How To Fix ‘Serialization Error Action Needed’ in Ready or Not

Ready or Not, while sounding deceptively innocent, is a hardcore SWAT FPS experience, not for the faint of heart. However, even seasoned veterans can encounter frustrating technical hitches. This guide tackles the dreaded "Serialization Error Action Needed" in Ready or Not.

The "Serialization Error Action Needed" error, often accompanied by "Corrupt data found, please verify your installation," is a common Unreal Engine issue. Here's how to troubleshoot it:

1. Verify Your Game Files

The game itself suggests the first step: verify your game files. Ensure Steam isn't in offline mode. Follow these steps:

1. Open your Steam Library and locate Ready or Not.
2. Right-click the game and select "Properties".
3. Navigate to "Local Files" and click "Verify Integrity of Game Files".

Steam will scan and replace any corrupted or missing files. Try launching Ready or Not again. If successful, you're all set! If not, proceed to the next steps.

2. Remove Mods

Outdated or incompatible mods, especially those not updated for Unreal Engine 5, are frequent culprits. To remove mods:

1. Open your Steam Library and locate Ready or Not.
2. Left-click "Manage", then "Browse Local Files".
3. Navigate to the ReadyOrNot\Content\Paks folder.
4. Delete the mod.io folder.

This will remove your mods. The game *should* now run, but you'll need to reinstall your mods selectively, as detailed below.

3. Reinstall Mods Selectively

Reinstall your mods one at a time, checking each mod's update date. Mods updated after July 2024 (when Ready or Not transitioned to UE5) are more likely to be compatible. If you encounter the error after installing a specific mod, that's the culprit; skip it. Incompatible mods simply won't work with the UE5 version of Ready or Not.

If all else fails, a clean reinstall of Ready or Not might be necessary. While hard drive corruption is a possibility, outdated mods are the most common cause of this error.

Ready or Not is available now for PC.