Overwatch may possibly be the most exciting first person shooter available on PC. If you’re having problems with Battle.Net not loading or Overwatch itself not loading we can help. This guide lists some common fixes that might work.
Overwatch Not Loading Steam / Windows 10 Guide
If you have recently just downloaded and installed Overwatch but you’re having problems with it running or loading on you. Or perhaps you’re PC is loading however your games are consistently crashing or freezing on you while you’re playing.
This can be incredibly frustrating so we’ve gathered some easy fixes that may solve your problems which have benefitted similar games on Steam.
Be sure to remember that this guide has been created for Windows 10. Ensure that you’re running the latest version of Windows before trying to complete any of these fixes.
Help Us Help You Fix The Problem!
Identifying when or where your Overwatch stops loading is one of the first things you can do before troubleshooting the problem and finding a fix.
Games can crash, stall or simply not load when booting the game from the Steam Client, while loading cut scenes, while loading levels and much more. So it’s important that if your game is not loading on you make a mental note on when.
We will be sure to update this guide overtime with any and all user submitted issues that we find.
We will then endeavour to try and Fix the issues that users and gamers let us know about. Until then we’ve compiled a list of the more common fixes for any and all Steam games including Overwatch.
These Fixes are PC – Windows 10 Specific.
Overwatch Not Loading Fix Guide Contents :
1: Overwatch Not Loading With Steam on Windows 10.
2: Downloading the Latest Update to Fix Overwatch not Loading.
3: Overwatch crashing and freezing while loading fix.
4: Overwatch disconnecting while loading Fix.
1: Overwatch is not running or playing with STEAM on Windows 10
It can be the most frustrating of things. After waiting for your download to complete you fire up your game and it does not run. You’re either presented with an error or a completely black screen.
Some common issues that may occur is a black screen with audio but no visual display which can indicate various issues or faults.
While Overwatch may not be responding because loading has ceased on your PC Rig.
We will try to clear up some easy solutions and solve your problem of the game not playing.
Does your PC Support Overwatch?
Most games on Windows will have both a Minimum requirements and Recommended Requirements.
Most of the time not having the required components within your Gaming rig will give you significant issues and errors when running Overwatch and other games. This may be the reason why your game is not loading on Steam.
So it’s highly encouraged to make sure that your PC is compatible with Overwatch before purchasing it on steam.
The Minimum Requirements and Recommended Requirements for Overwatch are listed below.
| Minimum Requirements for Overwatch |
| Recommended Requirements For Overwatch |
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If you’re unsure of what your running in your Gaming Rig then there is a great Website which can declare whether or not your PC can support Overwatch.
Simply visit System Requirements Lab.
This website is incredible for determining what you can or cant do on your rig. It will even suggest upgrades for your PC in order to play what ever game you wish.
My PC meets the Requirements but Overwatch still not loading.
If your PC matches the requirements for Overwatch but it is still not running then you may have another fault on your hands. Simply follow the below steps of trail and error resolve the issue.
Have you got the latest Graphics Driver for your Graphics Card for Overwatch?
Whether or not your running Radeon or Nvidia it is heavily suggested that you run the latest Graphics Drivers for your Graphics Card. More often than not Windows 10 will install the latest drivers for your unit.
However you can force this action by visiting your graphics card provider and downloading the drivers from the support section.
Be sure to un-install any previous graphics drivers before completing this step as running dual drivers may create more problems than solving.
If you’re Running the correct drivers then move on.
2: Are you running the Latest Update for Steam or Overwatch?
It’s imperative that if you’re having any problems with Overwatch running check to make sure that you’re rig is running the latest update.
Sometimes but not always developers can release software which is incompatible with certain foundations of Windows 10. Usually to fix this the developers will release patches or quick fix updates.
Steam will automatically detect any updates which are required for the game and its Highly recommended for you to download the update before attempting to play.
If you’re Game has the latest update then it maybe possible that your Steam needs to update.
In order to do this – simply restart STEAM and it will attempt to download the latest update available in order to run Overwatch.
Downloading the Latest update for Overwatch will more than likely fix any software issues you may have.
Overwatch doing nothing after “Preparing To Launch”
Sometimes games on Steam can get hung up during playing. If your Overwatch shows a preparing to launch error which simply goes no where – then luckily enough Steam have a pretty strong guide on what to do if your gaming rig hangs at this point.
Be sure to do the following :
- Update your Windows install
- Update drivers for your computer
- Verify your game cache files
- Disable non-essential software
- Check the game’s system requirements
Overwatch installation maybe corrupt or damaged.
Sometimes downloads or installs can go wrong. This is especially the case if your Rig is shut off or disconnected while downloading or while the installation file is being complete.
To quickly try and fix the issue of Overwatch not loading then simply delete all your core Overwatch files by right clicking the game in your Steam Library.
Once the files have been deleted simply download the game files once again and attempt to re-install.
Not always but this fix has been proven to work on more than occasion so be sure to attempt this before you reach out to STEAM support for more suggestions or advice on how to solve Overwatch not playing.
3: STEAM Crashing and Freezing while Playing Overwatch.
