If you have launched Black Myth Wukong and encountered the message “Couldn’t Start” alongside the error code “Create Process() Returned 2e4,” your system is failing to initialize the game’s process correctly during launch. This Black Myth Wukong couldn’t start error blocks the game entirely and appears across multiple hardware configurations on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

The error code 2e4 in hexadecimal translates to error 740 in decimal, which directly means “The Requested Operation Requires Elevation.” This confirms the error is rooted in privilege, protection layer, or process initialization conflicts rather than corrupted game files alone.

This guide covers every verified fix for the Black Myth Wukong Create Process() Returned 2e4 error.

What Causes the Black Myth Wukong Couldn’t Start – Create Process() Returned 2e4 Error

  • Insufficient administrator privileges preventing the game process from elevating correctly
  • Anti-cheat or DRM protection layer failing to initialize due to hypervisor conflicts
  • Memory Integrity or VBS blocking the game’s kernel-level process from starting
  • Corrupted or incomplete game installation missing critical launch components
  • Antivirus or Windows Defender blocking the game executable mid-launch
  • Secure Boot conflicting with the game’s protection driver initialization
  • Hyper-V or Windows Hypervisor Platform holding the virtualization layer exclusively
  • Outdated or corrupted GPU drivers causing process initialization failure
  • Visual C++ Redistributable packages missing or damaged on the host system
  • User Account Control misconfiguration preventing process elevation from completing

How to Fix Black Myth Wukong Couldn’t Start – Create Process() Returned 2e4

Fix 1: Run Black Myth Wukong as Administrator

Since error code 2e4 directly translates to an elevation requirement failure, running the game with full administrator privileges is the first and most targeted fix for this specific error.

Steps:

  • Close Black Myth Wukong and its launcher completely through Task Manager
  • Navigate to the Black Myth Wukong installation directory
  • Locate the main game executable, typically b1.exe or BlackMythWukong.exe
  • Right-click the executable and select Properties
  • Go to the Compatibility tab and check Run This Program as an Administrator
  • Click Apply and OK to save the setting permanently
  • Also right-click the Steam or Epic Games launcher shortcut and select Run as Administrator
  • Relaunch Black Myth Wukong and check whether the error persists

Fix 2: Disable Memory Integrity and VBS

Memory Integrity and Virtualization Based Security block kernel-level process elevation that Black Myth Wukong’s anti-cheat and protection components require during launch. Disabling both features removes the barrier causing the Create Process() elevation failure.

Steps:

  • Press Win + I and navigate to Privacy and Security, then Windows Security
  • Select Device Security and click Core Isolation Details
  • Toggle Memory Integrity to Off
  • Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and navigate to: Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, System, Device Guard
  • Double-click Turn On Virtualization Based Security and set it to Disabled
  • Click Apply and OK
  • Restart your PC to apply both changes before relaunching the game

Fix 3: Disable Hyper-V and Related Windows Features

An active Hyper-V installation claims exclusive control of the CPU virtualization layer, preventing Black Myth Wukong’s protection components from initializing their own process correctly and producing the Create Process() returned 2e4 error.

Steps:

  • Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run: bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off
  • Press Win + R, type optionalfeatures, and press Enter
  • Locate and uncheck the following features: Hyper-V, Windows Hypervisor Platform, Virtual Machine Platform
  • Click OK and allow Windows to apply the changes
  • Restart your PC and relaunch Black Myth Wukong

Fix 4: Add Black Myth Wukong as a Windows Security Exclusion

Windows Defender frequently intercepts Black Myth Wukong’s process elevation attempt mid-launch, blocking the executable before it can complete the Create Process() call successfully.

core isolation

Steps:

  • Open Windows Security and navigate to Virus and Threat Protection
  • Click Manage Settings and scroll to the Exclusions section
  • Click Add or Remove Exclusions, then select Add an Exclusion and choose Folder
  • Navigate to the Black Myth Wukong installation directory and add the entire folder
  • Common Steam path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Black Myth Wukong
  • Also disable Controlled Folder Access under Ransomware Protection temporarily
  • Restart your PC and relaunch the game

Fix 5: Verify Integrity of Game Files

Corrupted or missing game files can prevent the Create Process() call from completing, particularly if the main executable or launch configuration files are damaged.

