The issue seems to be with launcher's starting web page.

Until starting launcher's page isn't FULLY 100% loaded, launcher does not even consider starting client validation and game launching.

So any issues with 'start page' loading (i.e. network connection timeout on any of the page's elements) results in launcher 'hanging' in grey state, unable to start validation - patching - launching process for the client.

Some people solve this by adjusting network settings, others by messing with launcher's cache/executable.

But to me it seems the source of problem is either the complexity of starting web page (too many elements?) or launcher's absolute inability to do anything until that complex start page fully loads.

Observations on my PC:
- right-click anywhere on launcher's page, you should see menu "back - forward - print - view source" menu
- select "back", image is replaced by white window (aka "about:blank")
- right-click again, hit "forward" - startpage is displayed again.
- there is about 10% chance that page succeeds to load, if it happens then launcher fills progress bar and shows active "play" button
- if it didn't help, try "back - forward" again a few times, it should load eventually.
- if you perform "back - forward" while "play" button is active, it becomes grey again, and progress bar empties too. You can make it active again by keeping hitting "back - forward".
- sometimes when hitting "back" launcher instead starts Internet Explorer with "about:blank" page, sometimes not. Sometimes, instead of "about:blank" IE is started with something like "launcher:openurl:launcher:openurl:about:blank"

Unsure what all of this means, but so many "sometimes" means that launcher is not fully stable right now i think.

EVE Launcher v.2.2.878305 if it helps