[Windows 11] Game won't start or can't go online (error codes: 0x11C7, E-POLICY)

About this announcement

We've had reports that on Windows 11 PCs, Drawaoke either "won't start" or "starts but can't go online." Both have the same cause: Windows 11's "Smart App Control" (a feature that protects your PC) is blocking the game's files.

If you can play right now, you only need to read "What can happen after an update." If you're thinking of buying the game, see "Check your own PC" and "About refunds."

First, find out which one applies to you

The game won't start (0x11C7)

• When you launch it from Steam, you see "Failed to start process for game:"
• The message after it may be garbled, and it ends with the code (0x11C7)
• The original message means "An Application Control policy has blocked this file"

The game starts but can't go online (E-POLICY)

• The game shows "E-POLICY" and this message: Windows 11's "Smart App Control" is blocking a file this game needs for online play.
• You can't play with other people, but you can play with bots
• It happens every time, even after restarting Steam or reinstalling the game

If neither applies to you, see the last section, "Still not fixed, or neither applies."

The cause (A and B)

For both A and B, the cause is a standard Windows 11 feature, "Smart App Control," blocking the game's files. If it blocks the game itself, you get A. If it blocks the file needed for online play, you get B.

This feature checks each file an app uses one by one. Apps without a "signature" that proves who published them, and new apps that not many people have used yet, haven't been confirmed as safe yet. Drawaoke's files have no signature, and the game is still new, so they fall into this group.

What can happen after an update (if you can play right now)

When the game updates and its files change, files that used to get through can be blocked again. That's why some people who were playing fine before suddenly couldn't go online after an update.

Starting with the current version, v1.1.5, we rebuilt the file needed for online play so its contents won't change with updates. Because of this, we expect that people who can play now will no longer suddenly lose online play after an update.

(The game's main file is new with every update, so "won't start" can still happen after an update. If it does, pick an option from "What you can do.")

Check your own PC (A and B)

This feature is only on Windows 11 PCs.

Check in Settings whether Smart App Control is "On."

• Settings (Windows key + I) > Privacy & security > Windows Security > App & browser control > Smart App Control settings
• If it's "On," A or B can happen
• "Evaluation" is a wait-and-see mode. It doesn't block files, but after analyzing how you use your PC, Windows automatically switches it to "On" or "Off"
• If it's "Off," this feature isn't involved. (If you still have problems such as not being able to go online, that's a different cause, so we'd appreciate a report.)

You can see what was blocked in the same Windows Security app, under "Virus & threat protection" > "Protection history." For B, you'll see a file with "steamworksjs" in its name.

What you can do (3 options)

You have 3 options. It's up to you whether to turn it off.

• ① Turn off Smart App Control (read "Before you turn it off" below first)
• ② Request a refund (see "About refunds")
• ③ Wait for Microsoft's review (see "What's next")

Before you turn it off

Turning it off lets the game start and go online, but it removes this protection from your whole PC. And on some PCs, you can't turn it back "On" later.

• There's no sure way to check beforehand whether your PC will let you turn it back on. Only turn it off if you're OK with not being able to turn it back on
• To improve your chances of turning it back on, install all Windows updates first (if you have updates from March 2026 or later, you can often turn it back on from the same screen)
• There's no setting that lets just one game through (according to Microsoft). You change the setting on the same screen where you checked it
• 2P START can't take responsibility for what happens as a result of turning it off

About refunds

You can request a Steam refund for any reason. The general guideline is within 14 days of purchase and under 2 hours of playtime. This applies whether the game wouldn't start or you couldn't play online.

What's next

If enough people play this game and Microsoft judges it safe, it will stop being blocked even on PCs set to "On." That's because this feature doesn't block files that many people have used and that have been judged safe. We don't know when that will happen.

Also, on October 5 we asked Microsoft to review the safety of our files. We'll post another update when we get the results.

Still not fixed, or neither applies

If you're in one of these groups, it's a different cause. We're still looking into it.

• You see a code other than "E-POLICY" (a different code starting with E-)
• You can't go online, but no error code appears
• Smart App Control is "Off," but you still can't connect

Please send us the details through our official X account (@2P_START) or the in-game bug report (if the game won't start, use the form in the next section). We'll share what we find in the announcements on the store page. If you can't play while we look into it, you can also request a refund.

Please send a report

Won't start (0x11C7) → please use the bug report form.

https://forms.gle/ii31gnhJWewgsQtCA

Can't go online (E-POLICY) → please send it from inside the game.

• In the game's settings: "News and bug reports" > "Report a bug"
• The "Report a problem" button on the "You're not online right now." screen

When you send it from inside the game, the error code and the game log are attached automatically (your name and Steam ID are not included).