This happens in both Windows 10 and Windows 7 for me.

The launcher fails with this error:

Microsoft.VC80.MFC,processorArchitecture="x86",publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b",type="win32",version="8.0.507 27.762"

C:\Prince of Persia\Launcher\Launcher.exe

The detection exe also has the same issue:

Microsoft.VC80.MFC,processorArchitecture="x86",publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b",type="win32",version="8.0.507 27.762"

C:\Prince of Persia\Support\Detection\Detection.exe

The game will launch fine directly from the:

PrinceOfPersia_Launcher.exe & Prince of Persia.exe

BUT it would be nice to adjust some of the settings offered by the launcher. Any ideas?

So I had to install the 2005 x86 Visual C++ library. None of the dozen x86 or x64 libraries I already had installed worked properly.

sorry to bother, could you provide the link for the version you installed?

Sure. No problem.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26347

The game is looking for 32-bit, so download and install the file vcredist_x86.exe.

Hope that helps.

it certainly has! thank you! ive been looking at playing this for awhile and heard this was an issue for the pc version along with for ex: stuck lowered resolution and not being able to access the graphics settings correctly etc etc.

It is 2023 and your method works perfectly. Thank you!

If this is true then this would be very valuable information for all MS Windows 10 users who want to play older 32 bit games on their system. Many complain that they cannot play older games. This could be the solution. I myself use a Linux system, but I can very well imagine that Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 x86 (32bit) and newer 64 bit versions of Microsoft Visual C++ can be installed in parallel, which means: no problems when using newer software.