Dragon Age 2 Launcher.xml is missing

I'm having the same exact problem. I installed the game from Origin last week after a fresh Windows 7 x64 install. The game was working fine though buggy so I patched it to 1.04. Now when I try to launch it via the Launcher shortcut I get an error that draongage2launcher.xml is missing. If I try to launch the game via the game .exe, nothing happens.

My system is:

i5-3230m

nvidia gt 635m

8GB DDR3

Win 7 Ultimate x64 SP1

I've tried running the game as an admin and in xp/vista compatibility modes, the same problems occur.

Indeed I'm having the same problem. I just installed few weeks ago Windows 7 Ultimate x64, installed Dragon Age II and it was working fine. Then as soon as I installed the patch, it just stopped working, either not running or giving this error, no matter if I try to run it as administrator or not.

May I say the PC is exactly the same. In fact, I had before a x86 Windows 7 system and even with the patch it was working just fine.

My system is:

-AMD Athlon(tm) 64 x2 Dual Core Processor 4000+ 2.10 GHz

-RAM: 3 GB DDR2 (I know it's not a lot, but as I said, I'd be able to even complete the game before).

-ATI Radeon HD 5570

I can't just find the solution anywhere, neither the file itself to download and install myself.

I had the same thing happen to me.  Based on the date/time stamps on files and folders, it looks like the update that trashed things was made on Aug 27. 😕mileymad:

Bottom Line:  The version currently being supplied by the EA/Origin client does not contain the file "DragonAge2Launcher.exe".  Depending on the exact status of your install, it may reset that file to size "ZERO" bytes, or it may remove it completely.  The update also does not contain, and may remove, the files "DragonAge2Launcher.xml" and the sub-folder "\data" that has required supporting files for the launcher.  😕mileysad:

Solution (that worked for me): 

1.  Try making a new shortcut on the desktop that points to the game's actual program file, ("...\bin_ship\DragonAge2.exe") not the Launcher. 

If that doesn't work (and it didn't for me...)

2.  Complete un-/re-install of DA2 using EA/Origin.

Details:   Since I also have the retail disc (used with my Win7 rig, but until now never needed on my Win8 one) I decided to investigate.

I did a compete UN-INSTALL from the EA/Origin client, (which actually just opened the Control Panel to use the built-in Windows uninstall routine, but whatever...)  Then, after multiple re-installs/un-installs/re-installs alternating between the retail disc and the EA/Origin versions, determined that I couldn't get the Launcher working again without a lot more investigation into the both the DragonAge2Launcher.xml and the DragonAge2Config.xml files regarding CLSIDs and the different paths where the different installs expect to find things.  And of course this was only possible because I had the retail disc as a resource.

So, since I have the game starting again under the EA/Origin install, and the Command Console still works, (again, after creating a new shortcut) I'm back in business and have submitted a Ticket to EA to investigate.  😕mileyfrustrated:

Hi,

From what you've described, you started having problems after you acquired the patch from the Bioware Social Network? Can you try a couple of things for me to see if we can't get this solved for you?

1. Can you try right clicking the game icon in Origin and selecting "Repair Install". This should repair any damaged files and correctly patch you up to 1.04. Once the repair is complete try launching directly from Origin.
2. If that doesn't work, can you try uninstalling your game entirely and redownloading and installing through Origin? This should pull down the latest patched version of the game and allow you to get going without grabbing a patch from the Bioware social site.

In either case, the version of Dragon Age 2 you download from Origin should be the latest 1.04 version of the game. You should not need to download any patches via the Bioware Social Network. If you want to confirm you have the correct patch version, you can run the DragonAge2Config.exe from the bin_ship directory and select the "Game" tab. Your game version will be listed next to "DragonAge2.exe".

The launcher has been intentionally removed with the latest version of Dragon Age 2 delivered through Origin. In order to launch Dragon Age 2 you should run from the game icon within Origin, or by launching the DragonAge2.exe directly in the bin_ship directory.

Hey there BioWare QA;

Glad to have someone from the Studio involved.

Sad to have you say this:

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@biowareqa wrote:
...

The launcher has been intentionally removed with the latest version of Dragon Age 2 delivered through Origin. In order to launch Dragon Age 2 you should run from the game icon within Origin, or by launching the DragonAge2.exe directly in the bin_ship directory.

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If this is true...

a.  Why is there the option under the EA/Origin "Game Properties" to start the game with "DragonAge2Launcher.exe"?  (It sure looks like the Launcher should be present and functioning.)

b.  Why deliberately disable what had previously been working?  Especially when there are game settings that cannot be adjusted (from a UI) anywhere else,  I really don't want to have to dig into .ini and .xml files to set things that used to be a checkbox on a config screen.

c.  Why don't the EA Game Advisors know this?  See the EA Help Center Case: 09876247, now going into its second month.

Look forward to hearing more from you.

NOTE FOR PLAYERS:  A viable workaround is to copy "DragonAge2Launcher.exe" and the supporting "\data" files from another source.  I used the install on my old Win7 machine.  Just copy-paste and all's well.  (But... that does require a source for the missing files.)

BTW:  It appears that the EA/Origin team did the exact same thing to ME2.  After having worked properly with an EA/Origin install for almost a year, the Launcher is (now) reduced to a ZERO byte file and supporting files removed (existing install), or simply not present (new install).  Copying from a working install on another machine repaired it for me.  

Thanks for trying....but this does not work.  I have done three complete uninstall/installs from Origin even going to far as to get another activation code. Absolute no go, no how, no way. It does not launch period.  And this is far from frustrating....it's just plain bad business.

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@Lynnmcd523 wrote:

Thanks for trying....but this does not work.  I have done three complete uninstall/installs from Origin even going to far as to get another activation code. Absolute no go, no how, no way. It does not launch period.  And this is far from frustrating....it's just plain bad business.

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Not sure what you're asking/telling us here, lynmcd523...

This thread is about the DA2 Launcher and the fact that it stopped being a part of the EA/Origin install at all, and was removed from a player's current install, as a result of an EA/Origin update near the end of August.

There are ways to either a) Restore the Launcher (see my edited post above), or b) Start the game without the Lancher (see my edited post above.)

But you seem to have an entirely different problem in that you have NEVER had a working install of the game.

If that's the case, there are lots of other threads about how to get DA2 installed/working.  But this isn't one of them.   😕mileyfrustrated:

Ok Ok after 3 days of tries i have finally made it to work...

Try this go to the Dragonage2config tool inside the game directory run it and go to video settings and change the directx to 9 (if it is 11 that was for me).

Now you should be able to play the game

Hope it helped

I tried this and it does not help. If there is a thread for a complete non working issue please link me to it.

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@sicksithjuggy wrote:

I tried this and it does not help. If there is a thread for a complete non working issue please link me to it.

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@sicksithjuggy;  You don't say what's going on with your game, so it's impossible to provide any specific assistance.

Try reviewing all the topics in this Forum and see if there's one that describes your issue.