An issue which happens to the majority of PC Gamers is games freezing while playing or simply showing a black screen and crashing to desktop.
This is incredibly annoying especially while your mid gameplay. Sadly there are a variety of reasons why your PC may crash while playing Overwatch. So prepare yourself for an extensive trial and error endeavour while you get to the root of your problem.
Are you running the latest Motherboard BIOS Update?!
Sometimes inconsistencies within the Firmware of your Motherboard may conflict with the foundation of Overwatch so it’s important that if you are having random crashes, blue screens or freezing while playing that you ensure that your motherboard is up to date.
To do this simply visit your motherboard provider and download the latest drivers available.
Ensure that you make a backup of your Windows 10 while completing this task as if you’re unskilled in dealing with PC equipment you may make matters worse so be careful.
Fear not though any permanent damage is very unlikely when dealing with BIOS updates.
Close all unnecessary Windows 10 Systems while Overwatch is running
This is a pretty important step when it comes to debugging whether or not your game is struggling due to system responsibilities.
Disable any and all software which you’re simply not using. Yes this includes third party apps such as spotify, web browsers, broadcasting software and much more.
Benchmark your PC Rig to determine whether or not you can run Overwatch.
Like we discussed above, if your PC does not feature the components that is required for Overwatch to run then you may find problems with it crashing.
Sometimes not running a powerful enough Graphics card may lead to Overwatch stuttering or completely freezing up.
Problems with your Memory modules may also present blue screens which will feature various error codes. So there’s a heap of issues that could come from running the wrong equipment.
Guide: Console Warranty Explained / Gamers Guide To Online Refunds and Returns
We highly recommend that you ensure that you running the Recommended settings required for Overwatch. You can sometimes download Benchmarks available for the game your playing.
| Recommended Specifications for Overwatch |
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Reach out to Steam Forums to identify if anyone else is having problems with Overwatch
The Steam Community are incredibly strong and if you’re having problems more than likely so are others.
Simply post your Specs and your update version on the Steam Forums for Overwatch and browse to see if any others are having similar problems to yourself.
Alternatively you can also reach out to Steam Support to deal with the issue however despite how strong they are at customer relations they may take a few hours to days to reply to your query so be sure to be patient while waiting.
Complete a Fresh Install of Overwatch to fix Loading Errors.
Something you can do while waiting for Steam support to reply is to simply uninstall and re-install again.
This may clear up any significant software errors or corrupt data within your hard drive.
It’s also important to ensure that if you have recently changed processor or motherboard lately that you complete a fresh install of Windows 10.
New motherboard firmware may present various bugs and issues with older installations of Windows 10 while trying to Play Overwatch.
4: Overwatch disconnecting While Loading on Steam.
The Majority of games available on Steam and Windows 10 also have support for a lot of online features.
This may be true for Overwatch as more often than not games of this generation come with multiplayer support, online leader boards, online co-op, achievements and much more.
GUIDE: How To Test Your Internet Connection / Recommended Internet Providers For Gaming
Although the problem with online capability is that you may discover issues with disconnecting from games or lagging while you play games like Overwatch.
There are a variety of reasons why you would have these issues. Below are some simple fixes for you if you are disconnecting from Overwatch or are experiencing delay or Lag.
Ensure All outside software is disabled while you play Overwatch.
Sometimes third party software, other applications or downloads while you play can be real bandwidth hogs on your internet connection.
So be sure to disable and close any third party applications that might be the cause of your lag or disconnections.
Windows 10 has a real nasty habit of updating while your gaming. Which can cause problems so if you are having issues check your windows update tab.
This will show you if there is any activity. Either delay it or simply complete it until you return to Overwatch.
Ensure that your Internet connection is stable.
The Majority of online games these days benefit from running broadband and fibre from various companies available within the UK and all other the world.
A way to check if your internet connection is strong enough for Overwatch and other games is to check www.speedtest.com.
Guide : Finding the Best Internet Provider For Overwatch
If you have detected that your download speed is slow or below the recommend 5MB/s then it maybe time for you to upgrade your internet through your internet provider.
Overwatch servers maybe offline for various reasons.
Some developers schedule downtime for their games and multiplayer servers to patch, update and repair for a better gaming experience.
More often than not if you check the developers website you will identify any downtime that they maybe suffering.
Something you can also do is simply visit Overwatch’s Community forums provided by Steam – this will show you if other players are having similar problems to you.
This will also identify if the problem maybe server side and something which is not associated with your copy of Overwatch or your gaming PC.
Ensure STEAM is still running while you play.
It’s imperative that you run STEAM while you play Overwatch.
The reason for this is sometimes games may rely upon the foundations of STEAM in order to deliver their online service. This is more often found in peer to peer games which do not rely on dedicated servers.
Sometimes if you cut your access to steam while you play, you may experience problems with your game saving, achievements not unlocking and much more.
Still having problems? Contact Overwatch and discuss the issue.
If You have tried the above fixes however your still having significant issues with disconnecting from the game then we highly recommend that you report the fault to the developers – either to their support team or by the Steam Forums.
It’s generally really appreciated by most developers and once they have recorded your fault they may be able to release a patch update or fixes which will solve the problems for you and others.
