A new update is released, bringing along a slew of new bugs to deal with. If you encounter the “App Not Released” message when attempting to launch MW3, there are several steps you can take to resolve it.
Remove your free trial
Some instances of MW3 may display the “App Not Released” error due to a lingering free trial of the game. To address this:
- Close Steam entirely.
- Then, open Steam as an administrator by right-clicking the game’s icon and selecting “Run as administrator.”
- Navigate to the MW3 game page and access properties in the top right corner.
- In the DLC tab, deselect the Free Trial option.
- Once again, close and reopen Steam as an administrator.
- Access properties and verify the integrity of the files. This action should identify any issues, remove the free trial, and resolve the “App Not Released” bug for MW3.
Clear your download cache
Occasionally, issues with MW3’s launch can stem from the Steam download cache. Simply go to Steam settings, navigate to the Downloads tab, and select ‘Clear Cache.’ This should tidy up your downloads folder and ideally address the “App Not Released” bug for MW3.
Reset your PC to fix the App Not Released MW3 error
If the aforementioned solutions fail to resolve the issue, consider performing a straightforward PC reset. While it may seem like a basic solution, sometimes the simplest ones are the most effective.
What is the cause of the bug?
This common error typically arises when a game is pre-loaded but not yet available to play. While pre-loading a game allows immediate access upon release, the “App Not Released” message serves as a placeholder. However, considering MW3’s extended release timeframe, this error occurs due to an issue with the latest update. Usually, Activision promptly identifies and addresses such issues, but why it went unnoticed initially remains uncertain.
