DotA 2 is a successful Valve MOBA, and one of the most famous esports in the world. Downloadable from Steam for PCs, the game has modest minimum requirements and often runs smoothly on even weaker computers. However, some users report crashes and even problems where the game closes without displaying error messages. Check out the main issues of the game and the recommended solutions to run DotA 2 without fail.
Restart your computer
The first solution is the simplest and most silly, but often solves the problem, as it may happen that some program running in the background on your computer may conflict with the DotA 2 launcher. Do not let your computer hang, shut down and force a full reboot to ensure all applications have been closed properly. If the procedure does not resolve the issue, try the next tips.
Temporarily disable your antivirus
Although DotA 2 is a completely safe official application, sometimes your computer’s antivirus can prevent it from working properly for mistakes. There are hundreds of antivirus engines on the market and each of them may present a different problem, so the best way to start fixing the bug is to temporarily disable your program. Try launching DotA 2 with the antivirus off and see if anything has changed. If the game issue is resolved, you may need to reinstall your antivirus.
Run the game as Administrator
Sometimes a game’s files may lock to an ordinary user, and only the system administrator has access to them. To try to solve the problem like this, close Steam completely and then right-click on the program icon, then select the “Run as Administrator” option. Confirm your choice and try playing DotA 2 again without crashing.
Check integrity of game files
If a DotA 2 file is corrupted or has been accidentally deleted, the game has a good chance of crashing or even opening. It is quite simple to check the integrity of the game. Just go to Steam, click Library, right-click DotA 2 and select “Properties.” Click on the “Local Files” tab, and then “Check the integrity of game files.” When the test is over, restart the game normally.
Reinstall DotA 2
If none of the above steps fixed the game files, you might want to consider deleting the app and installing it again from scratch. Inside the Steam library, right-click on DotA 2 and hit “Manage,” “Uninstall,” and then “Delete”. Once you have deleted the game from your computer, visit the store and download the game again. The process is time consuming, but there is a good chance this will solve your problem.
Run the game in compatibility mode
This solution only applies to users of Windows 10 or 8, precisely because some OS update may have caused conflicts with the software. To run the game with weaker features, right-click on the Steam icon, then enter “Properties”. In the compatibility tab, select the “Run in compatibility mode” box, and then run Steam and DotA 2 normally.
Update your video drivers
If none of the previous steps work, you probably need to update your video drivers, as outdated versions generate everything from crashes to lag and FPS crashes. Visit the website of your video card developer and find the driver for the version of Windows you use between 32 and 64 bit. Install the latest files and the game should work normally.