[EA app] Dead Space 2 won't launch

@Tempest51 Hey, so with DS2 the way the codes worked back then could be a DRM issue. I used to have to fix these all the time. If it is, you typically get a specific error and not just a spinning loading icon. 

When you install it, are you installing it on the same drive as the EA app?

Are there any errors of any kind?

@EA_Shepard Greetings, replying to your questions:

When you install it, are you installing it on the same drive as the EA app?

Yes, both DS2 and the EA app are installed under "C:\Program Files" in the default directory used by the EA app installer.

Are there any errors of any kind?

No errors of any kind. 

On launch from the desktop or the EA app play button:

- The game client loads to a (black) fullscreen as expected.

- A circular cursor is actively spinning in center screen for approximately 30 seconds.

- The circular cursor disappears followed briefly by what appears to be the game's mouse cursor then, exit to desktop and EA app with no error message.

- I am able to relaunch DS2 from the EA app or desktop icon multiple times, always with the same result as above.

As mentioned earlier, I am able to play Dead Space 1 (original version) and currently playing Dead Space 3 both, installed using the EA app and default drive/directories.

My computer - MSI Pulse 17 B13VGK

Processor - 13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-13700H, 2400 Mhz, 14 Core(s), 20 Logical Processor(s)

Installed Physical Memory (RAM) - 16.0 GB

GPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU - Driver version 551.23 (current)

OS - Microsoft Windows 11 Home Version 10.0.22631 Build 22631

Version 10.0.22631 Build 22631 - All available updates installed.

Direct X version - Direct X 12

@Tempest51 Thank you for the information on this. So I've been testing this to see if I could repro it and anything that could be corrupted. Let's first do some cleanup and see what happens.

First, Change UAC Controls within Windows (change back once tested)

Clear EA App's Cache (Top Left Menu > Help > App Recovery)

Delete Windows Temp Files

• First, make sure you close as many programs as you can
• Press the Windows key + R, go into the file explorer
• Type in %temp%, and hit Enter
• Delete everything it allows you to delete
• Reboot the PC

Optional Registry clean-up

• install CCleaner (it's free) from here
• Run Registry cleaner
• Click review selected issues
• Do you want to back up? No
• Click Fix all selected issues

1. Next, navigate to C:\Program Files\EA Games\Dead Space 2 - Delete the .DAT files
2. These are just audio, and video data files.
3. Log back into the EA app
4. Repair the game
5. In the same folder right right-click the deadspace2.exe file and run it as admin

Let me know if this changes anything when you launch it.

@EA_Shepard All steps except registry-related completed, same result.

At this point, I think we've tried all reasonable steps to resolve but, this appears to be a technology gap between an old game and new hardware.

Thank you for your assistance!

@Tempest51 Have you created a new Windows account or tried to launch it in a cleanboot? This would more or less let us know if it is hardware vs something blocking it from launching or a DRM issue.