Launcher stays on "Preparing..." after pressing "Play"

I too am having this problem, although it just started with 2.0.792. I am launching a vanilla instance on Mac OS X Sierra (10.12.3). I worked perfectly a few hours ago. This latest update somehow broke something...

Yep, I think so. Yesterday I was playing without problems. Just waiting...

Exactly the same problem at the same time in the morning and in the afternoon everything worked perfectly

It was working Yesterday, but now I'm having this problem. I tried re-installing Minecraft but that didn't work.

also with same problem on Mac OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan, stopped working straight after recent launcher was installed.

Similar problem. I opened Minecraft this morning and got a "Downloading Runtime", then when I try to launch, it's stuck at preparing. On MacOS, no mods.

I cleared launcher_log.txt and watched it as I ran the launcher. What I got when I clicked on Play was the following:

[0209/091954:INFO:ClientHandler.cpp(846)] Preferences: Wrote preferences

[0209/091954:INFO:GameCallbacks.cpp(161)] launcher/launcher (main) info Preparing to launch minecraft client for 1.11.2

[0209/091954:INFO:GameCallbacks.cpp(161)] launcher/launcher (main) debug Prepared asset index

[0209/091954:INFO:GameCallbacks.cpp(161)] launcher/launcher (main) debug Have 1215 total files to check or download

[0209/091954:INFO:GameCallbacks.cpp(161)] launcher/launcher (main) debug Waiting for 1215 futures

And that's where it's stuck at. So it's clearly trying to download something.

Hi Guys, Dinnerbone is aware of this issue and is actively working on fixing it, he will be rolling back to a previous release shortly so please give ~30 minutes from this message before trying again.

Was just about to post my Launcher Log (which confirms Cory's suspicion) but will wait to try again in a bit. Thanks Lutzee for the update.

Same problem on my MacBook Pro running OS X Yosemite 10.10.5. Runtime updated this morning and when I clicked 'START' it stalled out on 'preparing'...

Same issue

Read before write. They're already working to fix it 😃 https://bugs.mojang.com/browse/MCL-5646

I too have a problem with this matter on my Mac. The first launcher update a few days ago was okay and worked, but this second one just pauses on "Preparing" and had me wait half an hour until I gave up and went to find help. I appreciate your effort in fixing this matter.

However, if you MUST play (same boat^^) you can download a old verision from here:
https://minecraft.net/en-us/download/alternative

It works.

@mojang-support: Why you don't repeat this Info to the community?
There are a many people, they wants to play. And no Support/Help has any repeat this infos here.

A user has introduced me, well i can play now.. But i think thats not the job of user...

UPDATE: I was able to successfully download the new runtime and launch the game. Thanks for the rapid turnaround!

Can't even log in to launcher so can't enjoy the fact that it's been fixed. Ahh the joy.

OsoMiner, does your Minecraft open for half a second and then immediately close? I ended up deleting the app and then reinstalling and it worked fine (and left everything in App Support intact).

Still having this issue, can't get past preparing ...

I cannot play Minecraft through Gameband; see closed as duplicate Minecraft Launcher MCL-5935 Gameband does not progress after PLAY; stalls at PREPARING

I have tried to work around the issue to see if I can play Minecraft through other means; see closed as technical issue (I disagree as not technical issue) Minecraft Launcher MCL-6050 Three Versions of Launcher; game freezes upon entry into world

Exit Code: -805306369 was only returned in one version of the Launcher. The other two Launchers have Exit Code 1. I have not been able to successfully play Minecraft using Gameband, new Launcher, or any other version of Launcher available. How is this a technical issue? Not being able to use paid subscription to Gameband or Realms is extremely irritating.

Yesterday, I was receiving a JAVA pop up window under the Minecraft window. If I closed that JAVA pop up window, the game crashed; still was not able to log in using Gameband.

Today, I no longer am receiving a JAVA pop up window, but do see in TASK MANAGER "Java(TM) Platform SE binary - Not responding".

P.S. No crash report, no event viewer entry, no go with reinstall, no NVIDIA issue

Some of the responses in these JIRA tickets state technical issue and refer user to support. However, support refers to bug tracker here. Frustrating.

I managed to start the game once and noticed my performance in game was greatly boosted while using the new launcher. But I haven't been able to launch the game again since then.

I am using the old launcher, which works fine. But I really do want to use this new launcher, so I hope this bug along with the "launcher crashes when downloading a new version" bug is fixed soon.

O meu Minecraft não esta abrindo pfv me ajude mojang

I experienced this (my son did) on our mac El Capitain laptop. Resulted from recent update, as OP described, game wouldn't launch, stuck on Preparing. I restarted the mac, tried again, and it launches just fine now. Have y'all tried restarting?

Note: One other thing I did which may provide an additional clue or may be a red herring: I reset my son's mac account password so I could get in and tinker. Consequently KeyChain access failed, and in launching thru the new launcher, KeyChain barked a few times but never succeeded. Yet, his Mojang/Minecraft worlds were all there and that account seemed fine, so maybe it's not at all related..

