If your Alan Wake 2 doesn’t launch at all, or it launches to a black or blank screen and then quits itself on Epic Games Launcher, don’t worry, you’re not alone: quite a few players have Alan Wake 2 quits on them as well. Before Remedy Entertainment or Epic Games Launcher releases a definite bug-fixed version, here are a few fixes that have helped other users resolve their Alan Wake 2 not launching problem on Windows, and you may try them to see if they help.

Try these fixes for the Alan Wake 2 not launching problem

Not all methods listed here are required to solve your problems. Simply work your way down the list until you find the one that does the trick to fix the Alan Wake 2 not launching problem for you.

  1. Clean reinstall Epic Games Launcher
  2. Remove incompatible software program(s)
  3. Try to run Alan Wake 2 as an administrator
  4. Update display card driver
  5. Install missed dependencies
  6. Repair damaged or corrupted system files

1. Clean reinstall the Epic Games Launcher

If you haven’t tried to reinstall your Epic Games Launcher (where Alan Wake 2 is installed) to fix the not launching problem, it’s time to do it now: it’s fast and easy, and it’s usually the easiest way to fix minor bugs. To make sure the reinstallation is done correctly, please do the following:

  1. On your keyboard, press the Windows key and R key at the same time. Type control panel and hit Enter.
  2. View by Categories, then select Uninstall a program under Programs.
  3. Click Epic Games Launcher, then Uninstall.
  4. Restart your computer afterward.
  5. Then download Epic Games Launcher again and run it to see if Alan Wake 2 launches successfully.

If Alan Wake 2 still refuses to launch, please move on to the next fix.

2. Remove incompatible software program(s)

If your Alan Wake 2 still doesn’t launch after a clean reinstallation, there might be some incompatible software programs stopping the game from running properly. Based on our past experience, GPU or CPU overclocking tools like RivaTuner and MSI Afterburner are most likely the culprits.

To remove possibly incompatible software programs:

  1. On your keyboard, press the Windows key and R key at the same time. Type control panel and hit Enter.
  2. View by Categories, then select Uninstall a program under Program.
  3. Find tools like RivaTuner and MSI Afterburner, then click Uninstall to remove them from your computer. (The screenshot here is just for your reference.)
  4. Restart your computer afterward.

Then see if your Alan Wake 2 launches with no problems now. If not, please move on to the next fix.

If you’re overclocking your GPU or CPU, please stop doing it now to see if it helps to fix the Alan Wake 2 not launching problem.

3. Try to run Alan Wake 2 as an administrator

If Alan Wake 2 lacks administrative privileges, it’ll fail to launch properly. To check if that’s your case, you can try running it as an administrator:

  1. Right-click your Epic Games Launcher shortcut and select Properties.
  2. Select the Compatibility tab. Tick the box for Run this program as an administrator. Then click Apply > OK to save the changes.
  3. You may also want to tick the box for Run this program in compatibility mode for: then select Windows 8 from the dropdown list.

Now open Epic Games Launcher again (it should be opened with administrative permission), to see if your Alan Wake 2 launches well. If it’s still not responding, please move on to the next fix.

4. Update display card driver

If Alan Wake 2 still keeps failing to launch on your PC, it’s likely that you have a corrupted or outdated graphics driver. So you should always keep your graphics or display card driver updated. If you don’t have the time, patience, or skills to update the driver manually, you can do it automatically with Driver Easy.

Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to be troubled by the wrong driver you would be downloading, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing. Driver Easy handles it all.

You can update your drivers automatically with either the FREE or the Pro version of Driver Easy. But with the Pro version it takes just 2 steps (and you get full support and a 30-day money back guarantee):

  1. Download and install Driver Easy.
  2. Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
  3. Click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system. (This requires the Pro version – you’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All.)


    Note: You can do it for free if you like, but it’s partly manual.
  4. Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.
The Pro version of Driver Easy comes with full technical support. If you need assistance, please contact Driver Easy’s support team at support@drivereasy.com.

Launch Alan Wake 2 and see if the latest graphics driver helps to fix the problem. If this fix doesn’t work for you, let’s move on to the next fix below.

5. Install missed dependencies

Missing Microsoft dependencies and/or extra libraries can also cause Alan Wake 2 to not launch properly, so you’ll need to make sure that the following files are installed on your computer:

When you make sure that the above files are all installed on your computer, start Alan Wake 2 again to see if it launches well.

6. Repair damaged or corrupted system files

If you are facing persistent issues with Alan Wake 2 and none of the previous solutions have proven effective, it’s possible that your corrupted system files are to blame. To rectify this, repairing the system files becomes crucial. The System File Checker (SFC) tool can assist you in this process. By executing the “sfc /scannow” command, you can initiate a scan that identifies problems and repairs missing or corrupted system files. However, it is important to note that the SFC tool primarily focuses on scanning major files and may overlook minor issues.

In situations where the SFC tool falls short, a more powerful and specialized Windows repair tool is recommended. Fortect is an automated Windows repair tool that excels in identifying problematic files and replacing malfunctioning ones. By scanning your PC comprehensively, Fortect can provide a more comprehensive and effective solution for repairing your Windows system.

  1. Download and install Fortect.
  2. Open Fortect. It will run a free scan of your PC and give you a detailed report of your PC status.
  3. Once finished, you’ll see a report showing all the issues. To fix all the issues automatically, click Start Repair (You’ll need to purchase the full version. It comes with a 60-day Money-Back Guarantee so you can refund anytime if Fortect doesn’t fix your problem).
The repair is available with the paid version of Fortect that comes with a full money-back guarantee and full technical support. If you need any assistance, feel free to contact their support team.

The above are most of the general fixes for Alan Wake 2 not launching problem. If you have any other suggestions, feel free to let us know by leaving a comment. We’re all ears. 🙂

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