COD Black Ops 3 Won’t Launch or Not Loading on PC: How to FIX

COD Black Ops 3 Won’t Launch or Not Loading on PC: Released in 2015, Call of Duty: Black Ops III remains a top-tier multiplayer zombie action first-person shooter developed by Treyarch and published by Activision.

This installment serves as a continuation of the storyline from its predecessor, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, which debuted in 2012. Recently, many PC players have reported various issues with Black Ops III, including crashes, lag, stuttering, and frame rate drops, particularly following a recent update.

A significant number of users encounter problems related to the game not launching or failing to load, regardless of the specifications of their PCs.

After a prolonged wait, players can now access the full version of the game for free on PC, which presents a considerable opportunity for enthusiasts.

However, this has also led to a rise in reports of the game failing to launch, attributed to multiple potential causes. Notably, users on Steam seem to be particularly affected by loading issues, as highlighted in discussions on various online forums.

Fix: Black Ops 3 Not Responding or Loading on PC

Luckily, some possible workarounds are mentioned below to easily fix the won’t launch or not loading issue. So, without wasting any more time, let’s jump into it.

1. Run the Launcher as an Administrator

To ensure that your game launcher operates smoothly on Windows, it’s advisable to run it with administrative privileges. This allows both the launcher and game files to function correctly. If you neglect this step, you may encounter issues such as crashes or problems with launching the game due to User Account Control (UAC) restrictions. Follow the instructions below to run the launcher as an administrator:

1. Locate the Steam Launcher executable shortcut on your computer and right-click on it.
2. From the context menu, select ‘Properties’ and then navigate to the ‘Compatibility’ tab.
3. Look for the option labeled ‘Run this program as an administrator’ and check the corresponding box.
4. Click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ to confirm your changes.
5. You can now launch the game by double-clicking on its executable file.

Additionally, you should repeat these steps for the Black Ops 3 executable to ensure that the game has the necessary UAC permissions for optimal performance.

2. Update Graphics Drivers

It’s important to keep your graphics driver up to date on your PC, as an outdated GPU driver can lead to various problems when launching games. To ensure optimal performance, follow these steps to check for updates and install them if necessary:

1. Right-click on the Start Menu to open the Quick Access Menu.
2. Select Device Manager from the options presented to access the management interface.
3. Locate and double-click on Display adapters to view your graphics devices.
4. Right-click on your active dedicated graphics card.
5. Choose Update driver and then select Search automatically for drivers.
6. The system will now search for any available updates.
7. If an update is found, it will automatically download and install the latest version.
8. After the installation is complete, restart your PC to apply the changes.

If you do not find any updates through the Device Manager, you can visit the official website of your graphics card manufacturer to manually check for updates. If a new version is available, simply download the file and install it on your PC. You can find the link to the manufacturer’s website provided below.

3. End Background Processes

To ensure optimal performance of your resource-intensive applications, it is important to terminate any unnecessary background processes running on your system. If you notice your computer becoming sluggish, it’s a sign that your system resources may be dwindling. To eliminate unwanted processes, follow these steps:

1. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard.
2. Navigate to the Processes tab and identify the specific task you wish to terminate.
3. Select the task and click on “End Task” to close it.
4. Repeat this process for any other tasks you want to terminate.

After you have finished closing the unwanted processes, simply exit Task Manager and restart your computer for improved performance.

4. Disable Steam Overlay

Numerous players have expressed concerns regarding the Steam overlay operating in the background, which appears to be causing significant issues. In-game overlay applications can utilize substantial system resources, potentially leading to problems when trying to launch a game.

To address this, follow these steps:

1. Open the Steam client and navigate to your Library.
2. Locate Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, then right-click on it and select Properties from the menu.
3. In the Properties window, go to the General tab and uncheck the option that says “Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.”
4. Return to your Library and attempt to launch Black Ops 3 again to see if the issue persists.

By disabling the overlay, you may improve the game’s launch performance.

5. Disable Steam Input

Several players have reported success in resolving game launch issues or getting past loading screen freezes by disabling the Steam Input feature. If you’d like to try this solution, follow these steps:

1. Open the Steam client and navigate to your Library.
2. Locate Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 and right-click on it.
3. Select the Controller option from the menu.
4. Change the setting for ‘OVERRIDE FOR Black Ops 3’ to ‘Disable Steam Input.’

Once you’ve made this adjustment, attempt to launch the game again to see if the problem persists.

