I installed The Witcher 3 manually without problem (integrity check passed, install successful).
I ran the 1.01 patch successfully.

As soon as I try to launch the game I get the following error:

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: witcher3.exe
Application Version: 3.0.0.0
Application Timestamp: 5557f2ae
Fault Module Name: witcher3.exe
Fault Module Version: 3.0.0.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 5557f2ae
Exception Code: 40000015
Exception Offset: 0000000000ddd1ae
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 37d7
Additional Information 2: 37d7dbd65c040813bb9eab9e5857d876
Additional Information 3: ca53
Additional Information 4: ca53cc78ef09184533799cecee678971

Running Windows 7 (x64) with GeForce 770 GPU

same problem here hope they have a solution

Could be your drivers need to be reinstalled? Have you tried that?

Mine crashes soon as I click the game's shortcut as well. Different error message though. I downloaded directly from GoG, didn't use their galaxy thing. Same for 1.01 patch. Install went fine...

Problem Event Name: BEX64
Application Name: witcher3.exe
Application Version: 3.0.0.0
Application Timestamp: 5557f2ae
Fault Module Name: witcher3.exe
Fault Module Version: 3.0.0.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 5557f2ae
Exception Offset: 0000000000ddd198
Exception Code: c0000409
Exception Data: 0000000000000007
OS Version: 6.3.9600.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: f682
Additional Information 2: f682a07820017b0b235149d971f1fdac
Additional Information 3: 0cda
Additional Information 4: 0cda6f90c3aa3a5d6bc410d27c5fa335

Windows 8.1 64bit. Nvidia Titan X sli. Installed the display drivers that were released today.

I updated to the latest drivers earlier today.

Okay, I got it working, but my method may not be palatable to everyone.

I have the GOG Galaxy client installed, but have not been using it, preferring manual installation. I had not used it in a while.

I started it up and it updated itself, then it proceeded to locate my manual installation of The Witcher 3. It *may* have done some minor updating. I also purchased and installed the first two 'Free DLC' packs which may also have updated some key files.

After that I hit play and it launched just fine.

My theory is that there may be issues with an out of date version of GOG Galaxy installed even though not used. Updating or (as some have posted elsewhere) removing it completely may fix the issue.

It's also possible that the galaxy client has more recent files than those in manual patch 1.01.

Either way, if you can stomach GOG Galaxy and *really* want to play right now it might be worth a try.

I was able to resolve the issue by following the steps below from the FAQ:

1. Uninstall Galaxy
2. Open command line (Start->type "cmd" -> right click "cmd.exe" and click "run as administrator")
3. Type sc delete GalaxyClientService
sc delete GalaxyCommunication
4. Go to //gamedir\bin\x64 and rename or delete galaxy.dll
5. Launch the game, an error message will pop up, but the next time you start it everything should be fine

thanks guys. got mine running just by reinstalling DX11 redist and VC redist from microsoft.

I just bought and installed The Witcher 3 from GOG and it doesn't even start. I get the error mentioned in the title:

APPCRASH
witcher3.exe

on the module USER32.dll.
I'm not using the Galaxy feature, did not even download that. I followed all suggestions from GOG support page but nothing works. In a different forum someone solved by REINSTALLING WINDOWS...that's hilarious, like people have computers just for games!
Should I return it back? How is it possible that people buy a new game and it doesn't work? Heard that the Steam version doesn't have all these issues...This is totally disappointing!!!

An AppCrash with a faulting module of User32.dll is a UI problem. It could be a system issue, third party interference or even a mod. Time for some sleuthing on your part to narrow down what's causing it. The problem is not with the game, but something on your system.

Hi Hickory,

you are right but I have problems with this game only! Does it use that dll in a different way?
Anyway I've run a lot of tests and finally found what was the issue. Just for the sake of other users that might experience the same, in my case the problem was another application running in the background, Trusteer Endpoint.
I got it by following a suggestion from another forum:
- open a CMD window by right clicking on the command prompt icon and selecting "Run as Administrator"
- type
tasklist /m user32.dll

this shows all applications that are accessing the user32.dll library. In my case I noticed that Trusteer was using that DLL so I disabled it and ran the game. It worked!
Hope this can help other players in my same situation.
Cheers!!!

It has nothing to do with the game. As I said, and as you discovered, it's the third party application at fault, not the game.

You didn't get what I meant, I'll make it simple: 2 games (I might mention more) on the same exact system/configuration, my computer:

- Battlefield 1 runs with no problems
- The Witcher 3 requires Trusteer to be stopped in order to work properly

Both use user32.dll. Developers that worked on The Witcher 3 obviously dealt with this kind of "concurrency" in a different way, worse I would say. Considering that Trusteer has to be stopped in order to make ONLY this game work on my system I wouldn't say it' "has nothing to do with the game". Somehow the game has been written in a way that's not compatible with Trusteer, that's it.
Anyway solution found and everybody is happy.

I knew exactly what you meant, and you're wrong. Game developers consider (and work alongside) system and driver software primarily. They cannot possibly be expected to make their game compatible with every single piece of software out there. Trusteer causes problems with The Witcher 3 *on your system*, as you've found, but that does not mean it is the fault of The Witcher 3 or CD Projekt Red. That's ludicrous.