SWTOR Not Launching After Pressing Play: Causes and Fixes

After the latest 7.2.1 update, SWTOR has stopped working on many computers. If you, too, are facing issues in launching the game after pressing play, chances are that one of the three problems is bothering you –

• Your PC is incompatible with the current Star Wars the Old Republic version.
• You are unable to connect with proper servers for a smooth gameplay experience.
• The hardware on your PC cannot meet the requirements of the latest SWTOR version.

The core issue here is that with the latest update, Star Wars the Old Republic is compatible with 64-bit architecture, meaning you cannot play using an older device with 32-bit architecture.

However, these are not the only issues that may bother you. If you face the error without updating it, something else may be bothering your game.

In this post, we will explore some of the core causes of SWTOR not launching after pressing play and identifying ways to fix the error. Read the post to understand the complete scenario.

SWTOR Not Launching on Windows: Causes

Star Wars: The Old Republic is a multiplayer online game that requires a stable internet connection and a decent GPU processor. Since it is an online game, it keeps updating according to the requirements and should be updated regularly.

If we take a look at issues that several users have come across while trying to launch SWTOR, a few common causes appear to be –

• The game version that you are trying to run is outdated.
• Defender Firewall stopping the game from connecting to the server.
• GPU Drivers are not functioning properly.
• Game-OS incompatibility.

The clear sign of it not working is the SWTOR not launching after pressing play. Some users launch the game via Steam and can log in. However, as soon as they click on play, the button grayed out, and you have no option but to restart it.

Fortunately, these causes are resolvable as all the listed issues can be fixed. Check out the next section to find appropriate solutions!

SWTOR Not Launching After Pressing Play: Fixes

Fix 1 – Run the Game in Compatibility Mode

If the game fails to launch on your PC and it has happened after a recent upgrade, do not worry. You can play the game again using the compatibility mode.

Step 1 -Open the game files on your PC. The installation path may be found via Steam or the shortcut you used to launch the game
Step 2 – Select the SWTOR.exe and right-click on it to bring up the context menu.
Step 3 – In the context menu, click on properties.
Step 4 – Navigate to the compatibility tab after opening the properties popup.

Step 5 – In the compatibility tab, click on Run this program in compatibility mode and select the OS you want to run accordingly. 

Read Also: Ultimate Fixes to “Could Not Connect To Steam Network” Error

Fix 2 – Allow Your Game Through Windows Firewall

If the game launches but can’t run, this means your firewall or the antivirus software you are using is not allowing the game to pass through it. Hence, the easiest way to handle this is to allow the game to run through Windows Firewall. If you are using a different antivirus software, you should add the game to its whitelist as well!

Step 1 – Go to the Start menu and look up Windows Defender Firewall.

Step 2 – Open the relevant search outcome to find the solution.
Step 3 – After selecting the same, check the left panel to find the allow an application through the Windows firewall option. Step 4 – Click on it to open. You may find a Change Settings button above the table of apps. Click on it to enable editing in the selected apps.

Step 5 – From the bottom, choose the Add another app option to bring up the Windows browser.
Step 6 – Navigate to the SWTOR launch file and select it.
Step 7 – After adding the application file, save the changes and try relaunching the app. 

Fix 3 – Update Windows to Latest Available Release

While trying to run a game like SWTOR, ensure that your OS is up to date with the latest security updates and version.

Step 1 – Press Win+I to open the Windows system settings.

Step 2 – From the left pane, click on Windows Updates.
Step 3 – Use the Check for Updates button to look for available updates.

Step 4 – Download and install the pending updates if any are available.

Step 5 – From the menu go to advanced options to find the Optional Updates section
Step 6 – Check if any optional updates are pending. These are mostly application-based and driver-related updates. Check if an important update is pending if it is, install it too.
Step 7 – After installing anything, restart the PC for it to take effect perfectly. 

Fix 4 – Update Graphics Drivers on Your PC

Drivers play a crucial role in running any application on your device. If  Star Wars the Old Republic is not working properly, there is a chance that it is due to outdated drivers. Updating them might help! To download and update the latest drivers all you have to do is –

Step 1 – Download the Advanced Driver Updater on Your PC.

Step 2 – After installing the app, go to the home screen and click on Start Scan Now.

Step 3 – Let the scan run. It will highlight all the outdated drivers on your PC.
Step 4 – Check if the graphics drivers are available in the scan results list.

Step 5 – Click on Update All to initialize the update process for your devices. 

Fix 5 – Switch to Steam/ Reinstall the Game

Knowing that the game is not working properly, it is possible that the environment you are using to run the game is not properly configured. The best way is to use a client like Steam or completely remove and reinstall the game.

Step 1 – Press Win+R to open the Run search utility.
Step 2 – In the Run search, use the command Control Appwiz.cpl and hit enter.

Step 3 – From the opened list of programs, select the SWTOR and double-click on it to uninstall.
Step 4 – After uninstalling the game, download the Steam client from the official website.
Step 5 – Now install the SWTOR via Steam client and try running it 

Tip – if you are already using the Steam client, remove it from your PC and try downloading the game directly from the source instead of the client. This has worked for several users, so you might try it, too.

Fix 6 – Install the Latest DirectX Version

If your PC is missing the latest version of DirectX or is using a version below DirectX 9, you may face issues. Here are the instructions you need to follow –

Step 1 – Visit the DirectX download page by clicking here.
Step 2 – Click on the Download button to start the download.
Step 3 – After downloading the file, simply run it to install the required compatible version of DirectX.
Step 4 – Go through the installation process by following onscreen instructions.
Step 5 – Once the installation is over, you can launch the game and press play to check if it is now working or not.

Fix 7 – Check for Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

Another interesting component that helps SWTOR run smoothly on your PC is the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable. Usually, it is already installed on a PC however, if it is not you might need to download it.

Step 1 – Press Win+R to launch run and use the command appwiz.cpl to open the list of installed programs.
Step 2 – Check the list to find Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable and check if all the components are installed or not.
Step 3 – If you can’t find it installed, click here to open the download page.

Step 4 – Download the file and install it on your computer.
Step 5 – Give it a quick restart to ensure that the components are properly installed and are effective on your device.

SWTOR is Now WORKING on your PC

After trying all the fixes, you can easily get rid of the errors that are causing the SWTOR not to launch after pressing the play error on your PC. Needless to say, you can make the most of your PC and games when your drivers are updated. Download the Advanced Driver Updater for better performance. 

Hope all these fixes help. Thanks for reading, good luck!

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