MechWarrior Online (MWO) is a popular free-to-play online multiplayer mech simulation game developed by Piranha Games. It allows players to pilot powerful BattleMechs across sci-fi battlefields against other players. However, players sometimes encounter error codes like Error 63 that prevent them from properly launching and playing the game.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through what Error Code 63 is, what causes it, and the various solutions you can try to resolve the issue so you can get back to blasting enemy mechs. We aim to provide accurate troubleshooting advice to help MWO players in a simple, easy-to-follow format.
What Causes Error Code 63 in MWO?
Error Code 63 in MWO is typically caused by one of the following issues:
- Corrupt or missing game files resulting from a failed or incomplete install/patch
- Outdated graphics card drivers
- Incompatible or outdated graphics card
- Antivirus/firewall software blocking the game executable or related files *System file corruption in Windows preventing the game from launching properly
If you encounter Error Code 63, don’t worry – in most cases it can be fixed with one of the solutions outlined below.
Clear MWO Cache
Clearing your MWO cache is an easy first troubleshooting step that can resolve Error Code 63 and other issues like long load times. Here is how to clear the MWO cache:
- Close MWO and launch the Launcher
- Click on the Settings cog icon
- Select “Repair Tool”
- Tick the box next to “Clear Cache Files” and click Repair. This will clear outdated cached files.
Once the cache clear finishes, try launching MWO again normally through the Launcher. The removed cached files will be rebuilt upon launch. Hopefully this resolves your Error 63 issue.
Run the MWO Repair Tool
The MWO Repair Tool can check your install for corrupt, missing or outdated files related to Error 63. To use it:
- Close MWO and start the Launcher
- Click on the Settings cog icon
- Select “Repair Tool”
- Tick all boxes in the Repair Tool window and click Repair. This will check all game files and download any missing or outdated ones.
Allow the repair process to fully complete. This can fix modified or corrupted game files that trigger Error 63. Then try launching the game again as normal.
Update Your Graphics Card Drivers
Outdated graphics card drivers are a common cause of Error Code 63 and other game issues. To update them:
- Open Windows Device Manager
- Expand the “Display adapters” section
- Right-click on your graphics card device > Select “Update driver”
- Choose to automatically search for updated driver software online. Always install from your graphics card manufacturer website if possible.
Reboot your PC after the graphics driver update finishes. Then see if MWO will now open without Error Code 63. Updated drivers optimize stability and performance.
Adjust Antivirus & Firewall Settings
Overly aggressive antivirus and firewall software can sometimes block games from launching or running properly. To rule out interference:
- Temporarily disable your antivirus completely
- Allow MWO through your firewall by adding exceptions for the game .exe and folders
- Try launching MWO again after making the above adjustments
If MWO now works, you know something with the antivirus/firewall was causing the issue. You can then tweak settings to exclude MWO from scans or keep it in the firewall allow list.
Run SFC & DISM System File Checks
Corrupted Windows system files can prevent games like MWO from working properly. To scan for errors:
- Open Command Prompt as admin
- Run SFC /scannow – this will scan system files and repair issues
- Once complete, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to fix repository corruption
- Retry MWO after it finishes. System file repairs can resolve Error 63.
Perform Clean Reinstall
If none of the above solutions fix Error Code 63, doing a clean reinstall of MWO may be necessary to resolve any corrupt files or registry issues:
- Uninstall MWO completely via Control Panel
- Delete any remaining MWO files/folders manually
- Reboot PC & download a fresh copy of the MWO client
- Install the game to a different folder than before
- Run the installation as admin to avoid permission issues
Test MWO afterwards to see if a clean install clears up Error 63 for good.
Switch to Compatibility Mode
Enabling Compatibility Mode lets you run MWO in a settings state that mimics older versions of Windows. This can fix conflicts:
- Navigate to your MWO .exe file
- Right-click, select Properties > Compatibility tab
- Check “Run this program in compatibility mode”
- Select older Windows version like Windows 7 or 8 from the dropdown menu
- Click Apply then launch the game normally
See if using Compatibility Mode prevents Error Code 63 moving forward.
Update Windows & Reinstall C++ Runtimes
Error 63 might be tied to outdated Windows system files or missing C++ runtime dependencies.
- Open Windows Update and install the latest patches
- Download the Visual C++ Redistributables installer package from Microsoft
- Run the installer to repair/reinstall C++ runtime libraries
- Restart your PC when finished
Modern games require latest runtimes libraries and Windows updates to prevent conflicts.
Contact Game Support
If you have tried all other troubleshooting steps with no success resolving Error Code 63, you should contact MWO’s Developer support team at [email protected]. Include your system specs and detailed issue history. Their experts can further investigate solutions or exceptions not covered in this guide.
Key Takeaways: Resolving MWO Error Code 63
To recap our troubleshooting guide, here are some key steps to remember when attempting to fix Error Code 63 in MWO:
- Clear cache files through the Repair Tool
- Run full Repair Tool scan for corrupt data
- Update graphics drivers
- Adjust antivirus/firewall for exceptions
- Check system files using SFC and DISM
- Try a clean reinstall of the game
- Use Compatibility Mode for Windows 7/8
- Update Windows and reinstall Visual C++ runtimes
- Contact Piranha Games support if issue persists
Following the structured troubleshooting and optimization advice above should help you to isolate and correct whatever issue is preventing MWO from properly launching with Error 63 on your system.
