Rockstar Game Launcher Issue (FIX!)

[Windswept_Horizons]

Rockstar Game Launcher Issue

ISSUE: Not being able to log into RedM

Perpetually prompted with this Rockstar Game Launcher (RGL) screen and not able to move past it:

Or on the rare chance of moving past RGL, the F8 console revealed RedM is stuck at this loading point:

The tl:dr Fix:

Fresh install RGL, but do NOT install Rockstar Games SDK!
As in all things tech, YMMV.
Jump to Step 1 below for the solution that worked for me.

Backstory

Starting on Nov 18, 2024, when I launched RedM, I started getting prompted every time to sign into Rockstar Game Launcher (RGL):

Then starting on Nov 27, oftentimes I was not even able to move past RGL at all, stuck in a sign in loop.

On the rare occasion I could move past the RGL, RedM’s F8 console revealed this error with loading RedM and would not move any further.

These errors despite my playing on RedM for over 3 years, with only the occasional prompt by RGL.

My Methodology

In my exhaustive troubleshooting, I performed the following tasks to no avail:

1. Ran Steam as Admin.
2. Ran RGL as Admin.
3. Deleted file “browser_cache_setting.dat” from location C:\Users<username>\OneDrive\Documents\Rockstar Games\Social Club\Cache
4. Uninstalled/reinstalled Steam.
5. Uninstalled/reinstalled RDR2.
6. Uninstalled/reinstalled RedM.
7. Uninstalled/reinstalled Rockstar Game Launcher.
8. Validated RDR2 game files via Steam.
9. Allowed RGL to be installed when launching RDR2 through Steam.

Finally, on one of my times of reinstalling RGL, I noticed that TWO components install:

1. The regular Rockstar Game Launcher.
2. And Rockstar Game SDK (Software Development Kit).

On a lark, I opted to NOT install SDK to see if it made a difference. Voila!

The solution below worked for me and has been working flawlessly for the past 6 days allowing me to launch RedM successfully and to play. On occasion, I am still prompted to sign into RGL, but at least RedM works now!

As in all things tech, YMMV.

Step 1: Remove 2FA from Rockstar Game Launcher (RGL).

Reason: RGL already sends validation code to email. I suspected that the authentication process was getting “jammed”.

1. Removed 2FA.
2. Change password to extra long to thwart brute force password breach.

Step 2: Perform clean uninstall of RGL.

Reason: Uninstalling RGL in preparation to reinstall again in Step 4.

1. Close any Rockstar Games titles that are running
2. Navigate to the Rockstar Games Launcher installation folder
3. Default: C:\Program Files\Rockstar Games\Launcher
4. Double-click the uninstall.exe program and uninstall the Rockstar Games Launcher
5. Leave the box unchecked: “uninstall the game data”…
6. Confirm in Programs and Features that BOTH Rockstar Game Launcher and Rockstar SDK are removed.

Step 3: Remove any remaining RGL files

Reason: Removes residual files that cause issues with RedM launching properly.

1. Once the uninstaller has completed, delete all of the following folders.
   Note: Do not delete any other folders or files as you may lose game data.
2. C:\Users[username]\Documents\Rockstar Games\Social Club
3. C:\Users[username]\Documents\Rockstar Games\Launcher
4. C:\Program Files\Rockstar Games\Launcher
5. C:\Program Files\Rockstar Games\Social Club
6. C:\Program Files (x86)\Rockstar Games\Social Club
7. Restart your computer.

Step 4: Reinstall the Rockstar Games Launcher

Reason: Required to launch RedM.

1. Download the Rockstar Games Launcher from the Rockstar Games website.
2. Double-click the Rockstar Games Launcher icon to begin installing
3. Select your preferred language and click CONTINUE
4. Click CONTINUE at the Welcome screen
5. Check I accept the terms of the License Agreement box and click CONTINUE
6. Choose an install location and click CONTINUE
7. When installation is complete, click CLOSE.
8. RGL will launch and update:
   
9. IMPORTANT: Say no to SDK:
   
10. Confirm that ONLY these are installed (RDR2 or RDO):
    
11. If you see Rockstar Games SDK, start all over from Step 2 and be sure to click NO for installing SDK.
    

Step 5: Launch in order of Operations

1. Launch Steam.

2. Launch RedM:
   

3. Enter your email and password:
   

4. Prompted for email verification code:
   

5. Check your email for verification code.
   

6. Enter the verification code and click submit:
   

7. Wait about 5-10 seconds before clicking sign in. Reason: the delay appears to help the authentication handshake. I found if I clicked “Sign In” too quickly it put me in a sign in loop.
   

8. Redm launch:
   

9. Check F8, this is looks normal at the bottom:
   

NOTE: If F8 looks like this at the bottom, RedM won’t load. Quit RedM and try logging into RGL again. FWIW, after my fix, I haven’t seen this error in F8 and RedM has been launching without issue.

FINAL THOUGHTS

CFX Account Linkage

NOTE: If you are prompted for CFX account linkage, wait about 10-15 seconds. RedM will continue to launch.

• The first time I clicked “Sign in with CFX”, it opened up in the browser to authorize to my CFX account.
  
• The second time I paused to see what happened. Since my browser was logged into my CFX account, it handed authentication to RedM after about 10 seconds.
  

Rockstar 2FA

Now that RGL is working for me, I will reinstate 2FA to see if it breaks the process. Whether or not 2FA breaks the process, I will update this document.

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