unplayable for me so I had to leave early. I thought the culprit was windows updates because I had some updates that I needed to download and install... Come to find out it was not.

During the Launcher update

Soon after

Everytime I start the game up I keep crashing

The irony is that the Launcher will not repair my game no matter how many times I've tried. I couldn't even repair it on steam so I had to completetly unistall and redownload the entire game again... I just hope that this fixes the bad Launcher update that ZOS released.

Vynera · June 27

Go to the settings in the top right, enable to show the PTS server, check if its downloading. Cancel or wait for that update.

The new launcher hides the PTS server, yet it does automatically download it for some users in the background without asking if you had it previously installed at some point.

RaikaNA · June 27

Vynera wrote: »

Go to the settings in the top right, enable to show the PTS server, check if its downloading. Cancel or wait for that update.

The new launcher hides the PTS server, yet it does automatically download it for some users in the background without asking if you had it previously installed at some point.

But why would the PTS server be downloading when I did not give the launcher permission to do it to begin with?

EF321 · June 27

I have the same problem. Repair/uninstall with deleting manually any leftovers in folder did not help.

If in addition to Steam copy you have zos-store bought account, you can launch eso64.exe directly, login and play.
It's in ...steamapps\common\Zenimax Online\The Elder Scrolls Online\game\client
If you only have steam account this won't work.

PTS and free epic copy both work for me through launcher with no issues. If you claimed free epic version last year for same account, you could try and install that.

RaikaNA · June 27

EF321 wrote: »

I have the same problem. Repair/uninstall with deleting manually any leftovers in folder did not help.

If in addition to Steam copy you have zos-store bought account, you can launch eso64.exe directly, login and play.
It's in ...steamapps\common\Zenimax Online\The Elder Scrolls Online\game\client
If you only have steam account this won't work.

PTS and free epic copy both work for me through launcher with no issues. If you claimed free epic version last year for same account, you could try and install that.

What worked for me was the complete unistall and reinstall from Steam.

It took a while but it seems to have worked.

I took the advice from Vynera by going to my settings to enable to show the PTS server just in case if it downloads without my permission again.

ZOS_JessicaFolsom · June 27

For those of you experiencing this, did you have PTS before at any point?

argyro · June 27

:’) whoops sorry thought this was a different thread and it won’t let me delete it

tom6143346 · June 27

Yes I had the pts installed after updating the launcher pts disappeared from the launcher. After I enabled pts again in the new launcher , game runs so far . Not tested yet if it still does , if I enter pts but main game seems to work

AlwaysDancing · June 27

Yes, I have used the PTS for years. @ZOS_JessicaFolsom

Zodiarkslayer · June 27

DO NOT REISTALL!!!!! It is not necessary. Just do the following:

Click on the box "Show Public Test Environment", hit APPLY -> You will now see it to the left under the Live server. Select it.
Go to the "Game Options" button in that very context window. Hit SETTINGS -> A menu opens
Open the drop down menu under Auto-Updates, Select "NEVER", hit APPLY
Under the "Game Options" hit CANCEL -> The download bar should empty and the button to the right should say "download" now and be grayed out.

This way it shouldn't retry the download without your knowledge.
@ZOS_JessicaFolsom @ZOS_Kevin
The question is: Can we safely delete the downloaded files? Because I think it is them that triggered the involuntary download.

Nharimlur_Finor · June 27

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

For those of you experiencing this, did you have PTS before at any point?

No PTS. Just in game problems forced the upgrade.

I had to go through all the 'terms of service' pages; the calibration page and then my default system setup settings again.
Whilst Steam is installed, I don't use it.

I've never seen a company so hell bent on upsetting its customers, one way or another.

SpellSlingerTaz · June 27

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

For those of you experiencing this, did you have PTS before at any point?

No PTS for me either.

EF321 · June 27

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

For those of you experiencing this, did you have PTS before at any point?

Me, yes.

Eclipse318 · June 27

I got that same warning message this morning about the game launch failing and corrupted files, but I hit Play anyway and the game launched and played fine. So for me it's a false alarm so far...

CheeseTuber · June 27

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

For those of you experiencing this, did you have PTS before at any point?

The answer would be yes in my case at least. But the issue resolved itself after I repaired the game twice. Before that the game was unplayable. It just got stuck on the loading screen before character selection.

But it still downloaded the PTS for a second time.

ZOS_JessicaFolsom · June 27

Thank you, everyone. Some of the temporary workaround steps in this thread do seem to be working on our end as well. We've created a Support Article here with those suggested steps.

Kainarel · June 27

Does the new launcher download PTS regardless of whether it was or wasn't installed before the update?

I never had PTS and now I'm worried to update the launcher to not end up with one of the issues... I usually only use the launcher for patching, I play directly from exe file.

AlwaysDancing · June 27

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom

This confusing little Support Article did not resolve my issue.

Still get Game Crash Detected message when I click PLAY. It suggests repairing game installation, but I have tried that 3 times. I have restarted the PC, ensured steam is running properly - no difference.

I just want to log in, do my crafting, get my event tickets and some coffers, then join my trial group.

RaikaNA · June 27

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

For those of you experiencing this, did you have PTS before at any point?

Yes I had PTS many years ago. It's no longer the case. I havent installed the PTS server it since then.

