Fix: “Sorry, something went wrong” When Launching Games

When you launch a game and see “Sorry, something went wrong. For solutions please visit,” the game is usually failing during an early sign-in/ownership validation step (before gameplay). In other words, the launcher/DRM can’t confirm your access, so it stops with a generic message.

Because the message is generic, it can happen on Steam, Epic, EA App, Ubisoft Connect, or Rockstar Launcher. Most often it’s a token/session issue, but it can also be caused by a broken launcher cache, blocked network access, or anti-cheat/anti-tamper failing to initialize.

Common causes:

• Entitlement check fails: ownership can’t be verified (token/session/online validation).
• Server-side issues: platform outage or temporary service problems.
• Activation/cooldown: repeated reinstalls, hardware changes, or many attempts trigger a temporary limit (varies by game/DRM).
• Interference: overlays, antivirus, or injected background tools conflict with anti-cheat/anti-tamper.
• Network blocks: VPN/proxy, firewall, DNS, or ISP/router filtering blocks required endpoints.
• Corrupted launcher cache: broken local web login/cache causes token failures.

Try the fixes below in order (fastest, lowest-risk first). After each one, restart the launcher and try again.

Quick Checks (Do This First)

• Restart launcher + PC: fully close Steam/Epic/EA (end tasks in Task Manager if needed), then reboot.
• Confirm the correct account: sign into the account that actually owns the game. Multiple accounts/Family Sharing can fail entitlement checks.
• Test another network: use a mobile hotspot to quickly rule out router/ISP filtering.

Before You Begin: Possible Cooldown

If this started right after a fresh reinstall, a major hardware change (CPU/motherboard/storage), or many attempts in a short time, you may be hitting a temporary activation/cooldown. Spamming retries can keep failing until it resets.

• Close the game and launcher completely.
• Avoid reinstalling again or moving the install between drives.
• Wait, then reopen the launcher and sign in fresh (timing depends on the title/DRM).

Solution 1. Clear the Launcher Cache

Corrupted session/web cache can break entitlement tokens. Clearing cache forces a clean rebuild and often fixes this without reinstalling the game.

Note: Clearing cache may log you out, make sure you know your credentials.

• Steam: Steam > Settings > Downloads > Clear Download Cache, then sign back in.
  
• Epic Games Launcher: close Epic completely (end tasks in Task Manager), then delete webcache:
  • Press Win + R, paste: %localappdata%\EpicGamesLauncher\Saved\
  • Delete webcache / webcache_* (if present), reopen Epic, then sign in again.
    

After clearing cache: reopen the launcher, sign in again, and launch the game.

Solution 2. Verify/Repair Game Files

Missing/corrupted files can break startup components (including bundled anti-cheat/anti-tamper). Verifying repairs the install by re-downloading damaged or missing items.

Steam (steps shown):

1. Open Steam and go to Library.
   
2. Right-click the game > Properties.
   
3. Local Files > Verify integrity of game files.
   
4. Wait for the scan to finish.

Other launchers (quick paths):

• Epic: Library > (three dots) > Manage > Verify.
• EA App: Library > game > Manage > Repair.
• Ubisoft Connect: Games > game > Properties > Verify files (wording may vary).
• Rockstar Launcher: Settings > My installed games > select game > Verify integrity (wording may vary).

If you need a full walkthrough: How to Verify Integrity of Game Files on All Platforms?

Solution 3. Allow the Game (and Launcher) Through the Firewall

Many games do a quick online validation at launch. If the game or launcher can’t reach required endpoints due to firewall/AV rules, the entitlement check can fail.

Important: If you use a third-party antivirus/firewall (Bitdefender, Norton, ESET, Kaspersky, etc.), allow the game/launcher inside that product too, Windows Firewall rules alone may not apply.

1. Open Allow an app through Windows Firewall.
   
2. Click Change settings > Allow another app.
   
3. Click Browse, add the game’s main .exe.
4. Add the launcher .exe too (Steam/Epic/EA), since the session often matters.
5. If the game has helper executables (anti-cheat/anti-tamper/launcher helper), add those as well.
6. Tick Private. Tick Public only if you regularly play on public networks and understand the risk.
   
7. Restart the PC, reopen the launcher, and launch the game.

Solution 4. Disable Overlays and Background Hooks

Overlays work by injecting into the game process. Some anti-cheat/anti-tamper systems treat that as interference and block startup validation.

• Disable Steam Overlay, Discord Overlay, GeForce Experience Overlay, Xbox Game Bar, and FPS/monitoring overlays. Guide: How to Disable In-Game Overlays?
• Close tools that hook games (capture tools, shader injectors, overlay-based OC tools).
• Restart the launcher and try again.

Solution 5. Repair/Reinstall the Launcher (Not the Game)

If the launcher’s login/entitlement layer is broken, verifying game files won’t help because the failure happens before the game properly starts. Repairing/reinstalling the launcher refreshes that layer while keeping installed games in most cases.

• Use the launcher’s Repair option if it exists.
• If not, uninstall the launcher, reboot, then install the latest version again.
• Sign in, let it re-detect installed games, then launch.

If nothing works: it may be account-side (license mismatch, restrictions, or a server-side block). Contact the launcher’s support and include the exact message, your platform (Steam/Epic/EA/Ubisoft/Rockstar), and whether it started after a reinstall or hardware change.