If you are seeing errors such as "steam_api.dll is missing" or "Failed to load," it is typically due to your antivirus software flagging the file as a false positive and quarantining it. Why This Happens Security False Positives
For many players, especially those who purchased the game years after its release or are trying to run it on modern hardware (Windows 10/11), this error can appear out of nowhere, preventing the game from launching entirely. steam-api.dll for hitman absolution