There is nothing more frustrating than sitting down to unleash a stylish, sword-and-gun combo frenzy in DmC: Devil May Cry , only to be greeted by a cold, gray error box: “Steam must be running to play this game.”
Once you click "Play" and see the Ninja Theory logo appear without the error, you will know the fight is won. Now, get out there. Pull the trigger on Ebony & Ivory, rev up that Rebellion sword, and show Limbo what a true Nephilim can do.
Close Steam completely. Step 2: Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam (or your Steam install location). Step 3: Find the file steamclient64.dll . Copy it. Step 4: Paste it directly into the DmC Devil May Cry\Binaries\Win32 folder. Step 5: Find steam_api.dll in your root Steam folder. Copy it to the same Win32 folder. Step 6: Launch Steam as Admin. Step 7: Launch DmC directly from the Win32 folder (not the Steam shortcut). There is nothing more frustrating than sitting down
The irony is palpable. You are running Steam. You can see your friends list, browse the store, and even launch other games. Yet, the reboot of Capcom’s legendary hack-and-slash franchise refuses to boot, insisting that the very platform it lives on is absent.
Have a different fix that worked for you? Let us know in the comments below. Stay stylish. Close Steam completely
Open the Start Menu and type View advanced system settings . Open it. Step 2: Under the Advanced tab, click Settings under Performance. Step 3: Click the Data Execution Prevention tab. Step 4: Select Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select . Step 5: Click Add . Navigate to your DmC install folder (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\DmC Devil May Cry\Binaries\Win32 ). Step 6: Add both DMC.exe and DMC-Launcher.exe . Step 7: Apply > OK. Restart Steam and try the game. Fix #3: The "Compatibility Mode" Triple Lock Running the game in modern Windows 10 or 11 can cause handshake issues with the Steam client. You need to force the executable to behave like it is on Windows 7.
Open Windows Security (or your third-party AV). Step 2: Go to Virus & threat protection > Manage settings > Exclusions . Step 3: Click Add exclusion > Folder . Step 4: Navigate to and select your steamapps\common\DmC Devil May Cry folder. Step 5: Also exclude your main Steam folder (e.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam ). Step 6: Crucial Step: Verify game files. Go to Steam Library > Right-click DmC > Properties > Local Files > Verify integrity of game files. This will re-download any DLLs your AV deleted. Fix #5: The Manual DLL Recovery (The Master Fix) If all else fails, the specific DLL handshake is broken. We will bypass the corrupted Steam client service by forcing the game to see the DLL manually. Copy it
This error is a notorious gremlin for the PC version of DmC: Devil May Cry (often confused with the classic Devil May Cry 4 or 5 ). If you are searching for a fix that goes beyond the basic “restart your PC” advice, you have come to the right place. This guide provides fixes—solutions that address the root cause, not just the symptoms.