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If Cyberpunk 2077 won’t launch on PC, first identify where startup stops: the store client, REDlauncher, or the game itself. Then follow the matching official fix—REDlauncher has its own troubleshooting steps, while game-start failures call for checks such as verifying files, reinstalling drivers or Visual C++ packages, and disabling overlays. These steps apply to Windows PC; CD PROJEKT RED says Windows 11 is now the minimum required OS after Windows 10 support ended.
Find out where startup stops
Press Play and note what happens before changing settings. Does Steam, Epic Games Store, or GOG GALAXY fail to open? Does REDlauncher fail to appear? Does REDlauncher open but the game not start, or does the game process launch and then crash? Record any exact error text or code.
CD PROJEKT RED’s support form also asks whether the game launches from its installation folder. It gives ...\Cyberpunk 2077\bin\x64\Cyberpunk2077.exe as an example executable path. Treat that as useful diagnostic information to report, not as a guaranteed workaround.
Check Windows and system requirements
Windows version
CD PROJEKT RED says: “Windows 11 will be the minimum required OS for both The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 following Microsoft’s end of support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025.” The studio says it will no longer test the games on Windows 10, citing the end of ongoing security updates, official platform support, and continued GPU-driver support. Its older requirements table still lists Windows 10, but the newer notice is the current OS guidance. Read CD PROJEKT RED’s Windows 10 end-of-support notice.
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#1 Best Overall
Hardware and storage
CD PROJEKT RED’s requirements page says its specifications apply to the base game and Phantom Liberty from Update 2.0. The listed configurations distinguish non-ray-tracing, ray-tracing, and Overdrive graphics targets; they are capability targets, not guarantees that a particular PC will launch the game. For example, the listed non-ray-tracing minimum is 1080p/low/30 FPS with 12 GB RAM, while the recommended non-ray-tracing configuration is 1080p/high/60 FPS with 16 GB RAM. The Overdrive 2160p/60 FPS tier lists an RTX 4080, 16 GB VRAM, 24 GB RAM, and NVMe storage. The page lists an SSD and 70 GB storage. Check the full system requirements.
If your PC lacks suitable installation capacity or does not meet the SSD requirement, address that constraint; an SSD is not a universal fix for every launch failure. Check your PC or laptop’s form factor and interface compatibility before buying storage.
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If REDlauncher will not open
Use this separate launcher path if the store client opens but REDlauncher itself does not. CD PROJEKT RED recommends running the store platform as administrator, removing the local REDlauncher folder, and checking that no launch parameters are set.
- Close the game and store client. Right-click Steam, Epic Games Store, or GOG GALAXY and choose Run as administrator.
- Delete the local folder
%localappdata%\Programs\CD Projekt Red\. - Check the game’s launch settings and remove any launch parameters while diagnosing the issue.
- Try launching again. If REDlauncher still fails, contact CD PROJEKT RED support and include the error and platform details.
These steps are from CD PROJEKT RED’s REDlauncher troubleshooting guide.
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If the game itself will not start
When the store client and REDlauncher open but Cyberpunk 2077 does not, work through these reversible checks before escalating to driver changes or manual file edits. CD PROJEKT RED’s general launch guidance covers administrator access, graphics drivers, Visual C++ Redistributables, file verification, overlays, and unnecessary background apps.
- Run the store client as administrator. Close it, then reopen Steam, GOG GALAXY, or Epic Games Store using Run as administrator.
- Clean-install the graphics driver. Follow the relevant driver installation instructions from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel. If the failure began immediately after a driver update, CD PROJEKT RED specifically advises installing the previous driver version and reporting the issue.
- Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables. Install both x86 and x64 packages, running each installer as administrator.
- Verify the game files in your store client. Corrupted or missing files can prevent launch. Use the matching route below.
- Temporarily disable overlays and close unnecessary apps. Test without overlay features such as Discord or Ubisoft Connect overlays. CD PROJEKT RED also advises closing unnecessary apps, including hardware-monitoring and antivirus or anti-malware programs, as a diagnostic step.
| Store client | File-verification path |
|---|---|
| GOG GALAXY | Owned games → Cyberpunk 2077 → Customize → Manage installation → Verify/Repair |
| Steam | Library → right-click Cyberpunk 2077 → Properties → Installed files → Verify integrity of game files |
| Epic Games Store | Library → three dots beside Cyberpunk 2077 → Manage → Verify |
For platform instructions and the full launch checklist, see CD PROJEKT RED’s game-does-not-launch article and its system requirements.
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If you use mods or see a script error
For a modded installation—or an error that specifically mentions corrupted or missing scripts—verify the game files first. CD PROJEKT RED’s mod guidance also recommends disabling mods to test the unmodded game. If that works, reintroduce mods in batches to identify which one is involved. Back up important files before making manual changes; this advice is scoped to mod-related cases and does not mean mods cause every launch failure. See CD PROJEKT RED’s mod troubleshooting guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Contact support with useful diagnostics
If the official checks do not solve the problem, send CD PROJEKT RED the information it requests so support can distinguish a launcher issue from a game, driver, or mod problem.
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- The exact error message or code, if one appears.
- Your platform and game version, and whether you used mods, trainers, or console commands.
- Whether the game starts from the installation-folder executable.
- If the game crashed, the latest
stacktrace.txtin%localappdata%\REDEngine\ReportQueue\, when available. - A DxDiag report: run
DxDiagfrom Windows Run, then choose Save All Information….
Use CD PROJEKT RED’s support form for the current submission fields. Its displayed latest game version can change, so check the form rather than relying on a version number copied from an older guide.
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