Games that refuse to work on W11 24H2

[nomdeplume]

I mean kernel level anticheat exists exclusively in gaming but fine, I guess. Your thread.

My intent starting this was a list of games that refuse to work on 24H2. Developing conversation in other directions tends to influence any responses away from that. Especially when the [ahem] type of revised version that isn't open to discussion works.

Dredge ended up being EGS quackery to get the hidden permissions screen to appear.

 

[Macro Device]

The OG Max Payne also refused to work. Fixed by moving it to C: and applying the fix from PCGamingWiki. VERY suboptimal but at least I managed to have some fun.

Still couldn't make FIFA 09 run. If I don't do that by the end of January I'm ditching W11 once again.

 

[stahlhart]

Homefront is not launching, though it MAY be a PhysX issue, remember that it was a somewhat problematic game even in the W10 days.

Try version 9.19.0218 for Nvidia PhysX, along with the 9.13.0604 legacy PhysX drivers -- this combination seems to work for every older game I have in my library with this driver requirement. You just have to make sure to only install the display driver for any major update going forward (and not the PhysX driver included with it), and reinstall these two drivers manually after installing whichever display driver, if you prefer a clean installation. As of version 566.36 they are still working.

Edit: I take all of this back -- I can't get this game to launch on either Windows 10 or Windows 11 now. My other Steam games that use legacy PhysX (Medal of Honor Airborne, Frontlines: Fuel of War are two that I tested) still work, so it's not PhysX. But the problem appears very similar to another launch problem I was having, with Aliens: Colonial Marines. But I was able to fix that one. This one is really being stubborn. Folks have posted multiple fix suggestions online, but none of them so far have worked here.

 

[Ruru]

Try version 9.19.0218 for Nvidia PhysX, along with the 9.13.0604 legacy PhysX drivers -- this combination seems to work for every older game I have in my library with this driver requirement. You just have to make sure to only install the display driver for any major update going forward (and not the PhysX driver included with it), and reinstall these two drivers manually after installing whichever display driver, if you prefer a clean installation. As of version 566.36 they are still working.

Edit: I take all of this back -- I can't get this game to launch on either Windows 10 or Windows 11 now. My other Steam games that use legacy PhysX (Medal of Honor Airborne, Frontlines: Fuel of War are two that I tested) still work, so it's not PhysX. But the problem appears very similar to another launch problem I was having, with Aliens: Colonial Marines. But I was able to fix that one. This one is really being stubborn. Folks have posted multiple fix suggestions online, but none of them so far have worked here.

What sucks that it's not that long ago when I got Homefront to launch, but no success currently.

I guess that it works again later.

 

[KrazyT]

Try version 9.19.0218 for Nvidia PhysX, along with the 9.13.0604 legacy PhysX drivers -- this combination seems to work for every older game I have in my library with this driver requirement. You just have to make sure to only install the display driver for any major update going forward (and not the PhysX driver included with it), and reinstall these two drivers manually after installing whichever display driver, if you prefer a clean installation. As of version 566.36 they are still working.

Edit: I take all of this back -- I can't get this game to launch on either Windows 10 or Windows 11 now. My other Steam games that use legacy PhysX (Medal of Honor Airborne, Frontlines: Fuel of War are two that I tested) still work, so it's not PhysX. But the problem appears very similar to another launch problem I was having, with Aliens: Colonial Marines. But I was able to fix that one. This one is really being stubborn. Folks have posted multiple fix suggestions online, but none of them so far have worked here.

Seems to be the same trick for Dragon Age : Origin, tested a while ago and worked !

 

[Vayra86]

Seems to be the same trick for Dragon Age : Origin, tested a while ago and worked !

Weird shit, I played this not too long ago without any issues... It was a bit finnicky with fullscreen settings but that just took some settings changes in the game itself. Beyond that, the game did crash a few times, but that's because the game itself has its bugs and locations prone to crashing. Restart and played past it np. Also used several mods for the game itself (not fixes or anything) and they went fine too.

What sucks that it's not that long ago when I got Homefront to launch, but no success currently.

I guess that it works again later.

And you can live with that? Stuff just changing under your nose without you having any clue why?

I can't.... when that ever happens I clean install everything or find the culprit. I have zero patience for someone else changing my shit, kinda lights a fire in my belly

 

[Ruru]

And you can live with that? Stuff just changing under your nose without you having any clue why?

I can't.... when that ever happens I clean install everything or find the culprit. I have zero patience for someone else changing my shit, kinda lights a fire in my belly

That's hella annoying but I have to admit that I'm too lazy for extreme troubleshooting.

I could put together an older rig with W10 and install everything in known working order though.

 

[ir_cow]

Make sure to install older versions of .NET and Visual C++. For example a few games wouldn't start at all until I manually download and installed C++ 2015 64 and x86.

 

[KrazyT]

Weird shit, I played this not too long ago without any issues... It was a bit finnicky with fullscreen settings but that just took some settings changes in the game itself. Beyond that, the game did crash a few times, but that's because the game itself has its bugs and locations prone to crashing. Restart and played past it np. Also used several mods for the game itself (not fixes or anything) and they went fine too.

That's crazy; i've tried 2 month ago, and the game refuse to start (on Win10) without the PhysX drivers legacy. Maybe they were already installed on your computer ?
(It was launched with the EA App launcher, seems the GOG version benefits the GOG Preservation Program : in theory it should lauch fine *not tested*)

*edit : no problem with ultrawide settings

 

[stahlhart]

Make sure to install older versions of .NET and Visual C++. For example a few games wouldn't start at all until I manually download and installed C++ 2015 64 and x86.

