A couple of hours ago, Rockstar launched the Enhanced Edition of Grand Theft Auto 5 on PC. Since this new version comes with some Ray Tracing features, I’ve decided to give them a go, only to be reminded how broken the Rockstar Games Launcher is. And, after two hours of trying to make this piece of crap work, I’ve thrown the towel.
So, here’s the error message I’ve been getting while trying to log in to the Social Club.
Naturally, I tried to troubleshoot this error. So, I’ve tried EVERY solution that you can find on the Internet. I’ve uninstalled it, deleted its Registry entries, set the executable files to run as Administrator, changed installation folders, set my audio to 16bit/44100Hz. Nothing worked. The launcher is still crashing, no matter what.
So, after two hours of trying to fix this piece of crap software, I decided to throw the towel. I won’t reinstall Windows 10 just because Rockstar has f’cked things up. And you know what? This is EXACTLY why everyone should be pirating all the games that use their own launchers.
As a legitimate customer, I can’t run the game I’ve bought because of that idiotic launcher. It doesn’t matter if a specific setting is causing this. If you want to have a launcher in your game, you should make sure it runs on every PC. Plain and simple. There is no excuse here. You have that responsibility to your customer. You can’t only demand his money.
Not only that, but since the Rockstar Games launcher is not working at all, I might not be able to run any other future games that will require it. That’s how messed up this whole thing is. So, right now, I’m locked out of Max Payne 3 and the Red Dead Redemption games. My only solution? To download cracked versions of these games. Thanks Rockstar.
So, although I wanted to share with you some PC screenshots of the Enhanced Edition, I simply cannot. And, frankly, I have other more important things to do than troubleshoot this for a whole day. Still, this whole thing reminded me why most of us are so against all those ridiculous game launchers. If a customer has to turn to piracy just so he can play the game he purchased, then you have failed as a company. But who cares? Take-Two and Rockstar are too busy suing modders than fixing their piece of crap software!
John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He is a PC gaming fan and highly supports the modding and indie communities. Before creating DSOGaming, John worked on numerous gaming websites. While he is a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots can be found on consoles. John loved – and still does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be one of the best consoles. Still, the PC platform won him over consoles. That was mainly due to 3DFX and its iconic dedicated 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has also written a higher degree thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics cards.”
Contact: Email
Bold statement, but also something that every PC gamer should be doing.
Disable any RAM drives John. It was something I noticed at launch that broke the game. Support did say they would notify the developers hahahahahaha.
There are certain advantages to some pirate releases, mainly being able to select languages and not wasting space on ones you don't speak, there are also ones whereby you want to play the game but don't want to have to download DLC's you have yet to purchase along with it. That said its a brave statement to endorse piracy publically on a website.
I was blown away to see the public endorsement also but the guy is 100% right about how horrible it is to have to use their game launcher. It's so convoluted I'm surprised I can play the game. The 'Launcher' software is so fragile, that if you even breathe funny, it's gonna very slowly and silently turn towards you, look at you dead square in the face, and then say, "Oh yeah? Then I ain't loading your game….BIATCH!". I mean, I've been going the rounds with the crappy launcher and it's finally working, but Wow!
Not to mention, this game is approaching it's 10th year anniversary. Of course, one could argue that the patch they are releasing today gives it a new lease on life, which may be true also.
This is why we call them Jewstar.
wait i didnt know the houser bros were jews. interesting..
They're not, neither is the CEO, just more antisemitism killing the gaming space.
Antisemitism is not only a right, but a duty.
if you want to survive it is.
Imagine beefing 1 percent of the population.
Imagine being a 4K video source without HDR.
Unfortunately trump is bending knee for Israel as always.
Another scholar chimes in. Look, bashing someone for doing sh**ty things is ok, pretending anyone who does something you don’t like is a Jew is just stupid and makes you look like a fool.
I’m a professional pattern recognizer.
henlo fren, its always them fren, every time fren.
they always are, every single time.
they always are every time.
Housers are not there anymore, long time ago. The same goes to they top creative minds.
Almost all of them escaped from there starting 2019.
then gta6 is gonna be a shtshow, buckle up boys and girls.
Lol, it's about their attitude and greed not the owners…
Sorry to learn of your failed education/brain injury.
