Fix: ARK Survival Evolved Won’t Launch Or Not Loading On PC

ARK: Survival Evolved is a popular open-world survival craft video game that was released in 2017 for various platforms including Windows, Mac, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Android, iOS, and Google Stadia. However, many PC gamers have recently encountered issues with the game, such as crashes, lags, stutters, and frame drops. One of the most common issues that players face is the game not launching or not loading properly, regardless of the PC’s power.

In this article, we will explore several possible solutions to fix the ARK Survival Evolved game not launching or not loading issue on Windows PC. We will provide step-by-step instructions to help you troubleshoot and resolve these issues. So, let’s dive in and get your game up and running again!

Run the Launcher as an Administrator

One of the first steps you can take to resolve the ARK Survival Evolved not launching issue is to run the game launcher as an administrator. This will ensure that the launcher program and game files have the necessary permissions to run properly. Follow these steps to run the launcher as an administrator:

1. Right-click on the Epic Games Launcher exe shortcut file on your PC.
2. Select Properties and click on the Compatibility tab.
3. Check the “Run this program as an administrator” checkbox.
4. Click Apply and then OK to save the changes.
5. Double-click on the game exe file to launch it.

You can also follow the same steps for the ARK Survival Evolved game executable file to ensure that the game application has the necessary access.

Update Graphics Drivers

Outdated graphics drivers can often cause issues with game launching. It’s essential to keep your graphics drivers up to date to ensure optimal performance. Here’s how you can update your graphics drivers:

1. Right-click on the Start Menu and select Device Manager.
2. Double-click on Display adapters to expand it.
3. Right-click on the dedicated graphics card that’s active.
4. Click on Update driver and choose Search automatically for drivers.
5. The system will check for available updates and install them if necessary.
6. Restart your PC to apply the changes.

If you can’t find any updates using the automatic search, you can visit the official website of your graphics card manufacturer (Nvidia, AMD, or Intel) and manually search for the latest drivers. Download and install the drivers if a new version is available.

End Background Processes

Running unnecessary background processes can consume system resources and affect the performance of resource-intensive applications like ARK Survival Evolved. To end unwanted background processes, follow these steps:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Click on the Processes tab and select the tasks you want to close individually.
3. Click on End Task to close the selected tasks.
4. Repeat the process for each task you want to close.
5. Once done, close Task Manager and restart your PC.

By closing unnecessary background processes, you free up system resources, which can help improve game performance.

Run the Game in Windowed Mode

If the game crashes frequently, you can try running it in Windowed Mode instead of Full Screen. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Click on the Windows icon to open the Start Menu.
2. Type %LOCALAPPDATA% in the search bar and open the folder.
3. Navigate to the %LOCALAPPDATA% folder and search for the ‘Prospect’ folder.
4. Open the ‘Prospect’ folder and go to Saved > Config > WindowsNoEditor.
5. Under the WindowsNoEditor folder, locate the ‘GameUserSettings’ file.
6. Open the file using a text editor and change ‘FullscreenMode=1’ to ‘FullscreenMode=0’.
7. Save the changes and try launching the game again.

Running the game in Windowed Mode can sometimes help resolve crashing issues.

Disable DirectX 12

If you are using DirectX 12 on your PC, you can try disabling it as it may be causing compatibility issues with your system. To disable DirectX 12, follow these steps:

1. Open the game settings menu.
2. Go to Settings > Video.
3. Set ‘Enable DX12’ to ‘Off’.
4. Restart the ARK Survival Evolved game after applying the changes.

Disabling DirectX 12 can help resolve compatibility issues and improve game performance.

Set Correct Rendering Device

Ensuring that you have selected the correct rendering device in the game settings menu can also help resolve issues with game launching. Follow these steps to set the correct rendering device:

1. Open the ARK Survival Evolved game.
2. Go to Video Settings in the game menu.
3. Select the correct rendering device under ‘Selected Rendering Device’.
4. Choose your dedicated GPU and avoid leaving it on ‘Default’.
5. Restart the game to save the changes.

Selecting the correct rendering device can optimize the game performance and prevent launching issues.

Disable Multi-Threaded Rendering

The ARK Survival Evolved game has a multi-threaded rendering option in its video settings menu. Disabling this option can help resolve frequent crashes. If you are using an AMD processor, turn off the multi-threaded rendering option and reboot the game to apply the changes.

Turn Off Antivirus Protection

Sometimes, antivirus software can interfere with game files and prevent them from running properly. Temporarily turning off antivirus protection can help resolve the game not launching issue. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Press Windows + I to open the Windows Settings menu.
2. Click on Update & Security and then click on Windows Security.
3. Click on Open Windows Security.
4. Go to Virus & threat protection and click on Manage settings.
5. Turn off the Real-time protection toggle.
6. If prompted, click Yes to proceed.

If you are using a third-party antivirus program, follow the instructions provided by the software to temporarily disable it. Alternatively, you can whitelist the game files in your antivirus software to ensure they are not blocked.

Repair Game Files

Corrupted or missing game files can cause issues with game launching. Verifying and repairing the game files can help resolve these issues. Here’s how you can repair game files in the Epic Games Launcher:

1. Open the Epic Games Launcher and go to Library.
2. Click on the three-dot icon next to ARK Survival Evolved.
3. Click on Verify, and the launcher will start verifying the game files.
4. Wait for the process to complete and restart the launcher.
5. Check if the ARK Survival Evolved not launching issue is resolved.

Repairing game files can fix any corrupted or missing files and improve game performance.

Update ARK Survival Evolved

If none of the above methods worked, it’s worth checking for updates for ARK Survival Evolved. Outdated game versions can have bugs and stability issues. Follow these steps to update the game:

1. Open the Epic Games Launcher and go to Library.
2. Look for ARK Survival Evolved from the left pane.
3. Click on the three-dot icon next to the game.
4. Enable the auto-update feature to install new updates automatically.
5. If an update is available, click on Update.
6. Restart your PC and try launching the game again.

Updating ARK Survival Evolved to the latest version can help resolve various issues and improve game performance.

Conclusion

That wraps up our guide on fixing the ARK Survival Evolved not launching or not loading issue on PC. We hope that one of these solutions has helped you get back into the game. If you have any further queries or need additional assistance, feel free to comment below. Happy gaming!