Age of Empires 3 Initialization Failed Windows 10 & Steam Fix (2023)

Today I will explain how to fix age of empires 3 initialization failed windows 10 problem. This article will highlight its causes, possible solutions, and FAQs at the end. If you pay attention to what is written here, you can easily play AOE 3 in windows 10 steam.

Age of Empires 3 is one of the most incredible and popular real-time strategy games of this century. It is sold over 200 million times becoming one of the best-selling games at the time of its release. It does not require any introduction as it has received numerous awards and positive feedbacks all over the place, notably the “Best RTS Game of 2005”.

How To Fix Age of Empires 3 Initialization Failed Windows 10

As you already know, AOE 3 is a classic strategy game developed by Ensemble Studios. It is similar to modern city-building games but with more advanced features. We can train troops, attack enemies, and build new architectures to form a civilization. It is a solid time-consuming game to refresh your mind that was initially made for Microsoft Windows (old version).

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Update DirectX

In most cases, the Age of Empire 3 does not load in Windows 10 because the DirectX file is old or corrupted. DirectX is an API interface on windows that control programs and multimedia. To fix this problem, you can try updating DirectX to its latest version DirectX 12. To find the version of DirectX installed on your computer, follow these steps:

1. Press hotkey ‘Windows + R’ to open run.
2. Type ‘dxdiag’ without inverted commas and press enter.
3. It will show a dialogue box window. Click on ‘Yes.’
4. You can see the ‘Direct X’ version at the bottom.

If you have DirectX 12 installed, then you should skip this process and jump into our next method. If DirectX 12 is not present, perform the following steps.

1. Click on the start menu at the taskbar and select settings.
2. Then click on ‘Update & Security’.
3. Go to the ‘windows update’ tab.
4. Click on ‘Check For Updates.’

Your PC will automatically detect the latest DirectX update, downloads them and install upon a single click.

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Enable Legacy Components

1. In Windows 10 taskbar, right-click on ‘Start Button’ using a mouse.
2. Select ‘Control Panel’ from the drop-down list.
3. Click on ‘Programs.’
4. Select ‘Turn Windows Features On or Off.’
5. Find a folder called ‘Legacy Components’ and click on the plus sign to the left of it.
6. Click the ‘DirectPlay’ box and make sure a checkmark is present on it.
7. Finally, click on okay.

In the end, you need to restart your computer to see if AOE 3 is working or not. Enabling legacy components has solved problems for most gamers. But this may even worse condition in some cases. So, if you are facing any additional challenges after performing the above steps, please uncheck the ‘DirectPlay’ option mentioned in step 6. Then you can skip this and try any of the following alternatives to solve the age of empire 3 initialization failed issue on windows 10.

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Update Graphics Driver

If graphics drivers are old and outdated, age of empire 3 initialization failed windows 10 error may arise. So first of all, you need to check if the graphics are updated to the latest version. You will need a high-speed internet connection to update graphics card drivers. Perform these steps to update the Graphics driver to play Age of Empire 3 on windows 10. You can automatically update the graphics driver using software called ‘Driver Easy.’ It is super easy to use and does not require any advanced computer skills to operate.

Use Reimage Plus

If none of the above methods work, then you can use reimage plus to fix the age of empire 3 initialization failed windows 10 issue. This is a paid tool, but it can solve many other Windows 10 problems. These are the steps to resolve AOE 3 using reimage plus.

1. Download and install the latest version of reimage plus from their official website.
2. Purchase a license key and activate Reimage Plus.
3. Scan the entire computer for problems in just one click using ‘Start Scan‘ button.
4. After the scan is complete, click on ‘Repair All.’

Note: We are not affiliated with Reimage Plus in any manner. This article is for information purpose only that makes use of re-image plus to fix specific problems. We are not responsible for any loss or damage caused by third-party sites or software. You can read our privacy policy to get more details regarding third-party websites.

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Fix AOE 3 Compatibility Issue

If the above steps do not work, try the following process to fix the age of empire 3 initialization failed on windows 10.

1. Navigate to this directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam Apps\Common\Age Of Empires.
2. Right-click on ‘age3y.exe’ and choose properties.
3. In properties windows, select the ‘Compatibility’ tab.
4. Tick on the ‘Run this program in compatibility mode for’ checkbox.
5. From the dropdown list, select ‘Windows Vista SP2’.
6. Click on the ‘Run As Administrator’ checkbox.
7. Finally, apply the settings and click on ‘OK.’

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Buy original AOE 3

If you are trying to install Age of Empire 3 from third party sites, then the chances are that those files could be corrupt. Some users download AOE 3 from illegal or pirated sites. Games downloaded from such resources may contain a virus, damaged, or missing data. Therefore, we recommend you to buy the original AOE from the official store.

FAQs