Fallout 3 is a post-apocalyptic action-based role-playing open world video game presented by Bethesda for various platforms. It is one of the most preferable classic games for its user-friendly interface but, many users are spotting certain errors in it.

Despite being quite popular, the majority of gamers complain that Fallout 3 won’t initiate on Windows 10. It can be easily installed and initiated on Windows 10-based devices. But at times, it crashes right after the player hits the “New” button while beginning a new game.

In order to get further information regarding “Fallout 3 Windows 10 fix”, follow the causes and solutions discussed next.

Fix 3 - Compatibility mode. Right click your Fallout 3 shortcut (if you don't have one, make one) and click 'Properties' then click on the 'Compatibility' tab and check 'Run this program in compatibility mode for:' and then from the drop-down menu choose 'Windows XP (Service Pack 2)'. Fix 4 - Limiting the cores. I had to use Fallout Mod Manager to install the Unofficial FO3 patch. That also took care of the stupidly ridiculous menu mouse acceleration that made it horrible to navigate menus. Download the Fallout Mod Manager (FOMM). Then, head to Fallout 3 Nexus, and get the Fallout 3 Unofficial Patch. It's the #1 file on the site. Install with a mod manager, or manual install by dumping the ini file and dll file into your fose/plugins folder. C: IT IS NECESSARY TO REMOVE FOSR IF YOU USE THIS MOD, OTHERWISE THEY WILL CLASH. If you are using windows 7, stick with FOSR. It still has critical section handling which is a noticeable improvement.

Why Fallout 3 Won’t Launch on Windows 10?

There can be various factors due to which the Fallout 3 won’t launch properly. Some of the significant causes are outlined below.

Fallout 3 was developed to run in Windows Vista architectures. But, when Microsoft launches Windows 10, it came up with various advanced features. Therefore, Fallout 3 may not be compatible with the Windows 10 architecture. Thereby, resulting in the Fallout 3 Windows 10 error.
Using outdated or corrupted graphics card drivers can also create various issues including the Fallout 3 error.
Sometimes, incorrect configuration of the Fallout can influence various issues which might prevent Fallout 3 from launching.

Once you figure out the potential causes why Fallout 3 won’t launch on Windows 10, go to the troubleshooting section. Also, try to sort out the error without taking external assistance.

Learn How to Get Fallout 3 to Work on Windows 10

These are some of the reliable troubleshooting hacks that will surely help you to get rid of the Fallout 3 error.

Fix 1: Try to Run the Fallout 3 in Compatibility Mode

In most cases, Fallout 3 fails to launch on Windows 10, as there are certain compatibility issues between the Operating System and application.

In order to rectify the incompatibility, we suggest you run the application in the computer’s compatibility mode. For running the Fallout 3 in Compatibility Mode, follow the underlying dedicated instructions.

Step 1:

Initially, open the Fallout 3 folder within the Steam folder. The default position of the Fallout 3 folder is “X:Program Files (x86)SteamsteamappscommonFallout 3 goty”.

However, you may also navigate to “X:Program Files (x86)SteamsteamappscommonFallout 3” to locate the folder.

Step 2:

Right-tap on the .exe file for the Fallout 3 game. When the result window appears, hit the “Properties” button from the drop-down menu.

Step 3:

Afterward, launch the Compatibility tab by double-tapping on it. Thereafter, select the “Run this program in compatibility mode for” checkbox from the appeared menu.

Step 4:

Hit the drop-down menu which is present underneath the “Run this program in compatibility mode for” option. Now, choose your Operating System from the available menu and hit the Apply button as well as the OK button.

After performing all these instructions, try to run the Fallout 3 in Compatibility Mode and verify whether the error gets removed or not.

Note– This solution is exclusive for Steam gamers. However, the steps might vary depending on the OS version on your PC.

Fix 2: Launch Fallout 3 in Admin Mode

After running the Fallout 3 in Compatibility Mode, if you are still unable to launch it on Windows 10 device, then we suggest you run it in Admin Mode.

Launching the Fallout 3 in Admin Mode is quite simple. To proceed with this, follow steps 1 & 2 from fix 1 and then locate the “Enable the Run this program as an administrator” option.

Tasikgame. Once you find it, right tap on it to select the checkbox. Hit the Apply tab when you are prompted to save the recent modifications.

After performing these instructions, reboot your device and check whether the Fallout 3 error has been fixed.

Fix 3: Update the Graphics Driver

If you are using an outdated version of graphics drivers, then try to update it immediately. This might be helpful for you to overcome the error. So, follow the below-mentioned steps in order to perform this task.

Press the combination of the Windows logo + R key to invoke the Run window. Write “devmgmt.msc” and hit the Enter key to run the command.
When the Device Manager window opens, navigate to the “Display adapters” and expand this section by double-clicking on it. From the resultant menu, locate and select the graphics driver.
If the graphics drivers are outdated or corrupted, then hit the “Update Driver” button from the appeared menu.
Now, let the device search for the latest compatible version of the display driver for Windows 10. You can initiate this method by hitting the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.
If updates are available, then hit the “Yes” button when you are prompted.

These are the instructions that should be performed in order to update the graphics driver. You have to wait until the update process gets completed. Thereafter, reboot your device to apply these changes.

Fix 4: Modify the Falloutprefs.ini File

After updating the graphics drivers if the Fallout 3 error still persists, then you might need to modify the “Falloutprefs.ini” file. At times, the Falloutprefs.ini file gets corrupted, which results in the error. Now, to modify the file, proceed with these instructions.

Step 1: Go to the “My DocumentsMy GamesFallout3” and search for a folder titled “Falloutprefs.ini”. Afterward, find “bUseThreadedAI=0” within the contents of the file and try to reset the value from 0 to 1.

Step 2: In case, you didn’t locate the “bUseThreadedAI=0”, then add “bUseThreadedAI=1” in a new line. Afterward, type iNumHWThreads=2 to add another new line. Thereafter, save the new changes by pressing the combination of the CTRL + S.

If you are still not able to launch the Fallout 3 on Windows 10, then go back to the Falloutprefs.ini file and change the value of iNumHWThreads from 2 to 1. Save the new changes by tapping on the OK button.

Fix 5: Reinstall Fallout 3

When all the above-discussed fixes fail to resolve the error, reinstalling the Fallout 3 can be the lest resort for you. For this purpose, you have to follow the under-mentioned instructions accordingly.

Initiate the Start menu by tapping on the Start icon. Afterward, go to the Settings menu and choose System from the appeared menu. Next, open the “Apps and Features” section and locate Fallout 3 from the available menu list.

Once you find Fallout 3, right-tap on it and hit the “Uninstall” button. From the pop-up dialog box, hit the OK button to confirm the uninstallation process.

Fallout 3 Ini Fix