Game updates now appear after the EAC splash without any visible issues
Game updates now appear after the EAC splash without any visible issues
I obtained Watch Dogs 2 during that press event when it was available for free, and I also have another copy on Epic that’s completely free. For a while, I spent most of nearly a month working with Uplay’s support group, using their own launcher they provided and installing it through their platform. I tried various methods to get the game to launch, such as removing a help.pbo file from a Reddit thread, using the -eac_launcher tool, granting admin rights on both the executable and compatibility mode, reinstalling all visual C++ components, updating my laptop’s Intel graphics chip, forcing a system update, checking my NVidia chip status, launching in safe mode with all services turned off (except essential ones), disabling startup, reinstalling everything, providing all available logs—including launcher output, Windows error messages, and MSInfo data. I’m running an older machine: a GL552VW with Windows 10 20H2, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 960MHz, i7-6700HQ processor, and have used every resource I could. I even tried disabling the Intel graphics beforehand. Despite my efforts, the game only launched properly about a year and a half ago when I updated to the latest Windows, but now it keeps showing that small EAC splash screen with achievement updates, then closes and restarts Ubisoft’s achievements system. It’s frustrating since the support team seemed really unhelpful and kept suggesting I just troubleshoot by comparing GPUs. This game used to run smoothly back then, but now it feels like a hassle every time I try to play.
I checked my files and confirmed I own the game on Uplay since it was given to me for free in a press release.
Ubisoft worked hard to fix this game before their assistance arrived. I searched for reasons why Deleted Help wasn't launching and found a folder move didn’t help. Added -eac_launcher at the end of launcher.exe, but the desktop shortcut failed. Tried disabling the HD 530 GPU, reinstalled the game on another drive, and it finally connected with Ubisoft support.
I cleared temporary files and ensured all drivers were up-to-date. Disabled antivirus and firewall temporarily. Updated Windows, uploaded a DxDiag report, and checked for errors. Restarted services and programs repeatedly. Reinstalled the game and launcher, generating fresh MSInfo reports. Cleared startup services and reinstalled Microsoft Visual Studio C++ redistributables.
Updated the game, used the latest OpenCL drivers via Intel’s driver updater (only the HD 530 GPU needed fixing). After safe mode launch, everything worked smoothly.
Ensure the PAexec service is activated in Windows. I encountered a comparable problem before and reviewed the support logs—it worked as a solution. It may not be directly connected, but it’s worth a check.
The PAexec service may appear under a different name depending on your configuration settings. It might be listed with an updated full name or grouped with other services. Check the relevant section of msconfig for the current entry.