Why Game Crashing on After Installing MelonLoader?

Miller Dean
December 11, 2025

Many users experience game crashes after installing MelonLoader. This guide explains the most common reasons for crashes and how to fix them while keeping your mods, settings, and game files safe.

MelonLoader is a universal mod loader for Unity games. It works by injecting itself into the game at startup. If something goes wrong with the loader, dependencies, or mods, the game may crash immediately.

Common Causes of Crashes

Wrong Architecture

MelonLoader provides separate files for 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) games. Installing the wrong version causes immediate crashes.

Signs:

Crash occurs immediately when launching the game
No loader console appears
Latest.log may be missing or incomplete

Fix:

Verify your game is 32-bit or 64-bit by checking the executable properties or system requirements
Download and install the matching MelonLoader ZIP or use the installer

Missing Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

MelonLoader depends on the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 runtime. If it is missing, the loader cannot initialize.

Signs:

Crash occurs without launching the game console
Error messages mention MSVCP140.dll, vcruntime140.dll, or similar

Fix:

Install both x86 and x64 versions of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable
Official link: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist

Missing .NET Desktop Runtime

Modern MelonLoader versions require .NET Desktop Runtime 6.0 for Il2Cpp games and managed assemblies.

Signs:

Crash occurs during assembly loading
Latest.log may indicate missing runtime or failed initialization

Fix:

Install .NET Desktop Runtime 6.0 matching your game architecture (x86 for 32-bit, x64 for 64-bit)
If unsure, install both x86 and x64 versions
Official link: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet/6.0

Conflicting version.dll

The version.dll file is the core loader. If the game already contains a version.dll from another mod loader or previous installation, conflicts may crash the game.

Signs:

Crash on startup immediately after replacing version.dll
Game may launch briefly before closing

Fix:

Rename the original version.dll to version_original.dll before adding MelonLoader version.dll
Ensure only one version.dll is present in the game folder

Corrupted MelonLoader Folder or Files

Incomplete or corrupted MelonLoader files can prevent the game from launching.

Signs:

Crash occurs immediately or after the loader console
Latest.log may be empty or missing key startup lines

Fix:

Delete the MelonLoader folder
Reinstall the latest version using the installer or official ZIP
Keep Mods, Plugins, and UserData folders intact

Incompatible Mods

Some mods are not compatible with the current version of MelonLoader or the game itself. Faulty mods can crash the game immediately.

Signs:

Game launches but crashes during asset or assembly loading
Latest.log shows “Failed to load assembly” or dependency errors

Fix:

Move all mods from the Mods folder to a temporary backup
Launch the game to confirm it works with no mods
Add mods back one by one and test for crashes
Update mods to the latest versions compatible with your MelonLoader version

Anti-Cheat or Security Software

Some games with anti-cheat systems (VAC, EAC, BattlEye) may block MelonLoader, causing startup crashes. Antivirus software can also interfere with the loader.

Signs: