Lorene Melone
How To Fix Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut Not Launching on PC
If ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut refuses to start, you’re probably banging your head against the wall wondering what’s going wrong. This isn’t super uncommon, especially with PC ports that like to act up for no good reason. The thing is, lots of people report random launching hiccups, drops on startup, or the game just stalls at launch without much warning. Luckily, most of these issues boil down to some familiar culprits: driver problems, corrupted files, or conflicting background apps. Going through these troubleshooting methods might seem a bit tedious, but when a fix finally sticks, you’ll be back in the game faster than you can say “Koji Pro.” Expect these steps to help clear out both simple and weird issues that block the game from starting properly — and hopefully save some frustration along the way.
How to Fix Ghost of Tsushima Direct on PC
Method 1: Restart Steam and Your PC
Sometimes, a quick restart cycle is all it takes to clear minor glitches that stack up over time. This applies if the game just doesn’t launch at all or shows a black screen initially. It’s kind of weird, but launching Steam, exiting fully, and rebooting your PC can shake loose some stuck processes or cache hiccups.
- Close Steam completely by clicking Steam in the top left and choosing Exit.
- Restart your PC — no fancy magic needed, just a plain old reboot.
- Open Steam again, then try launching Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut. If that didn’t fix it, peruse the next steps.
Method 2: Adjust Game Launcher Settings
Sometimes the game’s launcher options conflict with your setup, especially if you’re messing with resolution settings or graphics features. Navigating to the launcher, tweaking some settings, can help the game initialize correctly. Note: If the launcher isn’t appearing, add --launcher to the game’s launch options in Steam under Properties > Set Launch Options — because of course, Windows has to make this a bit more complicated.
- Open the game launcher from your library or shortcuts.
- Go to Options and disable features like Frame Generation or Dynamic Resolution Scaling.
- Switch to Windowed Mode and turn off HDR, especially if your display or graphics card struggles with HDR in full-screen.
- If it still refuses to open, try adding
--launcherinside the launch options (right-click game in Steam > Properties > Set Launch Options) and make sure the launcher window pops up.
Method 3: Reset Game Video Settings
Corrupt or incompatible video configurations can cause launch failures. Resetting video settings forces the game to pick defaults, which might fix fancy glitches. Usually, you do this via the launcher or by editing config files.
- Open the game launcher, head to Options.
- Find and click the Reset button for graphics and video settings.
- Confirm, then try launching again to see if that clears the error.
Method 4: Install and Run PSPC SDK Files
This one’s a little weird — apparently, making sure the PlayStation PC SDK is installed correctly helps with some launch issues. Not 100% sure why it works, but for some users, installing the SDK runtime or related files boosts compatibility.
- Navigate to your game folder (e.g., C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Ghost of Tsushima).
- Right-click on the folder, choose Install PSPC SDK Runtime.
- Run as Administrator, follow prompts, and complete the setup.
Method 5: Delete the PSPC_SDK Folder
If you’ve installed the SDK before but still have issues, corrupt files might be bugging the system. Deleting the PSPC_SDK folder from C:\ProgramData\Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc and relaunching the game can trigger a fresh reinstall cycle.
- Open
“C:\ProgramData\Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc”(you might need to enable hidden files in explorer). - Delete the PSPC_SDK folder completely.
- Try launching the game again. Sometimes, this forces the game to reconfigure itself or download missing components.
Method 6: Uninstall and Reinstall the PS SDK Runtime
If the previous step didn’t help, uninstalling the SDK runtime completely might be needed. Go to Windows Settings > Apps, find PlayStation PC SDK, uninstall it, then reinstall from the official sources if needed.
- Open Settings > Apps & Features.
- Find PlayStation PC SDK and hit Uninstall.
- If issues remain, re-download the SDK runtime from official sources like Sony’s website or the link in the game folder and run the installer as Admin.
Method 7: Disconnect Bluetooth Devices
Wireless peripherals, especially Bluetooth headsets or controllers, can interfere with game initialization. Kind of weird, but disconnecting them—turning Bluetooth off entirely, or unplugging USB Bluetooth adapters—can sort it out. Launch the game, then reconnect your devices if needed, after it starts.
- Turn off Bluetooth via Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices.
- Launch Ghost of Tsushima, see if it fires up.
- If it works, reconnect your Bluetooth gear; if not, keep Bluetooth disabled during game startup.
Method 8: Launch the Game Directly from, say, the Install Folder
If the launcher or Steam isn’t cooperating, try running the game executable straight from its install directory. This sometimes bypasses launcher bugs or permissions issues.
- Navigate to the game folder (e.g., C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Ghost of Tsushima).
- Right-click the game executable (probably ghostoftsushima.exe or similar).
- Select Run as Administrator.
- Set compatibility mode if needed: right-click, go to Properties > Compatibility, check Run this program in compatibility mode for Windows 8 or 7.
- Disable fullscreen optimization in the same tab.
Method 9: Check Antivirus and Firewall Settings
Antivirus or Windows Security might be blocking or sandboxing the game just enough to prevent launch. Adding the game’s executable to your exclusions or trusted apps list can help. Also, make sure Windows Defender’s Controlled Folder Access isn’t locking down game files.
- In Windows Security, go to Virus & Threat Protection > Manage Settings.
