The Fix: Always launch the game directly through the Steam Library "Play" button. If you must use a desktop shortcut, ensure you launch Steam first , let it fully load, and then launch the game. Additionally, right-click both the Steam shortcut and the game executable, navigate to "Properties," then the "Compatibility" tab, and ensure "Run this program as an administrator" is checked for both. This ensures they operate on the same permission level.
Many users don't realize that Steam installs a background Windows service ( Steam Client Service ) that handles DRM verification. If this service has crashed or is disabled, the game will always throw error messages. The Fix: Always launch the game directly through
End of report.