If Steam’s folder permissions are broken, it may fail to authenticate the game.
The “Steam must be running” error in is almost always a DRM handshake glitch — not a real Steam absence. Following the admin + verification steps above resolves it 95% of the time. And with the extra quality tweaks, you’ll get a sharper, smoother experience than the default console ports. If Steam’s folder permissions are broken, it may
Missing or corrupted files (like steam_api.dll ) often trigger this message. Open your . Right-click DmC: Devil May Cry and select Properties . Go to the Installed Files (or Local Files ) tab. If Steam’s folder permissions are broken
Common false-positive engines: Windows Defender, Malwarebytes, Bitdefender. you’ll get a sharper