I remember when I purchase "Gears of War PC" years ago and when I upgraded to Win 10 Pro it wouldn't work anymore. I spoke to Microsoft support and he hooked me up with the "Crack File" to run the game!! Blew my mind!!!
I remember when ubisoft patched crashes in rainbow six vegas 2 by using a crack.
In 2011 or so I was supposed to get a free copy of Gears PC with my pre-order of Bulletstorm. When I didn't, I had to call my country's Microsoft customer support number for them to send me over something similar.
"GTA 5 Enhanced is your daily reminder that you should pirate every game"
FTFY
Last month I solved the problem by reactivating the service "PcaSvc"
Services => Program Compatibility Assistant Service => Start
Already tried that (obviously). Still not working. As I said, I've tried EVERYTHING you can think of.
Piracy for any reason is absolutely condoned.
both rockstar and ea launcher are terrible and i had to google solutions to weird errors multiple times.
Whats worse is that once i wanted to play gta v and my internet was done, so i was like "whatever i will play singleplayer" and the game was like "cannot connect to servers"
I bet the pirated version would have no issue with that and i would not get banned if i was to use mods.
I still play the older gtas because you know, apart from the fact they are better, i can still play them, with mods and everything, gta v is a mostly multiplayer focused game and i am afraid to use mods, good thing i got the epic store extra free copy when it was available, so i can use that version with mods if i want to risk it.
GTA V requires to be verified every week running online from Rockstar game launcher to work even the single player. Once you are online and launch GTA V, u can exit and play the game for whole week without internet. Thats how there DRM works
I had this same problem last year when I bought a new Pre-built PC. What fixed it for me was I downloaded a older version of the Rockstar launcher and let it update and that worked for me.
Rockstar Social Club has always sucked. Why the Hell does it have to use "Home" as its toggle key? That's the default ReShade overlay key!
BTW: Do I get unbanned from GTA Online for this new "Enhanced Edition"? I mean, seriously, I got banned for buying a Megalodon Shark Card on Steam. When is Rockstar going to stop being a**holes about that?
I feel you. Yeah it's frustrating. That's you always gotta have a spare clean SSD with Win10. When you need just plug it in and test. I do this with Win7 when running older games that refuse to start on my Win10.
They're still using that horrible launcher?
lol
Well, of course they are, because it's all about the DRM and nothing else. A DRM so convoluted it's ridiculous to have to deal with it.
Even if you are going to buy a game, make sure that there is a pirated/cracked version of it available or wait for a working crack just in case.
Regarding the title, indeed. Sadly this is becoming an all too current issue. But regarding RockStank, that despicable game dev needs to f*k off do one already.
The only launcher other then steam that seems to work without issues, every time is gog. EA, microsoft, rockstar, epic, ubisoft….all terrible launchers that give nothing but issues constantly. Microsofts game pass app is slightly better then the rest, but still far from flawless.
These companies need to learn that if we are expected to pay $60- in the literal 100s for their games, they should not force their garbage software on us, and if they do at least make it functional. This does nothing but drive people away from buying your games, and either turn to piracy or move on to something else entirely. Its a massive problem when people turn to piracy soley to have a game that actually functions properly. That you get more value and have a far better experience pirating something then you would paying for it. Why would anyone want to give you money to have a worse experience?
its the same deal with all these streaming companies and "exclusivity" with shows and movies. Nobody wants to pay 100-120+/month just to watch a couple shows. Why do that and still be smothered with ads and other nonsense when you can just pirate for free, have a better experience and in a lot of cases have a version thats far superior in quality at that?
GOG gets the job done because you don't need it running just to play. Steam, on the other hand, is a mess, the client drops offline left and right even when your internet’s solid. Sure, it is better than the other launchers, but even that isn't saying much sometimes.
I own the game but also use the pirated version to avoid the launcher. Lol.
Nothing wrong with that. In fact, I have a couple of games on Steam (acquired during a 100% sale or other means) and I still use pirated versions so often to the point that I forget that I actually have some of these games on my Steam Library.
no problems for me i have the steam version and the game is fantastic !
but ray tracing ultra loose a lot of fps this game need pure dark frame generation mod
Okay, same game on a different platform. But I have legal claim to the game on Epic Games Store. But it still requires everybody to use the 'Rockstar Games Launcher' to play the game. Does it not?
