Raft is an open-world survival multiplayer game which is currently the top-grossing game in the market. The game is new and comes with unique gameplay which is the reason why the game is getting more popular every day. But as the game is quite new in the market, players are facing minor issues here and there. One issue that sticks out is where Raft won’t load or not launch on PC. This can be due to various issues, and here are some troubleshooting ways to fix that.
Many times when the game is not loading or crashing while loading, it is either due to game compatibility or driver issues. We already have made a detailed guide for the solution of Raft Keep Crashing on Startup on PC, which will help you with some basic troubleshooting. But if the game is not loading or not launching in the first place, then you can follow the below troubleshooting guide to fix the same.
Also Read: Fix: Raft Keep Crashing on Startup on PC
Fix: Raft Won’t Load or Not Launching on PC
Raft is a new game in the market with positive reviews on Steam for the PC version. But just like any other game, some players are facing trouble launching the game in the first place. If you’re also one of the victims, you can follow the below guide to fix it.
Check System Requirements
For any game to run, you have to make sure that your PC supports it in the first place. Many games can run on basic computer configuration, but some heavy games require additional graphic card support, additional RAM, and CPU power. Here is the list of basic and recommended PC specs list for the game.
Minimum System Requirements:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 7 or later
- Processor: 2.6 GHz Dual Core or similar
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: GeForce GTX 500 series or similar
- DirectX: Version 11
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 6 GB available space
- Additional Notes: 64-bit operating system is required
Recommended System Requirements:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 7 or later
- Processor: Intel Core i5 2.6GHz or similar
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: GeForce GTX 700 series or similar
- DirectX: Version 11
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 6 GB available space
- Additional Notes: 64-bit operating system is required
Check Game Originality
If your PC matches or surpasses the minimum requirement criteria to run the game, and the game is still not running. Then there are high chances that the game you have installed is not official but a copy of the original setup. Please download the reinstall the game using Steam or the official game website.
Run the game as an administrator
Windows puts certain restrictions on games that try to access additional PC resources. This is to make sure your PC doesn’t warm up unnecessarily. So run the game as administrator made and see if it helps with the issue.
- Right-click on the Raft setup shortcut file on your PC.
- Now, select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.
- Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
- Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.
Install Microsoft Visual C++ Distributable
Many games are run on C++ distributable files, which helps to render game graphics and characters in the game. If these files are missing, then the game will not run or it may crash. Many users have reported that installing the latest C++ distributable files has helped them to fix Raft Won’t Load or Not Launching on PC issue.
- Go to Microsoft’s official website to download Visual C++Redistributal for Visual Studio 2015.
- Now navigate to the download folder, click on vc_redistx64.exe to install, and click on Next.
- After that, agree on the terms and conditions and click on install.
- Now follow the on-screen instruction to install the Visual C++ Runtime Library.
- Check for the issue again and if it’s still the same, uninstall the Visual C++ Runtime Library and install the latest version in your system.
Force Run the Game in DirectX 11
Direct X is a helper program that helps you to run really heavy games in an efficient manner. Raft is also a heavy game and you need to run it in DirectX version 11 to run perfectly. If your PC is running on DirectX 9 or lower then make sure to forcefully try running the Raft game. To do so:
- First, launch the Steam client > Go to LIBRARY.
- Locate and right-click on the Raft game.
- Click on Properties > Select GENERAL from the left pane menu > Type -dx11 under the Launch Options.
- Now, simply go back and launch the game. If prompted, click on the radio button next to the Play option of Raft.
Disable Overlay Apps
Some apps have their own overlay extensions which are running in the background and can hamper the game execution. You should turn them off to fix the issue by following the steps below:
Guide to Disable Discord Overlay
Guide to Disable Xbox Game Bar
Guide to Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay
Verify Integrity of Game Files
If some of the game files are missing due to external action by Windows defender or your Antivirus software, then again the game will not run or may crash periodically. Here’s how you can check and repair the game setup using the Steam client.
- Launch Steam on your PC and go to Settings.
- Then head over to your Library, right-click on Elden Ring, and select Properties
- Go to the Local files section and click on Verify integrity of game files.
- The verification process will now begin and Steam will then automatically download the necessary files.
Reinstall the Game in a secondary location
Whenever you install the game as default mode, the game gets installed in the C drive where you have installed windows. And due to any monitoring software like Antivirus, some of the game files get restricted, and as a result, the game doesn’t load. So reinstalling the game in other drives will separate it from Windows, and the issue will be resolved.
Conclusion
It’s quite common to have multiple bugs and stability issues with the PC games apart from startup crashing and not launching. Most PC games do come with several issues due to possible reasons or conflicts with your PC hardware or software. If none of the above methods works, then most probably your PC is not supported by the game, and you should request a refund.