As far as free-to-play FPS games come and go, Paladins is a title that’s here to stay. This first-person shooter came out in 2016 for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 and was later ported to Nintendo Switch. It features fast-paced bouts of gameplay with a touch of magic and a reasonable learning curve for absolute beginners. However, the Paladins invalid game executable error can render your copy of the game useless, and prevent users from launching the title.
- There are a couple of reasons due to why you may see the Paladins “Invalid Game Executable Error”
- These causes include window/firewall restrictions, corrupted game files, or some third-party antivirus software installed on your PC.
- According to the reports, players who got the game from Steam are more prone to this error than players from the Epic Games Store.
- There are a couple of ways through which you can resolve the Executable Error.
- You can start by performing a Winsock Reset to resolve Windows 10 device’s socket errors and restart the PC afterward.
- Secondly, make use of Steam’s built-in tool to verify the game files which will help you find corrupted and missing files.
- Running the game in Windows 7 Compatibility mode has proven to be beneficial for many Paladins players.
- If none of the previous solutions have worked, reinstalling the game might fix the “Invalid Game Executable Win64 Paladins.exe” error.
What Causes Paladins Invalid Game Executable
The Paladins Invalid Game Executable Win64 issue is actually a launcher error that can arise due to a bevy of different reasons. Rest assured though, as we’ll be zeroing in on all the possible solutions that can get you back to playing instantly. In addition, it’s worth noting that users who got the game from Steam have been more prone to this error than players from the Epic Games Store.
However, Steam doesn’t come without an array of benefits. There is a prompt fix that users can benefit from through the latter. We’ll be explaining more and then some, so let’s jump right down to the raison d’etre of this article now.
Resolve the Device’s Socket Errors
A strong way to start out with fixing the issue at hand is by resolving your Windows 10 device’s socket errors by performing a Winsock Reset. You’ll be needing the help of the Command Prompt to make this happen. The latter is a full-blown program in Microsoft Windows that lets users run command-line software and operate the device more profoundly.
To use the Winsock Reset feature, you’ll have to follow the steps listed below.
- Commence the process by using the Windows Start menu to reveal more of your applications. Once done, look if Command Prompt is in the sight. You can always find it by searching for the program on your device. Another method would be to fire up the “Run” application and type in “cmd” to launch the Command Prompt from there. We’re going to go with the first method for illustrative purposes. Do note that you will need to run the program as an administrator to avoid any potential problems while using the forthcoming commands.
2. The next step after opening up the Command Prompt is to type in the following command. That should do the trick for you for the most part. However, there’s one more step that will be required after this one. Don’t forget to press the “Enter” key when you’re done entering the command.
netsh winsock reset catalog
3. The last step will take no more than a mere moment. After the process concludes, the Command Prompt will notify you to restart your PC so that the changes can take effect. However, we won’t be doing that just yet. We have still got one final command to run before we close the deal. Use the following command-line application to reset any socket errors.
ip reset resetlog.txt
That’s about it for the first fix of the “Invalid Game Executable Win64 paladins.exe” error. All that’s left to do is a simple restart of the PC or laptop that you’re using and this should make the game just like before again. Bid farewell to all those lost efforts trying to start the game and just play.
When the PC boots back on, launch Paladins to see if it is working now. If it isn’t, keep on reading for more steps to try and further fixes to incorporate.
Disable Your Antivirus
The Paladins invalid game executable launcher error could be arising because of the ingrained antivirus software in your PC. This is a common causative agent that creates problems for other games too. The FFXIV Launcher Error 30413, for instance, can also benefit from disabling the antivirus, among other potential fixes.
The antivirus settings of your Windows 10 PC—may they be from the operating system’s built-in software or from a third-party one—could be hindering Paladins to launch. Therefore, it’s definitely worth a shot disabling your antivirus program, even for a brief moment, to see if the invalid game executable launcher error still persists or goes away.
If you have something like Norton AntiVirus installed on your PC, you can follow the steps listed below to disable it promptly.
- Hover over to the Norton AntiVirus app icon present in the Taskbar or System Tray area and right-click on it. Doing so should get you multiple options to pick.
- Click on “Disable Auto-Protect” and “Disable Firewall” subsequently.
- Choose the time duration for which you want these settings to stay disabled. There’s no point in picking a long time since we only need to test the Paladins launcher error and be done with it.
