Overwatch wont launch with Avast 17.4.2294

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Having problems launching Overwatch with this new update (17.4.2294). It was working fine earlier today on the previous version.

Pressing play on the Blizzard launcher causes nothing to happen except for the Overwatch process to pop up in task manager. If i disable File System Shield, the game immediately launches no problem. 

I tried adding the Overwatch folder and battle.net folder to exclusions, but that did not work.

I have tried running a repair and also uninstall/reinstall but that did nothing either.

I am using Avast Free Antivirus 17.4.2294 on Windows 10 64-Bit Pro 1703.

[Alikhan]

I've escalated this issue to the Avast devs.

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I had this issue as well. The problem started yesterday for me, and it would usually take upwards of 5 minutes for the game to finally launch. Once it did, it would freeze while loading a new map, but during an actual match, it seemed to work fine. It was when a match ended that the problems began.

What worked for me was to go to Settings > Components > click Customize on File System Shield > Exclusions, and adding the folder where Overwatch is installed, as well as the folder for Battle.net.

For me it was "C:\Program Files (x86)\Overwatch\" and "C:\Program Files (x86)\Battle.net\". I also added the folder for Overwatch Test (the PTR), but not everyone uses that, so I'm not sure if that had any effect~

[REDACTED]

I've escalated this issue to the Avast devs.

Great! Thank you.

I had this issue as well. The problem started yesterday for me, and it would usually take upwards of 5 minutes for the game to finally launch. Once it did, it would freeze while loading a new map, but during an actual match, it seemed to work fine. It was when a match ended that the problems began.

What worked for me was to go to Settings > Components > click Customize on File System Shield > Exclusions, and adding the folder where Overwatch is installed, as well as the folder for Battle.net.

For me it was "C:\Program Files (x86)\Overwatch\" and "C:\Program Files (x86)\Battle.net\". I also added the folder for Overwatch Test (the PTR), but not everyone uses that, so I'm not sure if that had any effect~

That is so strange! So I ended up trying to add both folders you mentioned back to the exclusions list, and its now working for me. When I added them before it did nothing, so I'm guessing when I did a full uninstall and reinstall of Avast, that fixed my exclusion list as it wasn't successfully excluding the folders prior.

Thanks

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Just when I thought that had cleared up the issue. It's back to doing it again. It has to be due to the new virus definitions that were downloaded, because disabling the File System Shield makes the game work fine again.

I might have to check out some other antivirus programs until this gets sorted out for good...

[Eddy]

No, it is not the VPS that is the problem.
It is the micro fix that avast has rolled out.

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I have the same issue with Avast. It has been going on for like 3 days now. When I try to launch Overwatch nothing happens, even though battle.net client says that the game is running and its process is active in task manager. When I disable Avast shields the game launches normally. I've tried to enable Avast after the game had been launched but then I couldn't load a map, the game stopped responding. It's definitely an issue with the last Avast update. Also excluding battle.net and overwatch folders didn't help. I hope this can be resolved soon cos I like this antivirus and it would suck to have to switch to something else. :/

I'm using version 17.4.2294 (build 17.4.3482.0)
Virus library 170505-0

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I've been having the same problem as above, it wont load anything, map nor game. but sometimes it works..... Im so confused! I just want to play OW and I have to deal with this

PLEASE FIX. seems to be the case with all online (realtime) games

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Looks like im having problems again with overwatch, even with both folders added to exclusion. Only way to play atm is to disable File Shield while playing the game =/

Hope this gets fixed asap!

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same here, just with terrible mouse stutter when it started. although the latter i had in multiple other games too after the update. had to deinstall avast and default to defender, since the stutter wouldnt have gone away, even after clean install and restart. after deinstalling - stutter was gone as it had come. corded mouse btw.

i wonder how something like this even happens. in 5 years never had my pcs normal operation hampered like that by avast really sad to see. anyway, keeping avast off my pc is my only option - and hoping they hear us and act. Preferably not in some months, since i trusted avast again this year by buying the license.

please avast, prove to us that you care. overwatch is a game played by millions and millions and i can't be the only one having issues in other games.

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I am also having the same problem with avast conflicting with Overwatch.
Adding Overwatch to the exclusions doesn't change anything, but disabling the shields allows Overwatch to work properly.
Please sort this out because many other people are reporting this conflict with avast on Blizzard's Overwatch forum too: https://eu.battle.net/forums/en/overwatch/search?q=avast&forum=19369429

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Hello,
I also have the same issue when launching Overwatch: The game takes up to 3 minutes to launch when it should only take 5 seconds. The problem disappears when I disable the anti-virus file system shield agent.
Thanks for your support.

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Avast adds the gaming mode when they dont even let you play games XD......plz help us. Any Online game is hindered by Avast shutting it down and restricting its disk recall speed to literally 0. Disabling the shields (Behavior and File) make the games work properly. I really like avast, but if they dont fix this soon, bye bye

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Same problem here.  Overwatch wouldn't launch at all when avast shields were enabled.  Even after disabling them there were issues with the game.  Came here to look for a solution.  I'm forced to uninstall until this is resolved.

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Guys, try this and see if it fixes your issue. I don't have overwatch, but my IDM and virtualbox had similar issues.

https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=201729.msg1391933#msg1391933