Valorant, the electrifying 5v5 tactical shooter from Riot Games, has taken the gaming world by storm. Since its release in 2020, over 14 million players log in each month, competing in high-stakes matches.
But for many Valorant players, victory is thwarted before they can even load the game. The dreaded “Bootstrap Packaged Game” error prevents Valorant from launching properly on their machines.
As a veteran gamer and social media marketing expert, I’ve helped hundreds of players troubleshoot this error. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll explain exactly what causes the Bootstrap Packaged Game problem in Valorant, and share foolproof solutions to fix it for good. Let’s finally put this error to rest!
What Triggers the Bootstrap Packaged Game Error?
Before diving into solutions, it helps to understand what causes the Bootstrap Packaged Game error. Through my extensive experience fixing game issues, I’ve narrowed it down to two main culprits:
1. Anti-Cheat Software Conflicts
Valorant uses heavy-duty anti-cheat software called Riot Vanguard that loads during system startup. It runs at the kernel level of your operating system to provide deep scanning capabilities.
But some antivirus programs see this deep system access as suspicious activity, blocking Vanguard from running properly. This leads to the Bootstrap Packaged Game error.
2. Overzealous Antivirus Programs
Specifically, the two antivirus programs most prone to blocking Valorant are:
- Windows Defender Firewall
- Avast Antivirus
These two popular antivirus tools often misidentify Valorant’s Riot Vanguard anti-cheat component as an attack on your system. So they intervene, preventing Valorant from fully launching.
Now that you know the likely causes, let’s move on to the solutions so you can get back in the game.
Fixing Bootstrap Packaged Game Caused By Windows Defender
If you rely on the built-in Windows Defender for security, you’ll need to exempt Valorant from getting blocked. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Access Windows Defender Firewall
Search for “Windows Defender Firewall” and open it.
Step 2: Open Allowed Apps Menu
Select “Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall” in the left menu.
Step 3: Add Valorant and Vanguard Exclusions
- Choose “Change settings” > “Allow another app”
- Select “Browse” and find the following executables to allow:
- RiotClientServices.exe
- Valorant.exe
- Valorant-Win64-Shipping.exe
- vgc.exe
- Make sure to check BOTH private and public networks for each entry.
- Select “Add” after choosing each executable file.
Adding these exclusions for Valorant services and Riot Vanguard prevents Windows Defender from blocking the game due to its anti-cheat kernel access.
Fixing Bootstrap Errors Triggered By Avast Antivirus
If you use Avast Antivirus, you’ll need to take similar steps to allow Valorant through:
- Open Avast Antivirus and go to Menu > Settings > Exceptions
- Select “Add Exception” and browse to the Riot Games folder
- Check the box next to Riot Games and select “OK”
- Repeat steps 2-3 for the Riot Vanguard folder
This whitelists Valorant and Riot Vanguard, telling Avast to ignore them instead of blocking their activity.
Alternatively, you can try fully uninstalling Avast Antivirus to remove the software causing the conflict entirely.
Avoid Future Bootstrap Errors By Adding Exclusions
Now that you’ve fixed the pesky Bootstrap Packaged Game error, here are some tips to avoid it coming back:
-
Add exclusions immediately after installing any new competitive multiplayer game with anti-cheat software. Don’t wait for errors!
-
Always exclude anti-cheat services like Riot Vanguard that access the kernel level of your OS.
-
If you switch antivirus programs, transfer your exclusions to the new security software.
-
Keep your antivirus updated, but use exclusions instead of fully disabling protection.
As a professional gamer, staying on top of antivirus exclusions keeps me playing smoothly for years. I don’t have to waste precious time troubleshooting errors like “Bootstrap Packaged Game.”
The solutions above will get Valorant running flawlessly again so you can clutch those wins. No more frustrating lag before the action starts. Just remember to check your antivirus settings first when installing games that use invasive anti-cheat tools.
Now get back in there and show your enemies what you’re made of! If you need any help improving performance or fixing other Valorant issues, I’m here to assist.
