Anthem Can't Start After Update - How to Fix

Anthem can’t start after the recent patch, for some people. It’s a serious problem, because it locks people out from playing the game. Anthem just won’t boot after the update, plain and simple. Fortunately, there are some things you can try in order to work around the issue. That is, if you’re on PC. If there are console gamers that can’t run Anthem after the patch, there seems to be nothing they can do about it. That said, our Anthem Can’t Start After Update – How to Fix aims to show you how to work around this glitch, and help you get back into the game.

How To Fix Anthem Not Starting After Update Bug?

To fix the bug where Anthem refuses to start after the recent patch, there are several avenues you can take. These fixes, unfortunately, work only on PC. If you’re having trouble on consoles, sorry to say, you’ll have to wait for a fix. Let’s begin untangling this mess.

The first, most benign solution, is to unplug any gamepads, controllers, joysticks, and other peripherals. Apparently, this can cause some problems with booting Anthem. After you’ve unplugged everything, try starting the game again. You can also perform a clean boot of your system, and attempt to run Anthem. If that doesn’t work, it’s time for more drastic measures.

Another option is to delete the anthem.exe file from the game’s main folder, but make sure to remember the folder path. After that, allow Origin to repair the game. The game will prompt you to select the installation path, so make sure that you select the exact same path as the previous .exe file had. It’ll take a couple of minutes to download, and, after that, the game should work properly. Hopefully.

Now for an even more surgical approach, if the other stuff didn’t work. Go into the nvidia Control Panel, then click Manage 3D Settings. Select the Program Settings tab, and click the Add button. Select Anthem from the list, or click Browse and navigate to the game’s .exe file location (C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Anthem\Anthem.exe). Click on anthem.exe, and click Open. From there, exit the nvidia control panel, and try starting the game. Incidentally, this solution worked for us, so there’s a good chance it’ll work for you, too.

Last, and, honestly, very much the least, there’s always the nuclear option. You can uninstall the game, as well as the Origin launcher, then reinstall everything. It’s absolutely the worst, most painful and annoying option, but it could end up being the only choice you have. If this ends up being your case, I am profoundly sorry.

Once you manage to get the game running, you might run into trouble with something else in the game. If that’s the case, feel free to peruse some of our other Anthem guides. To name a few, we have Legendary & Masterwork Weapons – Effects & Perks, How to Unlock Gear Sigils Blueprints – Rare, Epic, and The Crimson Lancer Radio Collectible Location.