When launching VALORANT, the sport could typically fail to open. Instead, you may discover a course of working within the Taskbar and Task Manager referred to as “BootstrapPackagedGame.exe”.

BootstrapPackagedGame.exe represents the initialization part of the sport. During this stage, VALORANT prepares important information and system information required to launch Vanguard (the sport’s anti-cheat engine).

The actual concern begins when this course of will get interrupted or blocked. If that occurs, your complete recreation launch sequence stops instantly.

There are a number of explanation why BootstrapPackagedGame.exe could fail to hand over management to Vanguard. Below are the most typical causes of this drawback:

• Outdated or Faulty Vanguard Service – When Vanguard fails to initialize correctly or its service turns into caught, the BootstrapPackagedGame.exe course of can’t proceed. This usually happens after a Windows replace or when Vanguard just isn’t restarted appropriately.
• Missing or Corrupted Game Files – Damaged or incomplete VALORANT information can stop the bootstrap course of from discovering important sources, inflicting the launch to freeze or cease halfway.
• Conflicting Background Processes – Third-party overlays, antivirus instruments, or safety software program could intervene with the bootstrap sequence, blocking communication between the sport and Vanguard.
• System Permission Issues – Both VALORANT and Vanguard require administrator-level privileges to modify kernel providers. If these permissions are lacking or restricted by Windows, the bootstrap service fails to proceed.

Now that you simply perceive the potential causes, observe the steps under to repair the difficulty and get VALORANT working once more.

1. Run VALORANT as an Administrator

After sure Windows or Vanguard updates, permission layers can block BootstrapPackagedGame.exe from beginning Vanguard’s driver (vgk.sys). In this example, the sport course of could seem to begin however by no means really palms off to Vanguard, stopping the launch halfway. Running VALORANT with administrator rights restores the required permissions, permitting Vanguard’s kernel-level parts to initialize correctly.

1. Right-click the VALORANT desktop shortcut.
2. From the menu, choose Properties, then open the Compatibility tab on the high.
3. Under Compatibility settings, test the field beside Run this program as an administrator to grant the sport full entry.
4. Click Apply to save the change, then OK. Finally, restart your PC to guarantee the brand new settings take impact.

2. End All VALORANT-Related Tasks from Task Manager

Sometimes, BootstrapPackagedGame.exe fails as a result of a earlier VALORANT or Vanguard occasion remains to be working within the background. These leftover processes block new periods from beginning, stopping the sport from launching. Ending all associated duties ensures a clear startup, permitting Vanguard and the sport to reinitialize appropriately.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
2. In the Processes tab, scroll and find any entries associated to VALORANT or Vanguard (these often seem as vgc or RiotClientServices.exe).
3. Right-click every associated course of and choose End job to shut them fully.
4. After ending the duties, shut Task Manager and take a look at launching VALORANT once more.
5. If you continue to obtain a Vanguard error or the sport doesn’t begin, restart your pc and take a look at once more.

3. Whitelist VALORANT Game Folders in Your Antivirus

Because VALORANT’s anti-cheat system, Vanguard, operates at a deep system stage, some antivirus packages could incorrectly flag it as a possible menace. When that occurs, antivirus software program blocks sure information, stopping BootstrapPackagedGame.exe from correctly speaking with Vanguard. To stop this, you want to inform your antivirus program explicitly: “Don’t block VALORANT.”

Many customers have reported that excluding VALORANT and Vanguard folders from antivirus scans resolves this concern. For occasion, latest Avast updates had been recognized to block Vanguard till customers both up to date virus definitions or added VALORANT to the exclusion record. ^[Source]

Note: If you don’t use third-party antivirus software program, the next instance demonstrates how to whitelist VALORANT in Microsoft Defender. The common course of is analogous for many antivirus packages.

1. Open your antivirus or safety suite from the system tray or Start menu.
2. Find the part labeled Exclusions or Whitelist (the identify could differ relying in your software program).
   • • C:Riot GamesVALORANT
     • C:Program FilesRiot Vanguard

   Now, add these folders to your antivirus exclusion record to stop it from interfering with VALORANT or Vanguard.

3. After including the exclusions, click on Apply or Save (relying in your software program) to affirm. Restart your pc to ensure the brand new settings are utilized.
4. Once your PC restarts, launch VALORANT to confirm if the difficulty is resolved.

4. Clean Install VALORANT

If not one of the above strategies work, it’s doable that VALORANT’s set up or bootstrap information have turn into corrupted or mismatched due to failed updates, incomplete installations, or leftover Riot parts from older variations.

When this occurs, the sport could seem in Task Manager as BootstrapPackagedGame.exe however by no means cross management to Vanguard, as a result of a number of dependencies are damaged.
Performing a clear reinstall removes all broken information, cached information, and registry entries, permitting the system to rebuild the sport atmosphere appropriately.

1. Press Win + R, sort appwiz.cpl, and press Enter to open the Programs and Features window.
2. Locate and uninstall each:

   Right-click every entry and select Uninstall to take away them fully.

3. After uninstalling, press Win + R once more, sort %localappdata%, and hit Enter. Delete any remaining folders named Riot Games or VALORANT.
4. Restart your PC to clear any lively background processes.
5. Finally, obtain the newest model of VALORANT from the official Riot web site and reinstall it.

This will guarantee a clear set up with the newest bootstrap, Riot Client, and Vanguard parts, eliminating any hidden corruption that would stop the sport from launching.

If the difficulty nonetheless persists after following all of the above strategies, the issue could also be associated to your Riot account configuration or a system-specific battle that requires handbook investigation. In such circumstances, contact the official Riot assist group for help.

Visit the VALORANT Support Page and submit an in depth ticket describing the difficulty, together with screenshots of the BootstrapPackagedGame.exe course of or any error messages you encounter. Riot’s assist group can evaluate your logs and apply fixes that aren’t obtainable to customers straight.