Having a similar issue. I get an error message about some TweakDB missing or something and then it asks if I want Steam to verify game cache. But without ever doing that, just launching the game normally through Steam works just fine. It's ONLY when launching through vortex it gives this error (and freezes on startup), and it does this with a fresh install of Vortex after uninstalling with BulkCrap (uninstaller software that removes all remnants of software) and NEVER installing a single mod. Therefore I have to conclude that it's an issue with Vortex and not the game itself.