Can't start the game.

Amohn · October 2017

Good evening. I cannot start the game for some reason. I press play on the launcher and nothing happens. Usually when this appens i chech/uncheck the #run 64bit client" and then I can start the game. But not now. I am paying for this game and I expect to be able to play it. I could start it just fine right after The CC DLC, but now it refuses to start.

Help?

Amohn · October 2017

And no, it doesn't run as administrator either.

ZOS_Bill · October 2017

If the game will not start and the play button does nothing, there are a few troubleshooting steps below that may help.

Create an Anti-virus or Firewall Exception for ESO

Each antivirus program is different and we recommend that you view the antivirus developer's website for full instructions on how to add exceptions.

The application files that may require exceptions are:

Bethesda.net_launcher: C:\Program Files (x86)\ZenimaxOnline\Launcher
ESO.exe: C:\Program Files (x86)\ZenimaxOnline\The Elder Scrolls Online\game\client\eso.exe
Steam.exe: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steam.exe

Some antivirus programs require entire folders to be selected instead of a single file.When this is the case, the file paths below are what you should use. If required by the anti-virus program, include all subfolders since every file is critical to run the game.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Zenimax Online\The Elder Scrolls Online\
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\

Repair the ESO Launcher

Open The Elder Scrolls Online Launcher by right-clicking on the icon on the desktop and selecting Run as Administrator.
Wait for the launcher to open completely.
If multiple ESO clients are installed and available through the launcher, make sure you have the correct version highlighted by clicking on it once.
Open the Game Options dropdown menu and click on the option for Repair.
Allow the launcher to examine all the files for the game. This may take some time.
If any files are found to have problems, the launcher will re-download those files.

Delete the Program Data

Close the ESO Launcher.
Navigate to the patch installation folder,
By default, this folder will be located here: C:\Program Files (x86)\Zenimax Online\Launcher\ProgramData.
Locate and delete the ProgramData folder.
Restart the ESO Launcher.

Please let us know if you can now launch the game.

Jeremy · October 2017

Amohn wrote: »

Good evening. I cannot start the game for some reason. I press play on the launcher and nothing happens. Usually when this appens i chech/uncheck the #run 64bit client" and then I can start the game. But not now. I am paying for this game and I expect to be able to play it. I could start it just fine right after The CC DLC, but now it refuses to start.

Help?

Same thing happened to me.

You may want to try going to your program files and load the game from there. For me the path is:

Windows (C:)/Program Files (x86)/Zenimax Online/The Elder Scrolls Online/game/Client/eso "the one that says application next to it"

If you got past the actual patching and are stuck on the play button not working this might work for you.

Shimmer · October 2017

Jeremy wrote: »

Amohn wrote: »

Good evening. I cannot start the game for some reason. I press play on the launcher and nothing happens. Usually when this appens i chech/uncheck the #run 64bit client" and then I can start the game. But not now. I am paying for this game and I expect to be able to play it. I could start it just fine right after The CC DLC, but now it refuses to start.

Help?

Same thing happened to me.

You may want to try going to your program files and load the game from there. For me the path is:

Windows (C:)/Program Files (x86)/Zenimax Online/The Elder Scrolls Online/game/Client/eso "the one that says application next to it"

If you got past the actual patching and are stuck on the play button not working this might work for you.

Some people (like me) cannot even bypass the launcher by using the exe . Its broken and cant patch to fix, cant even uninstall.

ChandraNalaar · October 2017

^^Same issue as Sylance9. @ZOS_GinaBruno can anybody poke somebody who can get some more info on this error?

Shimmer · October 2017

ChandraNalaar wrote: »

^^Same issue as Sylance9. @ZOS_GinaBruno can anybody poke somebody who can get some more info on this error?

They CLAIM the error is in McAfee and since they dont know anything about McAfee we have to contact THEM for support. Seriously.

cac1977ub17_ESO · October 2017

I experienced this also both today and with the CWC patch. Last time I uninstalled and reinstalled the game due to not being able to figure this out. However, I followed the instructions above this time and it fixed the issue.

Amohn · October 2017

ZOS_BillE wrote: »

If the game will not start and the play button does nothing, there are a few troubleshooting steps below that may help.

Create an Anti-virus or Firewall Exception for ESO

Each antivirus program is different and we recommend that you view the antivirus developer's website for full instructions on how to add exceptions.

The application files that may require exceptions are:
Bethesda.net_launcher: C:\Program Files (x86)\ZenimaxOnline\Launcher

ESO.exe: C:\Program Files (x86)\ZenimaxOnline\The Elder Scrolls Online\game\client\eso.exe

Steam.exe: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steam.exe

Some antivirus programs require entire folders to be selected instead of a single file.When this is the case, the file paths below are what you should use. If required by the anti-virus program, include all subfolders since every file is critical to run the game.
C:\Program Files (x86)\Zenimax Online\The Elder Scrolls Online\

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\

Repair the ESO Launcher
Open The Elder Scrolls Online Launcher by right-clicking on the icon on the desktop and selecting Run as Administrator.

Wait for the launcher to open completely.

If multiple ESO clients are installed and available through the launcher, make sure you have the correct version highlighted by clicking on it once.

Open the Game Options dropdown menu and click on the option for Repair.

Allow the launcher to examine all the files for the game. This may take some time.

If any files are found to have problems, the launcher will re-download those files.

Delete the Program Data
Close the ESO Launcher.

Navigate to the patch installation folder,

By default, this folder will be located here: C:\Program Files (x86)\Zenimax Online\Launcher\ProgramData.

Locate and delete the ProgramData folder.

Restart the ESO Launcher.

Please let us know if you can now launch the game.

The second option worked fine for me! Thanks!

agrr70 · November 2017

For the love of god please fix this,non operative play button and error 1005,been going round in circles with this mor months now,tried every fix there is,and my workaround by goin through the fils to launch it with the 32 bit client is soon to be fubar as it will soon be 64 only, so Ill be totally snookered,I dread patch and maint days now.

Stovahkiin · November 2017

Sylance9 wrote: »

ChandraNalaar wrote: »

^^Same issue as Sylance9. @ZOS_GinaBruno can anybody poke somebody who can get some more info on this error?

They CLAIM the error is in McAfee and since they dont know anything about McAfee we have to contact THEM for support. Seriously.

That’s a bs excuse, I’ve been using McAfee for years and it has never conflicted with eso

Hopeless16 · November 2017

Yep, I've been playing ESO and had McAfee for a long time - no problems til the latest few patches. It's basically a screw up by ZoS that they can't be bothered to fix/

jssriot · November 2017

Great. I use McAfee too, and same thing: no problems until CWC. Fix this ZOS.

I haven't had time to get online the whole week, finally sat down tonight to log on and check in with my guild, and here i am 90 minutes later, still trying to get the game to launch. I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS. I'm genuinely on verge of cancelling my sub because this is too aggravating and time-wasting.

Torbschka · November 2017

Using mcaffee, same issue, this worked for me:

Delete launcher folder
DL new ESO installiert exe
Installiert it
It DL new patch and shows play (mit working))
Repair in this launcher
Play button again
It starts

Not sure this will happen again, took me 2hours to start the game (first time i played sincs i was not at home last few days)

No words