6. Run the game in Windowed Mode

If you’re experiencing frequent crashes while playing the game, one potential solution is to switch the display mode from Full Screen to Windowed. Here’s how you can do this:

1. Begin by clicking on the Windows icon to access the Start Menu.
2. In the search bar, type in %LOCALAPPDATA% and press Enter to open the corresponding folder.
3. Within the %LOCALAPPDATA% directory, look for a folder named ‘Prospect’.
4. Once you find the ‘Prospect’ folder, navigate to the path: Saved > Config > WindowsNoEditor.
5. Inside the WindowsNoEditor folder, you should see a file labeled ‘GameUserSettings’.
6. Open this file using any text editor, and locate the line that reads ‘FullscreenMode=1’. Change this to ‘FullscreenMode=0’ to apply the alteration.
7. Save the changes and then try launching the game again to see if the crashing issue persists.

By adjusting the display settings, you may enhance the game’s stability and enjoy a smoother gaming experience.

7. Disable DirectX 12

If you’re utilizing DirectX 12 on your PC and encountering issues, consider disabling it. As the most recent version of DirectX available for Windows, there might be instances where your system’s configuration isn’t suited to support it effectively. To disable DirectX 12, follow these steps:

Navigate to Settings, then select Video, and switch ‘Enable DX12’ to ‘Off’.
After making this adjustment, restart the Black Ops 3 game to apply the changes.

8. Set Correct Rendering Device

To ensure optimal performance while playing, it’s important to choose the appropriate rendering device in the game settings. Here’s how to do it:

1. Start by opening the Steam client and launching Black Ops 3.
2. Navigate to the Video Settings section within the game.
3. Locate the option labeled ‘Selected Rendering Device’ and choose your dedicated GPU from the list. Avoid leaving it set to ‘Default’.
4. After making this selection, restart the game to apply your changes.

By following these steps, you can enhance your gaming experience.

9. Disable Multi-Threaded Rendering

The video settings menu in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 includes an option for multi-threaded rendering, which may be causing frequent crashes during gameplay.

To address this issue, it is recommended that you disable the multi-threaded rendering feature in the game’s settings. If you are using an AMD processor, be sure to turn off this option and restart the game to ensure the changes take effect.

10. Turn Off Antivirus Protection

To ensure that your game files are not being hindered by antivirus software, consider temporarily disabling Windows Defender on your PC. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Windows Settings by pressing the Windows key + I.
2. Navigate to “Update & Security,” then select “Windows Security” from the left sidebar.
3. Click on the “Open Windows Security” button.
4. Go to “Virus & threat protection” and then select “Manage settings.”
5. Simply toggle off the “Real-time protection” option.
6. If a prompt appears, confirm by clicking “Yes.”

If you have another antivirus program installed, make sure to disable it as well. Alternatively, if you prefer not to disable your antivirus software, you can whitelist the game files instead. Here’s how to do that:

1. Launch the Steam client and navigate to your Library.
2. Find and select “Black Ops 3” from your list of games.
3. Click on the gear icon next to the game title to access its settings.
4. Select “Manage” and then click on “Browse local files.”
5. Open the “Prospect” folder, then go to “Binaries” and select the “Win64” folder.
6. Locate the file named “Prospect-Win64-Shipping” and select it to add it to your whitelist.

Once you’ve completed these steps, you should be ready to play without any interruptions.

11. Repair Game Files

Corrupted or missing game files on your PC can lead to various issues, affecting both the launch and performance of the game. To resolve this, follow these steps based on your gaming platform:

**For Steam Users:

1. Open your Steam client and navigate to the Library.
2. Locate and right-click on Black Ops 3 in your list of installed games.
3. Select ‘Properties’ and then go to the ‘Local Files’ tab.
4. Click on ‘Verify Integrity of Game Files.’
5. Allow the verification process to finish completely.
6. After it’s done, restart your computer.

**For Battle.net Users:

1. Launch the Battle.net client on your PC and go to your library.
2. Click on Call of Duty: Black Ops 3.
3. Select ‘Options,’ then choose ‘Scan and Repair.’
4. Click on ‘Start Scan’ and wait for the process to complete.
5. Once finished, reboot the client to ensure all changes take effect, allowing you to play the game smoothly.

By following these steps, you can address any issues related to game file integrity and enhance your gaming experience.

12. Update Black Ops 3

If you’ve tried all the suggested methods and are still experiencing issues, it’s important to ensure that your Black Ops 3 game is up to date. An outdated version can lead to various bugs and stability problems. If it’s been a while since your last update, follow the instructions below to check for and install the latest version.