Fix: An error has occurred while launching the game COD MW2 / Warzone

The error message “An error has occurred while launching the game” occurs when the Steam or Battle.net client is not able to start the game. This can happen when the game files on your computer are corrupted, the game process has insufficient permissions to run in the Windows environment, and more.

In some instances, the problem can also arise due to the ongoing update process of the Battle.net client on your computer, which takes priority. In this article, we will guide you through several methods to resolve the error message in question.

1. Run COD MW/Warzone from the installation folder.

In some cases, the error message can arise due to the shortcut that you are using to launch the game on your computer. If the executable is not pointing to the correct game executable file, the game will fail to launch at all.

In addition, an inconsistency with the Battle.net client can also result in an error message when it is unable to execute the proper executable file for the game. In such a scenario, you can resolve the issue by running the game directly from the installation folder.

To do this, follow the instructions below:

1. Open the File Explorer window.

   

2. Navigate to the COD MW / Warzone installation folder in the File Explorer window.
3. After that, run the game directly using the ModernWarfare.exe or cod.exe file.

   

4. See if running the game manually fixes the issue. 

2. Run COD MW / Warzone as an admin.

The lack of permissions for the game process in the Windows environment is another potential reason why the game won’t launch. This may occur if any third-party applications, including security software or others, interfere with the game.

You will need to run the game with administrative permissions in this situation. Doing so will provide the necessary permissions for the game process to run properly in your Windows environment without any interruptions.

To run Call of Duty MW/Warzone as an admin, follow the instructions below:

1. First, open the File Explorer window.

   

2. In the File Explorer window, navigate to the Call of Duty MW/Warzone installation directory.
3. After that, right-click on the ModernWarfare.exe or cod.exe (in case of MW2) file, and select Properties from the drop-down menu.
4. On the Properties tab, switch to the Compatibility tab. 
5. There, click the Run this program as an administrator checkbox.

   

6. Finally, click Apply and hit OK.
7. Open the game to see if the error persists. 

3. Restart your PC.

In some scenarios, restarting your computer can also work wonders and resolve the error message in question. There are instances where the error message occurs due to inconsistencies with the drivers on your computer, which need to be reset and reinitialized.

Restarting your computer reinitializes all of the components on your computer, which can sometimes encounter instability. This is not limited to the drivers on your system, as various components, such as the memory modules and more, can also run into issues.

Therefore, you should try restarting your computer in an attempt to resolve the error message if you have not already done so. If the problem does not go away after restarting your computer, proceed to the next method below.

4. Stop the Battle.net Update Process in the Task Manager.

The error message in question often occurs when the Battle.net client performs a task in the background. This can happen when the client updates itself in the background. Most programs on your computer download and install any available updates automatically in the background without interrupting your workflow.

However, if you try to launch any apps through the client during the update process, an error message will be displayed. In such a scenario, you will have to stop the client update to resolve the issue. This can be done by halting the respective update process for the Battle.net client.

Follow the instructions below to do this:

1. First, right-click on the Start Menu icon and choose Task Manager from the menu that appears.

   

2. In the Task Manager window, locate the Battle.net Update Agent process.
3. Select the process and click the End task option.

   

4. Once you do that, try opening the game to see if it fixes the issue.

5. Delete temporary data files.

Another potential cause of the error message in question could be the data files inside the installation folder of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The game frequently creates new data files when you play, which often contain crash dumps or other temporary data.

These data files are often very small in size, ranging from 0 to 1 kilobyte. Deleting these files can frequently resolve the error message in question. To do this, follow the instructions below:

1. First, close the Battle.net client on your computer. 
2. Once you do that, open the File Explorer window.

   

3. After that, navigate to the installation folder of Call of Duty Modern Warfare. 
4. Then, navigate to the Data > data directory.

   

5. There, look for any data files that are 1 or smaller in size. You can click on the Size column to sort the files by size.
6. Delete the data files that are 0 to 1 KB in size. 
7. Once you do that, open the Start Menu and search for Battle.net.
8. Click the Run as administrator option on the right-hand side.

   

9. Finally, run the game through the Battle.net client to see if the error message persists.

6. Clear the Battle.net cache.

The error message can also occur due to the cache stored by the Battle.net client on your computer. This happens when the cache files are either corrupted or damaged, which can prevent the client from working properly.

