When impacted users try to run the RuneScape client on their Windows machine, they are generally met with an error popup reading “There Was An Eerror Loading The Game Configuration From The Website.” Users on Windows 10, 8.1, and 7 have reported experiencing this issue.
Method 1: Turn Off/Uninstall Extra Security Program
There is a chance that a false positive from your third-party security suite will cause your connection to the game server to be terminated. In this situation, turning off real-time protection or removing the third-party suite should solve the issue.
Turning off real-time protection from the tray icon of the third-party suite you’re currently utilising is a good place to start.
Restart the game and see if you continue to receive the “There was an error loading the game configuration from the website” message after turning off real-time protection.
If the error remains after these measures, try temporarily disabling your third-party antivirus software as described below.
Step 1: Simply tapping the Windows key plus R brings up the Run window. Press Enter after typing “appwiz.cpl” to get the Programs and Features window.
Step 2: If you think an antivirus product is to blame for the RuneScape crash, you can check its status in the Programs & Features menu.
Step 3: After prompted to remove software, just follow the prompts and restart your machine when you’re done.
Step 4: Start the game up again when the next startup has finished to check on the status of the process.
In the event that this is not the case, or if you have already tried this and are still getting the same issue, proceed to the next possible solution.
Method 2: A Browser Restart or Replacement
Keep in mind that RuneScape is mostly played from within a browser, as it is a Java-based browser. If you have already ruled out any security interference as the cause, then the browser you are using to access the game should be your next line of inquiry.
Unfortunately, corrupted cached data is most likely to be the root cause of this problem. Specifically, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge, both built into Windows, have been observed to experience this issue.
Some people who have encountered this issue have reported that it was fixed after they restarted their browser, deleted their cache, or switched to a new browser. In this case, it’s best to go back to basics and just restart your browser.
Simply exit the game, restart it, and load it again. You can try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies if the issue persists after that, especially if you’re attached to it. If you are using a browser built for your operating system, you may want to switch to something like Firefox, Chrome, or Opera.
Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge are notoriously incompatible with Java-based gaming browsers (like RuneScape).
Method 3: Shifting the Keyboard’s Position
Strange as it may seem, several players have reported success in fixing the “There was an error loading the game configuration from the website” error by switching to the English keyboard layout (US). While the reason this works has never been officially explained, a number of impacted players have reported that it has solved their problems with launching the RuneScape client.
Users have speculated that this issue may arise if the server notices a discrepancy between the user’s preferred browser and operating system languages. Here are the steps to take if you think this might be your case:
Step 1: To bring up the Run dialogue box, use the Windows key plus R. In the following text field, write “control,” and then hit Enter to bring up the standard Control Panel.
Step 2: Simply type “region” into the search bar at the top right of the traditional Control Panel and hit “Enter.”
Step 3: Then, select Regions from the drop-down menu of available options.
Step 4: The Regions window’s Formats tab is where you’ll want to make your English (United States) preference permanent.
Step 5: Once you’ve made the adjustment and saved it, restart your computer and give it a few minutes to boot up normally before trying to open RuneScape again.