- Scroll to Exclusions and add the game folder or executable.
- Check the firewall rules, make sure your game isn’t being blocked from internet or network access.
Method 10: Perform a Clean Nvidia/AMD Driver Reinstallation
Driver issues are common source of launch problems. Use tools like DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to fully remove your current GPU driver, then do a clean install with the latest version from Nvidia or AMD.
- Follow instructions on the driver support sites for a clean uninstall.
- Download the latest driver, perform a “Custom Install,” and check Perform a clean installation.
Method 11: Ensure the Game Uses Your Dedicated GPU
Especially if your PC has integrated graphics, Windows might be launching the game on the wrong GPU.
- Open Graphics Settings (search for it in Windows).
- Add the game executable and set “Graphics preference” to High Performance.
- Make sure your monitor is plugged into the dedicated GPU’s port, not the integrated graphics one.
Method 12: Roll Back Graphics Driver if Necessary
If updates are causing problems, rolling back to an older driver might help. In Device Manager, find your GPU, go to Properties, then Driver and hit Roll Back Driver — sometimes newer isn’t always better.
- Use driver versions 576.28 or 566.36 if you can find them; some users swear by those.
Method 13: Toggle Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling
In Windows 11/10, this feature can either improve performance or cause headaches. Try toggling it off or on to see if it helps:
- Navigate to System > Display > Graphics Settings.
- Switch Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling off, then restart and test launching the game.
Method 14: Check OneDrive/Cloud Sync Interference
If your game files are stored in a folder that’s synced with OneDrive or any cloud system, it might cause locks or access issues. Try closing OneDrive completely or moving the game to a local folder outside of OneDrive sync paths.
- Pause syncing, then try launching the game again.
Method 15: Rename sl.pcl.dll File
This one’s kind of a weird fix, but renaming or backing up sl.pcl.dll in the game folder sometimes tricks the launcher into avoiding a crash. Just make sure to create a backup version first.
- Go to your game directory.
- Locate
sl.pcl.dll. - Copy it elsewhere as backup, then rename it to
sl.pcl.old.
Method 16: Verify Integrity of Game Files
If files are missing or corrupted, the game might not launch. Inside Steam:
- Right-click the game, pick Properties.
- Go to Local Files, click Verify Integrity of Game Files.
- Steam will check and redownload any problematic files.
Method 17: Adjust Windows Power Mode
In some setups, running on Power Saver limits performance, causing issues or preventing full launch:
- Go to Control Panel > Power Options.
- Select Power Saver (or High Performance to test if it works better).
- Launch the game again.
Method 18: Update Your System BIOS
This isn’t the first fix people try, but sometimes BIOS updates fix compatibility issues, especially with newer GPUs or hardware. Check your motherboard manufacturer’s site, follow their instructions, and be careful—BIOS flashes are sensitive. Don’t do it if you’re unsure.
Method 19: Install the Latest Visual C++ Redistributables
Missing or outdated Visual C++ libraries can break the game launch. Grab the latest redistributables from Microsoft’s official page. Install both x86 and x64 versions, as some parts of the game might need either.
Method 20: Keep Windows Updated
Outdated Windows can cause all sorts of compatibility issues. Go to Settings > Update & Security and check for updates. Install all pending ones before trying again. Windows + graphics drivers—big part of the puzzle.
Method 21: Disconnect External Devices & Overlays
Peripherals like racing wheels, extra controllers, or even overlays from Discord/NVIDIA GeForce Experience can interfere. Disconnect unnecessary devices, disable overlays, and see if the game launches. Sometimes Windows or the game just doesn’t like them running at startup.
Method 22: Increase Virtual Memory
If your machine is low on RAM, adjusting virtual memory can boost stability. Search for View advanced system settings, go to the Advanced tab, click Settings under Performance, then the Advanced tab again. Hit Change under Virtual Memory, uncheck Automatically, choose your game drive, and set the size to about 1.5 times your RAM. Hit OK, restart, and try launching.
Method 23: Reinstall the Game
If nothing else works, a fresh install might be the fix. In Steam, right-click the game, choose Manage > Uninstall. After deleting leftover files from the install folder, reinstall — preferably on your C: drive for less hassle. This clears out any corrupted data or configs.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
- Keep drivers and Windows updated. Sounds basic, but it prevents a lot of headaches.
- Close background apps that aren’t necessary; some overlay or monitoring tools conflict with launchers.
- Check for game updates regularly, especially if new patches are dropping.
Wrap-up
If those steps fix the problem, great. If not, sometimes a deeper system tweak, or waiting for an official patch, is needed. Not sure why some fixes work on one machine and not another, but at least you’ll have some options. Looser background processes, updated drivers, and correct permissions often do the trick. Fingers crossed this helps—worked for me on multiple setups, so maybe it’ll do the same for you.
Summary
- Restart Steam & PC to clear minor glitches.
- Adjust launcher settings & reset video configs if needed.
- Install or delete PSPC SDK files.
- Disconnect Bluetooth & external devices that might interfere.
- Run the game directly from the install folder with admin rights.
- Check antivirus/firewall exclusions.
- Update or roll back graphics drivers.
- Set game to high performance GPU & virtual memory tweaks.
- Verify game files & reinstall if nothing works.