
Scroll down the settings list and look for , Data Execution Prevention (DEP) , and Mandatory ASLR .
This comprehensive troubleshooting guide details exactly why this error occurs and provides step-by-step methods to get your game working. Root Causes of the QA Approved Build Error
Locate and the folder named WB Games (specifically the Batman Arkham City GOTY subfolder). Scroll down the settings list and look for
In 90% of cases regarding the "January" build error, the culprit is , specifically related to your processor's ability to handle "threads."
This specific crash is a legacy signature error within Rocksteady's customized Unreal Engine 3 build. The text string QA_APPROVED_BUILD_JANUARY_2011 points to the internal milestone build that the QA team approved during development. When the game engine encounters broken system configurations, incompatible graphics APIs, or unreadable cached data, it completely shuts down and outputs this raw build snapshot code into a Windows error window. Step-by-Step Fixes to Restore the Game 1. Wipe the Local Documents Cache (Highly Recommended) In 90% of cases regarding the "January" build
On Screen 42, a sticker was slapped onto the bezel: .
This error does appear in Batman: Arkham City GOTY Steam if all patches are applied – but older DVDs, cracked versions, or launch-day builds still trigger it. The “QA Approved Build January” string is just a leftover dev message; the real cause is always one of the fixes above. Step-by-Step Fixes to Restore the Game 1
To fix the crash, you must resolve the underlying conflict between modern Windows operating systems, outdated Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables, and unstable DirectX 11 settings.
"Fatal Error. QA Approved Build. January XX, 201X - 10:XX:XX"
This error is not a standard crash. It’s a that never got fully stripped from the retail PC version. The “QA Approved Build January” string refers to a quality assurance milestone build from January (likely 2011, pre-release). When the game hits a specific unexpected state—usually memory corruption, a missing asset, or a threading conflict—it triggers this developer-only message instead of a normal crash handler.
Nine times out of ten, the crash happens because the game’s local configuration directory has become corrupted over time or contains incompatible settings from a past hardware build. Close your game launcher (Steam or Epic Games). Open Windows File Explorer.



