Modern Warfare 3 "failing to launch on Steam" PC error: Possible fixes, reasons, and more

Many users are having a hard time starting Modern Warfare 3 on Steam. There are instances of the game not opening when "Play" is clicked or crashing as soon as it starts. While Activision will more than likely address this problem in a future hotfix, many in the community want to get into a lobby immediately and not wait for a patch.

It’s been years since the franchise has made its way to Valve's client, so it’s not surprising that the Steam community is reluctant to use Battle.net. Unfortunately, there is no permanent workaround to the issue of MW3 crashing on Steam.

Regardless, the community has come up with some temporary workarounds that this Modern Warfare 3 guide will go over.

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How to fix the "failing to launch on Steam" PC error in Modern Warfare 3

Here are a few workarounds that you can try to be able to launch Modern Warfare 3 successfully on Steam:

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1) Starting Steam or MW3 as an administrator

One of the most popular fixes to issues like these is to run the application as an admin. Right-click on the Steam or Modern Warfare 3 shortcut icon and then select the option to "Run as Administrator."

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2) Scan and fix files

Another solution you can try is scanning and fixing the files in the installation directory to replace any corrupted files.

To scan and fix files, make your way to the Steam Library, right-click on Modern Warfare 3, go to Properties, and then click the option that says "Verify file integrity." This will start the process of going over all the files in the directory and replacing the ones damaged.

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3) Re-install Steam or MW3

Many in the community have also stated that re-installing Steam and MW3 has solved the launch and crash issue for them. While it may seem like a rather drastic step to take, you might want to try it if you are not willing to wait for a hotfix.

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4) Update your GPU drivers

Updating the Graphics Drivers to the latest versions also helps mitigate issues with launch and crashes. So you can download the desktop app for AMD or Nvidia (depending on your card) and then search for the latest driver versions to download and install them

You can also do it manually from the respective websites:

• Nvidia users can click here.
• AMD users can follow this link.

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Considering Modern Warfare 3 has just been released, Activision will be sending out fixes daily to patch up the issues. So, for a permanent solution, wait for the hotfix that deals with the launch error.