Conclusion
We hope this guide gives you the key tools and understanding to troubleshoot and resolve pesky Error Code 63 issues and get you back into enjoying MechWarrior Online without further disruption. Let us know if any other specific questions come up regarding fixing errors or improving game performance. Our goal is provide actionable tech support advice for the MWO community. Check for updates if you continue experiencing issues in case a game patch or new solution is released. Good luck gearing up your mechanized mechs once again!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why am I suddenly getting MWO Error 63 when the game used to work?
Something recently changed with your system- potentially a Windows update, new antivirus/firewall settings etc causing conflict. Follow the troubleshooting guide to find and reverse the change. - Does MWO Error Code 63 risk account bans?
No, Error 63 is not considered cheating and leads to no penalties beyond being unable to launch the game properly. - Is reinstalling Windows the only fix for persistent Error 63 issues?
Complete reinstallation should not be required in most cases if you follow this article’s structured troubleshooting advice and product support assistance. - Does Error 63 relate to server outages or downtime?
No, Error Code 63 is client-side launch issue unrelated to any server connectivity or status problems which would trigger a different error message. - Will these troubleshooting solutions impact other games or programs on my PC?
The steps here focus on checking, repairing and updating MWO game files or system configurations that should not affect other software. But as always, backup critical data before major repairs or reinstallation steps as a precaution. - What system spec requirements relate to resolving Error 63 issues?
Having an updated graphics card that meets MWO’s minimum spec and updating relevant drivers is most critical, beyond baseline OS and RAM requirements. - Is Error 63 more common on laptop/mobile graphics cards?
Error 63 can happen equally across desktop and mobile GPUs but the wider variety of notebook configurations and chipsets do pose more troubleshooting complexity compared to desktop options. - Are there any mods, hacks or add-ons that trigger Error Code 63?
Using unauthorized 3rd party game modifications is an MWO terms of service violation that risks account suspension, but such mods do not innately cause Error 63 which stems from system-level conflicts. - Does Error 63 ever “go away” and fix itself over time?
The error will persist indefinitely if originating from a core hardware/software conflict, unlike intermittent connection errors – proactive troubleshooting is required for a permanent solution. - Is there any way to predict, prevent or warn about Error 63 happening?
Not within MWO itself, but keeping graphics drivers updated, minimizing antivirus interference through exclusions, and monitoring Windows stability for event logs can reduce likelihood of nasty surprise launch failures. - Does MWO Error 63 risk damaging my graphics card or other PC components?
No, Error 63 itself does not pose any hardware risk and stems from configuration conflicts rather than stressing components in a damaging manner during crashes etc. Steps like updating drivers and system repairs improve stability. - Can I bypass Error 63 using the game’s Safe Mode option?
Unfortunately Safe Mode is mainly related to graphics settings not core launch issues, so Error 63 will still persist outside of any visual restoration options. The troubleshooting steps outlined above would still be required. - How long should each troubleshooting step for fixing Error 63 take to complete?
Steps through the Launcher like clearing cache and repair scans take 2-5 minutes typically. Driver and Windows updates vary based on download speed but around 10-20 minutes on average for major game client reinstallation or full system file repairs. - What info should I include when contacting MWO support about persistent Error 63 problems?
Detail your complete system specs – OS version, CPU, RAM, Graphics Card, SSD/HDD model etc. Also chronologically document every troubleshooting step you completed from this article with the game re-launch result following each one. - Does Error 63 happen more frequently following MWO game updates or patches?
Yes, given patches modify game files and registry entries it can introduce conflicts that did not exist previously before latest updates deployed. Quickly running repairs after patches reduces likelihood of new issues. - Is playing MWO over a remote connection more likely to trigger errors like Code 63?
Yes due to added network and protocol translation layers that conflict with the real-time game rendering and connectivity needed for seamless gameplay. Issues increase further over lower-bandwidth remote access across global regions. - Can I get refunds or compensation if Error 63 makes MWO perpetually unplayable on my machine?
Unfortunately Error 63 arising from user system configurations or non-optimized software pairs are not grounds for refunds under standard MWO terms of service but their Support team and community do their best to resolve issues impacting playability. - Are AMD/Nvidia graphics cards more prone to Error 63 problems?
Game compatibility issues can vary across graphics card manufacturers but many fixes like updating drivers, cleaning caches etc apply universally regardless of GPU brand. Contact support if vendor-specific factors are suspected. - Can I downgrade or rollback drivers if latest graphics card driver upgrades actually cause Error 63?
Yes, using prior stable driver versions that operated without issue is recommended over forcing latest volatile betas. Download previous releases from the chipset vendor site as needed. - If I am getting Error 63, should I upgrade or switch out graphics card models entirely?
Upgrading your graphics card can resolve Error 63 if stemming from aging, incompatible legacy hardware unable to meet game demands – consult hardware and game specs when considering upgrades strictly targeting this error resolution.