The steps listed above may or may not be similar for other antivirus software, such as McAfee, Bitdefender, or Avast. You can check out the linked support pages for each of those programs if you’ve got any of them on PC. However, if you’re like most other users who sport nothing but Windows’ built-in security system, there’s an involved process that you need to be aware of to disable it.
The following section is going to walk you through everything you need to know about temporarily disabling Windows Security for checking purposes.
How to Disable Virus and Threat Protection on Windows 10
The Virus and Threat Protection section of Windows Security is what we’ll be concerning ourselves with for the most part here. Follow the steps listed below meticulously and hope for the best to fix the Paladins invalid game executable error.
- Open your Window’s “Settings” app to begin. You can do that easily using the Windows Start menu or through the Taskbar if you have it pinned there already.
2. The next step is to select “Update and Security” from the various options that you see on the screen after opening Settings. This will further the process for you.
3. Doing so will open another page for you. You’ll now have to select “Windows Security” from the column on the left to get to the next step.
4. You’re nearing the end now. You’ll see a bunch of new options on the screen and you’ll have to select “Virus and threat protection” out of them. This will take you to the next step.
5. After clicking on “Virus and threat protection,” you’ll be taken to another window. This window is where you can optimize all sorts of settings related to Windows Security. Select “Manage settings” next under “Virus and threat protection settings” to proceed.
6. You’ve now reached the raison d’etre of this whole fix. Your job now is to select multiple processes and disable them all to achieve the desired results, or at least try to. There is going to be a toggle under four different settings: Real-time protection, Cloud-delivered protection, Automatic sample submission, and Tamper Protection. Disable all of them to finalize. Check out the image below for a pictorial representation.
That’s all about disabling your Windows 10 antivirus. There’s a strong likelihood of fixing the
Paladins invalid game executable win64 issue now, so go ahead and fire the game up to lay rest to the suspicion.
If you happen to get the game working again, it’s time to party. But is it still being exceedingly stubborn? Don’t fret just yet and keep on reading to try out other working fixes.
- Similar Read: Skyrim SE Won’t Launch
Allow Paladins Through Windows Firewall
There’s another probable reason that the Paladins invalid game executable error is preventing you from playing. This cause revolves around Windows Firewall and you have to make an effort in this regard to get back to laying at full tilt.
Windows Firewall could be treating Paladins as a potential threat to the prosperity of Microsoft Windows. This, in turn, won’t ever let the game launch peacefully and let the launcher do its job. You have to make sure that the game is allowed through Firewall, so let’s get into doing that right away. The following steps are going to take it from here.
- Go to the Windows Search area and type in “Firewall and network protection.” When the screen shows you the results, click on “Open” to launch the application.
2. You’ll see an option stated as “Allow an app through firewall” as soon as the new window opens up. Click on it to get to the next step.
3. You will now be taken to another window and it will be called “Allowed apps.” This is where users can tweak Windows Firewall settings. The first thing that you have to do is click on “Change settings.” This will make all future interventions possible for fixing the “invalid game executable win64 paladins exe” issue. Once you’ve done it, click on “Allow another app” to get to the next step.
4. Doing so will open up yet another window on your PC’s screen. Simply click on “Browse” next to make your system’s local storage appear on the screen. You now have to search for your Paladins folder. It’s typically found in Local Disk (C:) but there is a possibility that you have it stored somewhere else.
5. Once you’ve pinpointed the exact location of the Paladins executable file, you’ll be shown your way back to the window that’s shown above. This time, however, you will be having extra functionality. Click on “Add” to finally allow the application through Windows Firewall.
6. There’s just one last step to cover before you’re done here. Make sure that the Paladins application that you’ve just added to your Windows Firewall section is checked for both Public and Private use. The following screenshot depicts what you need to click and where, so do give it a close, hard look for achieving the best results. Don’t forget to click on “OK” once you’ve taken care of this section.
That’s about it for another worthy attempt at fixing the Paladins invalid game executable issue. By allowing the app through Windows Firewall, you’ve managed to tick off yet one more method off the to-do list. Launch the game now and see if it works now. Our hopes are high but don’t be disappointed if you still can’t get the game to work again. Simply try other fixes that we’ve laid out for you in the following sections and there’s a great chance that you’ll find the solution promptly.