Every program on your computer creates a local cache to save various user settings. These files are loaded when the program starts, but they can be deleted without any issues. Deleting the cache will force the Battle.net client to create a new copy.

Follow the instructions below to clear the Battle.net cache:

1. First, close the Battle.net client on your PC.
2. After that, press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
3. In the Run dialog box, type %appdata% and hit Enter.

   

4. Now, the File Explorer will open the application’s AppData > Roaming folder. Locate the Battle.net folder and delete it.

   

5. Do the same for %programdata% and %localappdata% respectively. Enter these commands one at a time in the Run dialog box and delete the corresponding Battle.net folder.

   

6. Finally, open Battle.net to see if the problem persists.

7. Change the game region.

If the region you have selected in the Battle.net client contradicts your original region, it can cause the error message in question. It is important to select the region in which you actually reside. Faking the game region offers no real benefits, and you can often encounter various issues due to it.

As such, we recommend changing the game region to your actual physical region. To change the game region, follow the instructions below:

1. First, open the Battle.net client.
2. After that, navigate to the Call of Duty Modern Warfare page. 
3. There, click on the globe icon above the Play option.

   

4. Choose your correct region from the menu that appears.
5. Once you do that, restart the Battle.net client and see if it resolves the issue.

8. Remove command line options.

Command line options are helpful for enforcing various parameters on the game via the Battle.net client. However, in some instances, these command line options can also result in the error message in question and prevent the game from launching on your computer. These command line options are similar to launch options in Steam.

In such a scenario, you will need to remove the command line options to resolve the issue. If the problem disappears after removing the command line options, you can try adding them back one by one to find the culprit, especially if you were using multiple command line parameters.

Follow the instructions below to remove the command line options:

1. First, open the Battle.net client.
2. Navigate to Call of Duty Modern Warfare in the Battle.net client.
3. Click on the gear icon and choose Game Settings from the menu that appears.

   

4. Untick the Additional command line arguments checkbox to remove the command line options.

   

5. Once you do that, open the game to see if the problem goes away. 

9. Repair the game files.

The game files on your computer are yet another probable source for this issue. This can occur when either specific installation files are missing, or the game files are damaged or corrupt.

In this situation, you will need to check and fix the game files on your PC. The scan and repair feature of the Battle.net client makes this task very simple to accomplish. This feature enables you to check the game files on your PC for errors and download a new copy from the Battle.net servers if necessary.

To repair the game files, follow the instructions below:

1. Open the Battle.net client on your system.
2. After that, navigate to the Call of Duty MW / Warzone page on the Battle.net client. 
3. There, click on the gear icon next to the Play button.
4. From the menu that appears, choose the Scan and repair option.

   

5. Wait for the game files to be repaired. 
6. Once you do that, see if the error message still occurs.

10. Change the installation directory.

It is possible that the game’s location on your computer may cause the issue in some cases. In some instances, Battle.net games fail to launch if they are installed somewhere other than on your system drive. Additionally, if you installed the game into a custom games folder on your computer rather than the client’s default installation path, it can trigger the error message in question.

In such a scenario, you will need to change the game’s installation directory on your computer to resolve the issue. If the problem still persists, we advise relocating it to a different partition on your computer.

To change the installation directory on Battle.net, copy the game files to a new location on your computer. After that, uninstall the game from your computer. Once you have done that, start downloading the game files to the new location and pause the download process after a while. Move the copied game files to the new location and replace the existing files. Finally, resume the download process.

After you do that, Battle.net will begin detecting the game files, and you will be able to play following the validation process.

11. Reinstall Call of Duty MW/Warzone.

If none of the above methods have worked for you, the problem is probably caused by the game installation files on your computer. In some cases, fixing the corrupted or damaged installation files might not resolve the issue, which results in the error message continuing to exist.

In the event that all else fails, you will need to download the game once more after uninstalling it first. The problem is likely to be resolved by installing a brand-new copy of the game on your computer.

To uninstall the game via the Battle.net client, follow the instructions below:

1. First, open the Battle.net client on your computer.
2. Click on the Modern Warfare icon in the game’s menu bar.
3. After that, click on the settings icon next to the play button and choose the uninstall option.

   

4. Once the game has been removed, begin downloading it again. The problem should disappear after the installation is complete.