Remedy Entertainment has released some amazing titles over the past few years and 2019’s Control happens to be one of them. Originally launched for PS4, Windows, and Xbox One, the game was met with incredible reviews upon its release, with many praising its unique characters and strong narrative. Since its 2019 release, the game has been ported over to other platforms, including the Steam Deck. However, it seems like Deck players are facing a black screen issue while playing the game.
Control: Ultimate Edition is a Verified title for the Steam Deck. But that doesn’t mean it’s immune to bugs and issues. Now, we don’t know what’s really causing this black-screen problem. But that doesn’t mean this issue can’t be fixed. In fact, by the end of this guide, you should be able to enjoy Control with no black screen issue troubling you anymore. So, let’s go ahead and find out how you can fix this.
Control Steam Deck black screen issue: How to fix it?
Since there’s no official fix for this issue, players will have to make do with the following workarounds:
Use Proton Experimental –
This particular workaround comes courtesy of u/TheRainbowCock. Basically, what you need to do is use Proton Experimental in order to resolve this issue. And you can do that by following the instructions mentioned below:
- Select Control from your Steam Library and then click on the gear icon.
- Choose the Properties option from the menu.
- Next, tick the Force Use of a Specific Steam Play Compatibility Tool option.
- Select Proton Experimental from the drop-down menu.
- Close the settings and launch Control.
Switch to Desktop Mode and change the Display option –
Another player suggested a fix for this: simply switch to Desktop Mode and then start the game. Once you are in, navigate to the in-game settings and set the Display option to Windowed instead of Fullscreen. After that, you can switch back to Gaming Mode and launch the game.
Reinstall Control on the Deck’s internal memory –
This fix is specifically for those who have Control installed on an external microSD card that’s connected to the Steam Deck. For such users, we highly recommend that you uninstall the game and then reinstall it into the Deck’s internal memory. This particular fix has helped many, so give it a try and see if it works out for you.
Verify the game files –
This issue could also be the result of Control having some missing or corrupted game files. And the only way to fix this is to just verify and repair game files. To do that, you will need to:
- Select Control from your Steam Library and press the three-line button on your Deck.
- Choose Properties from the menu and select Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files.
- Once the files are repaired, launch the game and see if the issue persists.
Check internet connection –
If you aren’t playing the game in offline mode, then make sure that your internet connection is good. Some players faced this black screen issue when their internet wasn’t good, so that might be the case with you too. Additionally, you can also try running the game in offline mode and check out if that works for you.
Well, that’s all the workarounds we have for this issue. You can also take a quick look here if you happen to be facing a similar issue with Alan Wake 2. And for more such content, keep following DigiStatement. Also read: Batocera Steam Deck controls not working: How to fix it
