Restart Steam; it will automatically update and recreate the file, often clearing the "Steam must be running" loop. 2. Verify Integrity of Game Files
If you use mods and started seeing this error after July 8, 2025, a Capcom update to DmC: Devil May Cry on Steam is likely the cause. This update is known to break compatibility with certain mods.
We have collected data from Reddit, the ProtonDB community, and Steam forums. Here is the order of operations that works for 99% of users. Restart Steam; it will automatically update and recreate
If verifying game files didn't work, the issue might be deeper. A clean reinstall ensures you get a fresh, uncorrupted copy of the game.
This error typically occurs when the game's executable file cannot communicate with the Steam client, even if Steam is open. If you are stuck in this loop, don't worry—most causes are easy to fix. Here is a comprehensive guide to the top solutions to get you back to hacking and slashing as Dante. This update is known to break compatibility with
Missing, corrupted, or modified files—particularly the steam_api.dll file responsible for linking the game to your profile—will trigger this launch failure. Steam can automatically scan and replace these files. Launch your client. Navigate to your Library and locate DmC: Devil May Cry . Right-click the game title and select Properties .
By systematically following these steps, you should clear the communication barrier between your local machine assets and the server client software, restoring full functionality to DmC: Devil May Cry . To help narrow down the exact cause, please let me know: Are you running any or custom community patches ? If verifying game files didn't work, the issue
A less common but known cause is a conflict between the user account running the game and the account running Steam. If your Steam client was opened by a different user (or with different permissions) than the one trying to launch the game, the authentication will fail. The simplest solution is to ensure both Steam and the game are launched from the same user account and with the same level of permissions (e.g., both running as standard users or both as administrators).
If you cannot connect to the servers, check if you have some antivirus or firewall blocking the connection.