There are two C++ runtime packages, the PhysX installer and DirectX updates in the redistributable for the game, and just to make sure I did run three out of the four manually just to make sure. Up until now I've never needed to install the included PhysX driver because 9.19.0218 always worked for it, and it was also compatible with the other games I have that used it. I recall going through several versions of them until I found the latest one that didn't break something somewhere, and just stuck with it, and it's continued working through who knows how many different display driver updates up to now.

But this problem is bizarre. Valve won't offer any support because it's not one of their games, yet you can clearly see it "updating executable" when you try to launch the game, and obviously THQ and KAOS either aren't around or care any longer about this older game, so who is updating it, and from what to what exactly, and why? Is this a DRM issue? It's Unreal Engine 3, like Aliens: Colonial Marines. I might check to see if I have any more in my Steam library to see if they have the same issue now.

 

[Dr. Dro]

Make sure to install older versions of .NET and Visual C++. For example a few games wouldn't start at all until I manually download and installed C++ 2015 64 and x86.

For convenience

Must have, automated and complete C++ and DirectX 9 runtime installers:

Latest Visual C++ Redistributable Runtimes All-in-One Nov 2024 Download

This archive contains the latest version (Nov 2024) of all VCRedist Visual Studio C++ runtimes, installable with a single click by running the includ

www.techpowerup.com

DirectX Runtime Offline Installer Jun 2010 Download

This free download provides the Microsoft DirectX Redist Runtime, which is required for many games to play properly. The download is the offline inst

www.techpowerup.com

Required for some games even if you have a Radeon or ARC

NVIDIA PhysX System Software

NVIDIA PhysX System Software

www.nvidia.com

NVIDIA PhysX Legacy System Software

NVIDIA PhysX Legacy System Software

www.nvidia.com

Use Ninite to install Java and .NET runtimes in one click

Ninite - Install or Update Multiple Apps at Once

The easiest, fastest way to update or install software. Ninite downloads and installs programs automatically in the background.

ninite.com

Run optionalfeatures.exe (type on taskbar) and tick .NET 3.5 support and Legacy Components > DirectPlay

Should fix most compatibility problems with Windows 10 and newer, including 11 24H2. Additional restrictions on 24H2 is that it will block known vulnerable user mode drivers by default - breaks some older DRM and kernel-mode AC systems.

For older Games for Windows LIVE games, I suggest Xliveless to bypass

Xliveless

This enables games that require GFWL (Games For Windows Live) to be played offline without having to install GFWL. Found by: Bizargh on steam.

community.pcgamingwiki.com

but if you insist on doing things by the books, the installer is still available at PCGW

Microsoft Games for Windows - LIVE

Official installation files for Microsoft Games for Windows - LIVE. This package contains the last version of the Marketplace client (3.5.67.0) and the last version of the Redistributable (3.5.95.0). Uninstall the Microsoft Games for Windows Marketplace client and the Microsoft Games for Windows ...

community.pcgamingwiki.com

 

[Vayra86]

That's crazy; i've tried 2 month ago, and the game refuse to start (on Win10) without the PhysX drivers legacy. Maybe they were already installed on your computer ?
(It was launched with the EA App launcher, seems the GOG version benefits the GOG Preservation Program : in theory it should lauch fine *not tested*)

*edit : no problem with ultrawide settings

Ah the EA App launcher... yeah. If I can get a game without having to enter that cesspool, I do.

 

[Klemc]

I just read :

Microsoft have made changes to known dll list/behavior which causes vmp libraries packed into a vmprotected binary from being loaded, for this to have broken things, VMProtect has to have been using internal or undocumented library loading behaviors that requires updating the vmp libraries.


for example, this was identified as affecting build 1923 on insider preview 25xxx https://vmpsoft.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31223

since this library is packed into the executable the software vendor has to package and publish an update. This is not isolated to ubisoft, anything with vmprotect is affected.


The other issue reportedly affecting ubisoft and other games is the auto-hdr one, but that might be cases of bad api usage too given it only affects so few titles in this way.

The ARGB10 and 16 surface issues causing color blowout with it is on MSFTS end though and has been resolved already for the next CU.

 

[Macro Device]

• FIFA 09 (a.k.a. FIFA Soccer 09 in the North America) briefly shows up in the task manager, then shuts down without any visible stuff going on. Tested all No-DVDs as well (not only have I bought this game's physical copy when it was first released, they also shut their servers down so it's unplayable with the original .exe), DXVK, compatibility modes, unofficial patches, yadda yadda. Also tried a different display just for the memes. Nothing altered this behaviour.

I officially am a moron. Corrupted registry. W11 refused to launch it natively though. Compatibility mode with W7 fixed this. I remember I told @Vayra86 it doesn't work. Well, not completely the case.

 

[Vayra86]

I officially am a moron. Corrupted registry. W11 refused to launch it natively though. Compatibility mode with W7 fixed this. I remember I told @Vayra86 it doesn't work. Well, not completely the case.

Well I can confirm Max Payne was a glorious pile of nothing on W11, indeed. The urge to play it is about zero, luckily.

 

[Macro Device]

Well I can confirm Max Payne was a glorious pile of nothing on W11, indeed. The urge to play it is about zero, luckily.

And I played FIFA 09 for at least a couple dozen hours under W11. Not a single hiccup. Wish they never locked some menus to 30 FPS, though. WHY NOT ZERO AND NOT ALL. Beyond me. Other than that, cool. After several months of not playing it, I mostly forgot the details of my mod so the re-visit was a very pleasant experience. A lot to rebalance though. Compared to real world prototypes (English football leagues; Italian Serie A; German Bundesliga), my fictitious leagues are overtuned (at least two times more young players become serious well-rounded specialists than IRL).