None of the suggestions presented has worked; I am still unable to use Gameband.

Are you all using gameband? There is a known issue with gandband, but it requires a fix in their code to resolve the situation. We are working with them to try and get that out ASAP.

I am using Gameband; cannot progess past "Preparing". I also have crash issue with new launcher without Gameband; crashes upon entry into worlds.

This morning Gameband ran an update. New launcher allowed entry into Gameband single player games and Realms. However, game crashed three (3) times with seemingly different errors – one of which referenced java client. The below report highlighted three different errors: (1) Skipping bad option: lastServer; (2) Received passengers for unknown entity; and (3) fatal Error executing task. Gameband was able to exit on request and perform backup.

07:56:00 launcher main info Preparing to launch minecraft client for 1.11.2
07:56:01 launcher main info Checking installations.
07:56:01 launcher main info Minecraft client 1.11.2 is ready to start.
07:56:01 launcher main info Starting!
07:56:01 launcher main info Using default game log configuration client-1.7.xml (outputs XML)
07:56:02 bes Client thread info Setting user: xxxxxxxxxx
07:56:03 beu Client thread warn Skipping bad option: lastServer:
07:56:03 bes Client thread info LWJGL Version: 2.9.4
07:56:03 cae Client thread info Reloading ResourceManager: Default
07:56:04 ccq Sound Library Loader info Starting up SoundSystem...
07:56:04 ccq Thread-5 info Initializing LWJGL OpenAL
07:56:04 ccq Thread-5 info (The LWJGL binding of OpenAL. For more information, see http://www.lwjgl.org)
07:56:04 ccq Thread-5 info OpenAL initialized.
07:56:04 ccq Sound Library Loader info Sound engine started
07:56:06 byy Client thread info Created: 1024x512 textures-atlas
07:56:36 com.mojang.realmsclient.RealmsMainScreen Client thread info Realms library version == 1.10.13
07:56:37 com.mojang.realmsclient.RealmsMainScreen MCO Compatability Checker #1 info Realms is available for this user
07:57:04 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Your game mode has been updated to Creative Mode
07:57:07 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Your game mode has been updated to Survival Mode
07:57:42 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Your game mode has been updated to Creative Mode
08:05:06 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Changing to clear weather
08:05:29 bno Client thread warn Received passengers for unknown entity
08:11:15 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Changing to clear weather
08:11:34 bno Client thread warn Received passengers for unknown entity
08:11:34 bno Client thread warn Received passengers for unknown entity
08:11:34 bno Client thread warn Received passengers for unknown entity
08:11:34 bno Client thread warn Received passengers for unknown entity
08:11:34 bno Client thread warn Received passengers for unknown entity
08:11:44 bno Client thread warn Received passengers for unknown entity
08:19:42 bno Client thread warn Received passengers for unknown entity
08:20:15 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Changing to clear weather
08:20:48 bno Client thread warn Received passengers for unknown entity
08:21:21 bno Client thread warn Received passengers for unknown entity
08:29:42 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Changing to clear weather
08:38:25 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Changing to clear weather
08:47:51 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Changing to clear weather
08:58:58 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Changing to clear weather
09:08:08 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Changing to clear weather
09:17:36 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Changing to clear weather
09:25:11 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Changing to clear weather
09:33:57 bfn Client thread info [CHAT] Changing to clear weather
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:35:40 bes Client thread fatal Error executing task
09:36:01 bes Client thread info Stopping!
09:36:01 ccq Client thread info SoundSystem shutting down...
09:36:01 ccq Client thread warn Author: Paul Lamb, www.paulscode.com
09:36:02 launcher main info Process closed with exit code 0
09:36:02 launcher main info

I don't even know what gameband is and I am having the same problem. It started with an update to the launcher, which would not be so bad if I could go back to the last launcher.

I have the same issue on W7. Still on "preparing" after 30 minutes

I have it so that it with me when I Version 1.8.8 mache download it the Version but then the launcher Closes and then Comes it again but stands because it is a rundown is or dad it is not that it is a problem

It is not both what you have sent me

This is still an issue for me with a brand new installation. Using the old launcher works fine.

Minecraft 1.12.2 and launcher 2.0.934 on W10

There's a lot of resolved duplicates related to this issue, so my question is; @nikecow Is this still an issue for you? Or anybody else for that matter..?

I see from the screenshot you have airplane mode turned on, have you made sure the game finished downloading?

Got the issue on the latest Launcher beta - 2.1.2339 on Manjaro (installed from AUR). Previous beta did not have that issue.

Attached slightly edited launcher log above (username and GUIDs removed). Happens on launching both modded and non-modded profiles.

Same profile set works on non-beta launcher (2.1.1431).

@Madis: Please try using the Mojang Support Center, maybe they can solve your issue. If they cannot, please leave another comment on this ticket.

I would vote for this issue if I could; it makes Minecraft completely unplayable.  Is present on ArchLinux.  Minecraft was completely playable on my system on August 27th.  Tried to play it for the first time since, the launcher sat stuck on "Preparing....." indefinately.