You are lucky if you have been enjoying Doom: The Dark Ages without any issues, because for some, the game is literally throwing them into darkness with the black screen error. Now, since you clicked on this guide, you are clearly facing the same and looking for a fix. So, is there a fix yet? Well, here we are with all the details on this matter.
Even players with high-end systems like RTX 5090 GPUs and i9 14900K CPUs are having to face the black screen issue while launching Doom: The Dark Ages. This black screen kicks in after the intro logos, where only the cursor and background music remain, followed by a crash on input. As a result, the game remains unplayable for some, with support tickets offering little help so far. So, how to fix it? Well, this guide has all the details regarding the same.
Doom The Dark Ages Black Screen Issue: Is there any fix yet
Recently, a small but important patch for the game was released, which primarily focused on and resolved most of the launch crash issues affecting several players. So, make sure that you are not missing out on the latest patch. Now, if you have already downloaded the latest patch and are still running into the black screen issue, here are some workarounds to try out.
Restart and Update
First of all, restart both the game and your PC. Next, make sure your GPU drivers are fully up to date. Head to your GPU manufacturer’s website and download the latest drivers for the GPU model you use. Install it, and restart the PC again for the changes to take effect. Finally, launch the game and see if these simple steps get the job done.
Remove files
One workaround is to remove a few of the performance-enhancing files from the game’s installation directory. This may sound complicated, but all you have to do is head to the game’s directory and temporarily move the amd-ffs folder (which contains FSR) from Content and the streamline/production folder (which holds DLLs and Frame Generation tools) out of the game folder. This disables FSR, DLLs, and Frame Gen, and should allow the game to boot, hopefully bypassing the black screen error.
Download the latest Microsoft Visual C++
Downloading the latest Microsoft Visual C++ might fix the issue for good. So, head over to the official Microsoft Visual C++ website and download the latest supported Visual C++ redistributables. After downloading, install it and then check whether the issue persist
Verify and Firewall
You could also try verifying the integrity of the game files through your launcher (Steam, Battle.net, etc.). If this does not fix the issue, make sure your firewall or antivirus isn’t blocking the game. While you are at it, add the game’s exe file to the exception list if needed. After this, restart the system, launch the game, and see if you run into the black screen issue again.
Reinstall
If you’ve tried everything else and the game still won’t run properly, consider reinstalling it entirely on a solid-state drive (SSD). A fresh reinstallation might be able to fix this issue for good.
For now, these are the workarounds we have that seem to be the most effective in dealing with the black screen issue in Doom: The Dark Ages. We hope this was helpful. Make sure to follow DigiStatement for more gaming guides like this. Also, click here to find out how to fix the blurry textures and graphics issue in the game.