What Is DirectPlay Error 0x80073701?

The 0x80073701 error occurs when the Windows Component Store fails to enable the legacy DirectPlay feature required by older games. This typically surfaces when launching titles from the late 1990s or early 2000s that depend on dplayx.dll for network multiplayer or initialization routines.

Root Cause: Corrupted Windows Update cache or missing component store manifests prevent the DirectPlay optional feature from installing cleanly.

---## Step 1: Run the DISM Component Cleanup

Open an elevated Command Prompt (Run as Administrator) and execute:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Wait for the operation to complete at 100%. This repairs the component store and restores any missing manifests.

---## Step 2: Force-Enable DirectPlay via DISM

Once the component store is healthy, install DirectPlay directly:

DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:DirectPlay /All

If this returns successfully, skip to Step 4. If it still throws 0x80073701, continue to Step 3.

---## Step 3: Reset Windows Update Components

Run the following sequence to flush and rebuild the update cache:

net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver

After resetting, retry the DISM command from Step 2.

---## Step 4: Verify DirectPlay Is Active

Open Windows Features dialog:

OptionalFeatures.exe

Expand Legacy Components and confirm the checkbox next to DirectPlay is enabled. Click OK and reboot if prompted.

---## Step 5: Test Your Game

Launch your legacy title. The DirectPlay initialization error should be resolved. If you’re running games via compatibility layers (e.g., dgVoodoo2), ensure the wrapper DLLs are placed in the game’s root directory alongside the executable.

Pro Tip: For games that also require DirectDraw or Direct3D wrappers, pair this fix with dgVoodoo2 to translate legacy DirectX calls to modern Vulkan/D3D12.