Nharimlur_Finor · June 27

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

Thank you, everyone. Some of the temporary workaround steps in this thread do seem to be working on our end as well. We've created a Support Article here with those suggested steps.

How about not breaking things in the first place, rather than giving us instructions on how to fix problems introduced by ZOS.
If I'm forced to reinstall, it will be other games, not this one.

135GB initial download
Additional patching downloads
24 hours to do it all.

That coupled with toxic behaviour from veteran players is making this game so NOT FUN. Good luck.

wardropper · June 27

I have no PTS, but, for what it's worth, I can log in if I disable my VPN...
Nothing else makes me do that.

RaikaNA · June 28

LaintalAy wrote: »

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

Thank you, everyone. Some of the temporary workaround steps in this thread do seem to be working on our end as well. We've created a Support Article here with those suggested steps.

How about not breaking things in the first place, rather than giving us instructions on how to fix problems introduced by ZOS.
If I'm forced to reinstall, it will be other games, not this one.

135GB initial download
Additional patching downloads
24 hours to do it all.

That coupled with toxic behaviour from veteran players is making this game so NOT FUN. Good luck.

I feel the frusteration. Why try to fix something when its not even broken to begin with? I'm still salty that I missed out on a large chunk of time that I was robbed on trying to fix this problem that ZOS created rather than to spend some quality time with my friends in cyrodill. My only crime was to open up the launcher which then corrupted my files to which I was not able to repair them... Had to spend an additional hour or two to redownload the entire game.. such aggravation!

Turtle_Bot · June 28

Vynera wrote: »

Go to the settings in the top right, enable to show the PTS server, check if its downloading. Cancel or wait for that update.

The new launcher hides the PTS server, yet it does automatically download it for some users in the background without asking if you had it previously installed at some point.

Thanks for sharing, I had this issue and although I luckily got the game to launch, the option for the PTS server had vanished (was just happy the game launched tbh I didn't worry too much about the PTS not being there at the time).

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

For those of you experiencing this, did you have PTS before at any point?

Yes, I have had the PTS for years now and never had this issue before.

EF321 · June 28

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

Thank you, everyone. Some of the temporary workaround steps in this thread do seem to be working on our end as well. We've created a Support Article here with those suggested steps.

This doesn't work for me, I have "Game crashed" no matter what (multiple reinstalls, repairs). PTS installed and working through launcher.

Tyralbin · June 28

CheeseTuber wrote: »

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

For those of you experiencing this, did you have PTS before at any point?

The answer would be yes in my case at least. But the issue resolved itself after I repaired the game twice. Before that the game was unplayable. It just got stuck on the loading screen before character selection.

But it still downloaded the PTS for a second time.

I get stuck in exactly the same place. It gives all the error codes.

All I do is restart comp and everything corrects itself and game opens fine.

I got a feeling if the patcher sticks it cannot sort itself out without a full restart.

Juomuuri · June 28

After the launcher update my game has had very long loading screens, loading screens in the middle of zones (last time this has happened was years ago when PC-EU was borked), I can't launch the game directly from Steam, gotta use a desktop shortcut or the game crashes immediately. There's also immense lag, players show as black figures and they rubberband around, NPCs have trouble loading in and it takes ages for the NPCs to become interactable - today I tried to return my daily writs but the writ crates hadn't loaded in! Needed to /reloadui to solve this, with a very long loading screen.

The situation is so bad that it made me log back into my forum account after years. Please fix, ZOS.

tom6143346 · June 28

After yesterday first problems after the launcher update game was running fine . Until the evening then it start after a gaming brake to rubberband , loading screens take now way longer for me as well. Pleas fix this launcher problem

aranarthov · June 28

Has anyone else experienced a graphical change since the update? Since the launcher update my game looks like it's at the wrong resolution, text appears fuzzy and assets look flat but I can't figure out how a launcher update would have caused this? I've checked all my settings and they're still at Ultra like they've always been.

TairenSoul · June 28

aranarthov wrote: »

Has anyone else experienced a graphical change since the update? Since the launcher update my game looks like it's at the wrong resolution, text appears fuzzy and assets look flat but I can't figure out how a launcher update would have caused this? I've checked all my settings and they're still at Ultra like they've always been.

Do you use ReShade? I had to uninstall mine and reinstall. You might try that!

DerethDawnblade · June 29

Zodiarkslayer wrote: »

DO NOT REISTALL!!!!! It is not necessary. Just do the following:
Click on the box "Show Public Test Environment", hit APPLY -> You will now see it to the left under the Live server. Select it.

Go to the "Game Options" button in that very context window. Hit SETTINGS -> A menu opens

Open the drop down menu under Auto-Updates, Select "NEVER", hit APPLY

Under the "Game Options" hit CANCEL -> The download bar should empty and the button to the right should say "download" now and be grayed out.

This way it shouldn't retry the download without your knowledge.
@ZOS_JessicaFolsom @ZOS_Kevin
The question is: Can we safely delete the downloaded files? Because I think it is them that triggered the involuntary download.

Thank you! Finally can boot the game up without having to worry about pausing a download for the PTS which I haven't used for like 3 or 4 years now.

abakzn · June 29

NA, I have exactly the same problems now, the game became unplayable for me