Good morning! Thank you for posting in the Final Fantasy XIV Technical Support Forums.

We apologize for any inconvenience you have been experiencing. There are a few situations that can cause the error you are describing. Please try the following troubleshooting methods to resolve the issue:

- Verifying the files in the ‘Library’ folder by right clicking Final Fantasy XIV and then choosing ‘Properties’. From there, click ‘Local Files’ and then ‘Verify integrity of game cache’. Doing so will verify if the game was installed properly.
- Please try running the game as an administrator.
- Perform a clean boot by opening the task manager and select the 'Start up' Tab. Disable everything.
- Please be sure to disable or remove any overlays (Discord, Steam, NVIDIA etc.) as they may interfere with startup.
- Try reconfiguring some of the Steam controller settings. Go to Steam>Settings>Controller>General Controller Settings and unchecked all the boxes.
- Try unplugging all other devices and only plugging in the mouse, keyboard, and controller.
- Make sure Windows has been fully updated from the Microsoft/Windows Update website.
- Delete all USB and gamepad devices via the Device Manager. Restart your computer and allow the device to rediscover the devices and reinstall the drives.

We recommend that both Steam and the game be installed on the C: drive, as installing it on any drive that is not the default may cause more problems.

Thank you for visiting the Final Fantasy XIV Technical Support Forums!