Yes, all versions of Rockstar titles (after GTA 4, except Manhunt 2) require social club to work no matter which store you buy them on.
So, there is no real advantage to purchasing on the Steam platform over EGS then. At least, not that I can see.
Even the Steam version still ropes you into Social Club. No way around it.
I agree 100% I buy the game after it has been cracked and then run it without Steam or Epic or any other "Launcher" screwing it up. It's a pain waiting sometimes but I feel like it's my game truly now.
Just a friendly reminder that inciting people to commit an illegal activity is unlawful.
You having sexual relations with your sister is unlawful too (probably depending on which country you're in), … but here we are!
In other news, nobody gives a f*ck about you being concerned about "illegal activity".
Completely uncalled XD Stop projecting onto other people what you think it's normal.
Just a friendly reminder that law is made up.
Just a friendly reminder that for those interested, you can already download the game for free on IGG and CSRINRU, and soon on Fitgirl as well. 😌⭐️
IGG is kinda sus ngl, but the others are alright
That's the gayest thing i read today, congrats f4g
I've got the classic working comment..but it's also true so hopefully we can all have a good day lol
in all seriousness tho I hope you can get it sorted 1 way or another but otherwise go hoist the flag and take a sail
Both versions old and new just appeared in my launcher and I can install both. Zero problems, but I don't have it on Steam.
dont see enhansements….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RmPkodO_8Q
I hope some day VALVE will just ban all games that have launchers on STEAM.
Also what about that PC port of Rise of the Ronin ?
Incoming dumba$$ moaning about "Steam monopoly". Even if that is the case, I'm happy. Why? Cuz it's just work, unlike bunch of crappy launchers that doesn't function properly most of the time.
rockstar lost all my saves for gta 5 and then a few years later the same thing happened for red dead 2. in both cases all I did was fire up the game as normal and my only option was to start a new game.
Thanks, John, for calling out this piece of s*it launcher, and all the others that are equally as bad.
I avoid the majority of them but also don't give a single cent to Rockstar either.
You sound like a total noob that knows absolutely nothing about computers & operating systems.
Have a look at my screenshots John.
https://www.neogaf.com/threads/grand-theft-auto-5-enhanced-edition-is-now-available-on-steam.1681430/post-270177791
"Apparently they removed the text chat from the online… It's a shame.
It sucks how most modern games don't have text chat anymore, it's much better to communicate with randoms when you don't want to get involved in long audio chats"
wtf? Why did they do that?
I remember having an error with the Rockstar launcher, it was because I disabled one drive.
Ubisoft+ is also down since several hours, you cant play any ubi title right now. This is so f*king insane. It does not even go into offline mode. Not a single game works
it seems like John is only normal person on this website.
Error launching? to me this new edition results in a BSOD, cant even see to logo… tipical Rockstar pc crap.
Could you approve my comments dude? thanks
same i can't play my legit copies of rockstar games due to the cancer launcher and forza horizon 5 for the same reason , whatever defends launchers… torture for you isn't enough.
100%
I bought Max Payne 3 on the Rockstar Launcher and decided to mod it with 4K textures, 4K upscaled 60fps cutscenes and various other incredible PC tweaks. Took me a good couple of hours to download all the files and modify the game using OpenIV. Finally, I was ready to run it and enjoy one of my favourite games looking as good as it possibly can.
Except I can't.
Because the f**king Rockstar Launcher force verifies the game's file system on boot. It then automatically downloads the originals and copies them over the top of the modded ones. You can't even workaround it by running the game offline because it'll refuse to run until it's "updated."
Rockstar are aware of these issues and have absolutely no intention of fixing them or providing a workaround. Literally the only way to play a modded version of Max Payne 3 is to pirate it so that's what I did and I feel completely justified in doing so. I've already paid for that game three times since it launched on PS3 and Xbox360.
And if Rockstar have a problem with it they can gargle my freshly shaved balls.
No. Every game using its own mini-launcher was the way it used to be before the corporatocracy of DRM combining with universal digital storefronts.
ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US!
I said before and I'll say it again…
If you play on the PC and give your money to this company, you're ret4rded.
Simple as that.
These cvnts treat us as garbage, so it is ALWAYS MORALLY CORRECT to pirate EVERY game with this logo.
Not that they have much that deserves it, but alas.