Re: Cpu does not have POPCNT! help

Well. Since my thread does not seem to come up in the newsfeed in the ApexLegends Reddit (even after 4 reposts), I'll have to paste it all here.

A collection of all the info available on the POPCNT error from various sources.

- What is POPCNT?

POPCNT is a CPU instruction. Afaik an instruction is a fixed operation that the CPU can use at any point while gathering an input, elaborating and producing an output. This is the description of the instruction:

This instruction calculates the number of bits set to 1 in the second operand (source) and returns the count in the first operand (a destination register).

POPCNT is not a fundamental instruction and, while the check is there in the launcher, it most likely isn't being used at all in the actual game. Disabling the POPCNT check in the launcher would most likely have no impact on the game performance for anyone.

- What is POPCNT error?

This is POPCNT error , it prevents machines with older CPUs from launching the game. Other forms of similar instruction errors (such as the Phenom CPUs issue) have been shown to crash the game upon starting any match.

- Have other games been affected?

Plenty.

*Black Ops IV
*Final Fantasy XV
*Resident Evil 7
*Agents of Mayhem
*Dishonored 2
*Mafia 3
*EDF
*Metal Gear Solid V
*No Man's Sky
*PUBG

All of these games have been patched and now can be launched on the affected machines.

- Is there a solution?

Yes.Client sided solutions:
* SDE emulator is an Intel software that emulates the entire Nehalem architecture.
* POPCNT emulator is a 0% performance hit solution that only emulates POPCNT instruction and has been successfully used in the near past for other games.
Disclaimer: None of these solutions can be applied because they would trigger the anti cheating program.

Dev sided solution:Private coders testify that this is a trivial problem with an easy fix, all the sources I've found claim that it is as easy as

simply setting "-arch=SSE2 -axSSE4.1,SSE4.2,SSSE3,SSE3"  instead of something like "-march=corei7" in the compiler options.

- What you can do about it

Send a ticket to EA support teamI have opened a ticket regarding this issue and, after providing all the information required, I've been told that:

I would like to inform you that currently we do not have information regarding however I will share your feedback to the concerned team so that they can look into it and make necessary changes

This is the step by step guide to opening your own ticket:

Where to open ticket: https://help.ea.com/en/contact-us/

How to open ticket: 
- Select "Apex Legends"
- Make sure the selected platform is "PC" (Origins logo)
- Select "Technical support" as topic
- Select "Game won't launch" as issue
- Press the blue button "Select contact options"
- Select "Chat" in the "Other support options" panel
- Write something explicit and clear in the ticket subject such as "I'd like to know whether older CPU missing the POPCNT instruction will ever be compatible.‎"
- Add a picture of the error at your discretion
- Press "Chat now", wait for a reply and answer any question they might ask you

Send a Tweet at your favorite developer or the main Apex tweetter page @PlayApex

Upvote this thread to increase awareness on Reddit

Join the discussion on EA Answer HQ at this thread.

Please be polite and spare pointless negativity about this issue. We are but simple users who want to enjoy the game as much as you do.