Though Monster Hunter Stories 2 is a brand-new game, the issues it comes with are the same old ones. The game is available on two platforms. PC and Switch. The Switch version runs flawlessly. Couldn’t say the same about the PC version, unfortunately. A lot of people who bought Wings of Ruin on PC are now reporting that they are facing crashing and launch issues with the game. Here are some troubleshooting methods you can try to fix your issues potentially.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin – Crashing at startup – Game won’t launch – How to fix
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is probably one of the most awaited RPG titles of 2021. Yes, it is nothing like the traditional Monster Hunter titles like World or Rise. But that doesn’t take away the fact that it is a Monster Hunter game. And fans of the MH franchise will play any type of Monster Hunter game you throw at them. In my opinion, the Monster Hunter series has one of the most loyal fan base in the gaming community.
MH Stories 2 Wings of Ruin is a JRPG from Capcom, and it is a direct sequel to Monster Hunter Stories (2016). It is also a turn-based RPG, which is completely different from the previous Monster Hunter titles. If you have played games like Pokémon, Final Fantasy, etc., then you should know what it is all about.
Enough talk, let’s talk about the issues people are facing. Some Steam users are constantly facing crashes, while some are not even being able to launch the game. Can these issues be fixed? Let’s find out.
Denuvo strikes again!
Before you start moving any further in this guide. I just want to let you know that Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin incorporates a third party Denuvo Anti-Tamper DRM.
If you don’t have any idea about what that is, then let me tell you that Denuvo is an anti-tamper technology and a digital rights management scheme that is known to protect games against piracy. It is infamous for causing horrible performance related issues in games, and the problems you are experiencing with Wings of Ruin, might just be because of Denuvo.
Are you using Windows 10 64-bit?
If you are not, then there is no point reading this guide as MH Stories 2 only supports Windows 10, that too, 64-bit only. This not something that I am saying. It is something that has been specifically mentioned on the Steam page of Wings of Ruin.
Also, compare your system specifications with the system requirements of the game from the SS given above while you are at it. The listed official requirements look quite weird if you ask me. It has GTX 960 and RX 560 under both Minimum and Recommended. And it says that the “game is expected to run at 1080p/30 FPS” under both the sections. Again, weird.
Fix #1 – Check your graphics card software and make sure it’s updated.
[Note: Avoid this step if you already have the latest drivers]
- If you are using an Nvidia gpu, please use NVIDIA GeForce Experience to check that you are up-to-date with your drivers.
- If you are using an AMD gpu, please use RADEON Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition to check that you are up-to-date with your drivers.
Fix #2 – Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable
Make sure you have Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable installed. If you don’t, you can install it from here.
Fix #3 – Run as Admin
If you’re having trouble getting the game to start, please try running the .EXE file or the executable file of Monster Hunter Stories 2 outside of Steam while in Admin mode:
- Navigate to the following directory, or wherever the game is installed:
\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\common\Monster Hunter Stories 2 - From there, run the .exe file of MH Stories 2 as Administrator by right-clicking on it and selecting “Run as Administrator…”
Fix #4 – Is your Anti-Virus Software conflicting with Wings of Ruin?
Either try disabling your Anti-Virus software temporarily and then run the game, or add exceptions for Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin in your Anti-virus configuration.
If you are using Windows Defender instead of a third-party AV software, then here is how to add MH Stories 2 on the exceptions list of Windows Defender:
- Go to Windows 10 settings
- Click on Update & Security
- Select Windows Security from the left sidebar
- Click on ‘Virus & threat protection’
- Under ‘Virus & threat protection settings’ click on Manage settings
- Under Exclusions, click on Add or remove exclusions
- Click on Add or remove exclusions
- Click on Add an exclusion and select File
- Select the executable file of Wings of Ruin
- Restart your PC
Fix #5 – Verify integrity of game files
- Open your Steam game Library.
- Right click on Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin and select “Properties”
- Select the “LOCAL FILES” tab and click on “VERIFY INTEGRITY OF GAME FILES…”
- Restart Steam
Fix #6 – Full re-installation in a different location
This should be the final fix that you try. After trying everything mentioned above, If things are still not working properly, then go ahead and do a fresh installation of Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin in the different location. Try to change the drive.
I am still keeping an eye on the Monster Hunter Reddit and various forums. And as soon as I notice something new, I will update the list of fixes. Go to this link, and you will find a bunch of other fixes recommended by the devs.
If you think this guide had helped you, then let us know in the comment section below. And for more Monster Hunter Stories 2 guides, keep an eye on Frondtech. We will be covering every single technical issue of the game on the launch day. Good luck!
That’s all folks!
Last Updated on January 8, 2024
Shoaib, 30, is a simple guy who loves to play video games, and enjoys new cuisines sporadically. He has been gaming since he was 7 years old, and with an experience of 22 years, under his belt, there is not a single AAA game in this world, that he hasn’t played. Despite being a MBA Graduate he decided to follow his passion. And because of his love for gaming, Frondtech came into existence.