Because the error mentions "(Top)," it may be failing to read your graphics configuration.
If you are a PC gamer who has spent any time with Treyarch’s futuristic shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, you may have encountered one of the most frustrating runtime errors in the franchise’s history: "The additional DLL could not be loaded (Top)."
This error typically rears its head during the game’s startup sequence, often right after the splash screen or during the loading of the main menu. It effectively bricks the game, preventing you from accessing Zombies, Multiplayer, or the Campaign.
In this extensive guide, we will dissect exactly what this error means, why it points to a "(Top)" function, and provide 10 proven methods to permanently eliminate it. Because the error mentions "(Top)," it may be
Running the game as administrator can resolve the issue if the game is not loading the required DLL files due to permissions issues.
For many PC gamers, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 remains a high-water mark for the series’ zombie mode and campaign design. However, attempting to launch the game on modern hardware often results in a frustrating roadblock: a pop-up error message stating, "The additional DLL could not be loaded."
This error is notorious because it provides no context. It doesn't tell you which DLL is missing or why the load failed. Fortunately, this is almost always a redistribution package issue. Here is a breakdown of why this happens and how to fix it so you can get back to the front lines. In this extensive guide, we will dissect exactly
Less common, but missing dependencies can mimic a DLL error.
How to fix:
The most common cause of this error is a conflict or corruption within the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages. However, attempting to launch the game on modern
Black Ops 3 is an older title (released in 2015) that relies on specific versions of C++ libraries to function. Modern Windows PCs often have newer versions installed, or—in the case of a fresh Windows install—the specific older versions the game demands are missing. When the game executable tries to call upon these libraries and fails, it defaults to the generic "DLL could not be loaded" message.
If a DLL file has genuinely been deleted or corrupted by an overzealous antivirus, Steam can fix it.
Modern antivirus software hates game DLLs because they inject code into memory. Specifically, look for quarantined files named steam_api64.dll, nvapi64.dll (for NVIDIA), or amd_ags_x64.dll.