How to Fix “Once Human” Not Launching on Windows?

When Once Human fails to launch, users typically report that the game does not progress past the loading or splash screen, with the process visible in Task Manager but unresponsive. This issue means the game executable starts but doesn’t fully initialize or load the game window. The most common cause of this issue involves connected USB peripherals like controllers, flight sticks, or pedals, which can conflict with the launch process.

Outdated graphics drivers and corrupted game files play a major part in this bug. Insufficient system requirements can also lead to such errors. Background applications can clash with the game’s performance, causing disruptions. Additional causes include outdated DirectX or graphics drivers, corrupted game files, or lack of admin privileges.

1. Run As Administrator

1. Click the Windows search box (located next to the Start menu) and type “Once Human”.
2. In the search results, right-click on Once Human and select the Run as administrator option.
   
3. The game will now launch with administrative privileges.

2. Reinstall The Game From Website

Users reported that reinstalling the game from their official website fixed the issue. Other platforms or launchers are considered to be causing this launching problem. The official site provides the latest version of the game without any corrupted file data.

1. Type “Settings” in the Windows search box and press Enter.
2. Click on the Open button as shown in the image below.
   
3. In the Settings window, click on the Apps option.
   
4. In the Apps window, use the search bar to type “Once Human”.
   
5. Click on Once Human in the search results.
6. Click on the Uninstall button next to Once Human.
7. If a confirmation message appears, click on the Yes button to proceed.
8. If a launcher opens from where the game was installed, follow the instructions to uninstall it from there.
9. Open your web browser.
10. Download the game from Once Human’s official website.

3. Verify Game Files

Game files can become corrupted, missing, or outdated over time. This can cause various errors in the game. Checking the integrity of game files is a common step toward fixing any errors. This step compares your local game files with the original ones from the game’s database. Any missing or corrupted files are replaced.

1. Open the Windows search box and type “Steam”.
2. Click the Open button to launch Steam.
   
3. In Steam, go to the LIBRARY tab.
   
4. Find “Once Human” in your list of games, right-click on it, and select Properties.
   
5. Click on the Installed Files tab.
   
6. Click the Verify integrity of game files button.
   
7. Wait for the verification process to complete before launching the game again.

4. Edit Launch Options before Launching

Launch options allow users to change in-game settings before launching the game. This step helps in troubleshooting various issues and resolves incompatible video settings causing this error. We can launch the game in different settings to find the one that fixes this issue.

1. Open the Windows search box and type “Steam.”
2. Click on the Open button.
   
3. Navigate to the LIBRARY tab at the top of the Steam window.
   
4. Find the “Once Human” game in your library, right-click on it, and select Properties.
   
5. Under the LAUNCH OPTIONS section, paste each of the following commands one by one. After pasting each command, check if the issue persists:

   -dx11

   -dx12

   -windowed

   

6. Repeat the steps for each command until you find one that resolves the issue.

6. Delete Patch Files

Game patch files located in your device local storage serve as fixes to bugs and new features in the game. Re-installing such files ensures that the new files are not corrupted due to some faulty data. Any file causing functionality problems in the game is sorted.

1. Type “Steam” in the Windows search box.
2. Right-click on the Steam app and select Run as administrator.
   
3. Once Steam opens, click on the LIBRARY tab.
   
4. Find the Once Human game tile, right-click on it, and select Properties.
   
5. In the Properties window, go to the Installed Files tab.
   
6. Click on the Browse button to open the game’s local files.
   
7. In the file explorer, use the search box to type “patch”.
8. Click and drag your mouse while holding the left-click button to select all the files that appear.
9. Press the Shift + Delete key combination on your keyboard to permanently delete these files.
   

7. Disable In-Game Overlays

In-game overlays can interfere with the game’s operations and disturb its activities. Multiple software running in the background and having an overlay layout on a single software causes conflicts on the computer’s resources and display input. These extra features decrease the game’s performance and can interfere with its functionalities leading to launching problems.

Discord

1. Type “Discord” in the Windows search box and press Enter.
2. Click on the Open button to launch Discord.
   
3. In Discord, go to User Settings by clicking the gear icon near your username.
   
4. Scroll down and find the Game Overlay tab. Click on it.
5. Toggle off the Enable in-game overlay option.
   

Steam

1. Type “Steam” in the Windows search box and click Open.
   
2. In Steam, click on the LIBRARY tab.
   
3. Right-click on Once Human from your game list and select Properties.
   
4. In the Properties menu, find and toggle off Enable The Steam Overlay while in-game.
   

If you are still facing the same problem despite applying every solution, submit your problem appeal at Once Human’s contact support.