Verify Game Files Integrity on Steam
We’ve deciphered yet another tried-and-tested “Invalid Game Executable Win64 Paladins.exe” fix and it’s nowhere near difficult to perform. We’ll be harnessing the power of Steam here to get us the results we need. The famous platform has a built-in tool where it verifies game files and checks for any corruptions within the mix. It also scours the game folders for files that are missing or need to be replaced.
If you’ve got files unavailable in places where they’re supposed to be, Paladins won’t run nor will it let you launch it. Therefore, verifying the integrity of game files on Steam is a logical approach to go through with. We’ll be showing you how to get this done in some genuinely easy-to-follow steps, so sit tight and follow along with the tutorial below.
- The first step is to launch your Steam client. The best way to do that is using the Windows Start menu. You can also launch it directly from the Taskbar if you have it pinned there.
2. The next step is to hover over Paladins in your games library and perform a right-click on it. This will reveal several more options for you. Click on “Properties” to get to the next step.
3. The last thing you have to do before finally coming to an end to this fix is specified in the screenshot below. Click on “Local Files” first on the left column and that should change the contents of the screen for you. You will then simply select “Verify integrity of game files” and that will do the trick for us. Steam will take a brief moment to start the verification process and then begin double-checking the game files. Rest assured, you’ll be done within a minute.
Once the process finishes, restart the Steam client and give Paladins another go. It should not come up with the invalid game executable error again, having tended to the game files accurately. In the unlikely case that you still have to put up with this issue, continue on reading for more tip-top solutions.
Launch Paladins in Windows 7 Compatibility Mode
Another way to get the game working again is to try out a relatively outdated yet effective method. Many users have benefitted from running Paladins in Windows 7 Compatibility Mode, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t give it a shot as well.
Doing this is fairly straightforward. The first thing you have to do is launch the Steam client and right-click on the Paladins game icon. This will obviously throw a bunch of options your way. Click on “Properties,” similar to how you did during the verifying game files integrity section above.
This should open up another window, allowing you to click on the “Local Files” section. The next step is to click on “Browse Local Files” underneath the area and that should take you to all the relevant Paladins game files stored on your system.
You now have to find the Paladins executable application that is used to launch and play the game for you. Try searching for it in the “ChaosGame” folder. Once you have it pinned down, right-click on it and select “Properties.” As always, this is going to open up a small-scale window for you.
Click on the “Compatibility” tab next and prepare to boot Paladins into a new system mode shortly. Click on Run this program in compatibility for” and select Windows 7 from the drop-down menu below. Finalize the procedure by clicking on “OK.”
It’s worth noting at this point that you should probably mark the “Run this program as an administrator” checkbox to achieve the best results.
Good going so far! You’ve successfully put the game in Windows 7 Compatibility Mode, so here’s hoping that this potentially fixed the Paladins invalid game executable issue. Try launching the hero FPS now to see if it works. Does the problem still cause you to scratch your head in confusion? It’s time to pull out our ace and move on to the final solution.
Reinstall the Game
If nothing else has worked for you so far, reinstalling the game might seem like the difficult yet right choice. A concurrent issue with your game files where corruption of some sort has prevailed is likely to cause the paladins error. Therefore, it’s best that you dive into the uninstallation of the title right away. The file size is around 30 GB, so it shouldn’t take long to reinstall if you’ve got yourself a fairly decent internet connection.
Before you get started though, it’s worth noting that people have deleted the individual game files of Paladins first before uninstalling the application altogether. You should follow suit for the best results and remove game files from the “Paladins” folder in your system’s local storage. That should nudge you in the right direction.
The rest of the scenario is basically clockwork. You hover over to the “Add or remove programs” area on Windows 10, scroll down in the “Apps” section to find “Paladins“, and uninstall it from there painlessly. With some spell of luck and fortune, the game should be up and running once you have it back on your PC now.
We’ve laid out some of the best fixes to try if you’re currently encountering this vexing issue. Make sure to follow each listed solution as instructed to get to the bottom of this all. We genuinely hope you get back to playing in a jiffy. As always, eXputer wishes you happy gaming!
- Ever wondered which ones are the best and worst characters in Paladins? Check out our specialized Paladins Tier List to find out.
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