Steps:

  • Open Steam or Epic Games Launcher and navigate to your game library
  • Right-click Black Myth Wukong and select Properties
  • Go to the Local Files tab and click Verify Integrity of Game Files
  • Allow the verification process to complete fully
  • If files are found missing or corrupted, the launcher redownloads them automatically
  • Restart the launcher and relaunch Black Myth Wukong after verification finishes

Fix 6: Repair Visual C++ Redistributables

Black Myth Wukong’s Unreal Engine 5 runtime depends on Microsoft Visual C++ packages for its process initialization sequence. Missing or corrupted runtime libraries cause the Create Process() call to fail before the game window appears.

Steps:

  • Press Win + R, type appwiz.cpl, and press Enter
  • Review the list for Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable entries
  • Download the latest Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable, both x64 and x86, from Microsoft
  • Right-click existing entries and select Repair if already installed
  • Install any missing versions and restart your PC after all repairs complete
  • Relaunch Black Myth Wukong and verify the error is resolved

Fix 7: Disable Secure Boot in BIOS

Secure Boot can block Black Myth Wukong’s anti-cheat driver from loading during the process initialization phase, causing the Create Process() call to return error 2e4 before the game fully starts.

Steps:

  • Restart your PC and enter BIOS/UEFI using F2, Delete, F10, or F12 depending on your motherboard
  • Navigate to the Security or Boot tab
  • Locate Secure Boot and set it to Disabled
  • Save your changes and exit BIOS
  • Allow Windows to boot fully before relaunching Black Myth Wukong

Fix 8: Update GPU Drivers

Outdated GPU drivers cause Unreal Engine 5 process initialization failures that manifest as Create Process() errors. Black Myth Wukong requires current driver support for its rendering pipeline to start correctly alongside the game process.

Steps:

  • Press Win + X and open Device Manager
  • Expand Display Adapters and right-click your dedicated GPU
  • Select Update Driver and choose Search automatically for drivers
  • Alternatively visit NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel’s official website for the latest driver package
  • Select Clean Installation during the install process
  • Restart your PC after installation completes and relaunch Black Myth Wukong

Fix 9: Check and Configure User Account Control Settings

An incorrectly configured User Account Control setting can prevent the process elevation that error 2e4 specifically requires. Setting UAC to its recommended level ensures the elevation prompt appears and completes correctly.

Steps:

  • Press Win + R, type useraccountcontrolsettings, and press Enter
  • Ensure the UAC slider is set to the second level from the top: Notify me only when apps try to make changes to my computer
  • Click OK to apply the setting
  • Avoid setting UAC to Never Notify as this can paradoxically prevent certain elevation requests from completing
  • Restart your PC and relaunch Black Myth Wukong

Fix 10: Perform a Clean Reinstall of Black Myth Wukong

If none of the above fixes have resolved the Create Process() returned 2e4 error, a complete clean reinstall eliminates every corrupted launch file, misconfigured component, and leftover installation artifact.

Steps:

  • Uninstall Black Myth Wukong through Steam or Epic Games Launcher completely
  • Navigate to the installation directory and manually delete any remaining folders
  • Press Win + R, type %localappdata%, and remove any Black Myth Wukong related folders
  • Also clear %appdata% of any remaining game folders
  • Restart your PC before reinstalling
  • Reinstall Black Myth Wukong to an SSD with adequate free space
  • Run the launcher as Administrator and launch the game after installation completes

Conclusion

The Black Myth Wukong “Couldn’t Start – Create Process() Returned 2e4” error is a process elevation failure with a clear root cause that points directly to privilege conflicts, hypervisor interference, and protection layer initialization issues. Start with Fix 1 and Fix 2 for the fastest and most targeted results since error code 2e4 specifically indicates an elevation requirement that administrator privileges and Memory Integrity changes address directly. Work through the remaining fixes if the Create Process() error continues. With the correct system configuration and clean installation in place, Black Myth Wukong will launch cleanly without the couldn’t start error appearing again.