Devil May Cry 5 Black Screen After Startup: “Released in 2019 by Capcom, Devil May Cry 5 is a prominent action-adventure video game and the fifth installment in the beloved Devil May Cry series.
It is accessible on various platforms, including PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S. While Capcom has excelled in delivering impressive graphics and an engaging gameplay experience, some players are encountering a frustrating black screen issue upon launching the game.
If you find yourself facing this problem, this guide will provide you with solutions to resolve the black screen issue in Devil May Cry 5.
Numerous players have reported that the game becomes unresponsive, remaining on a black screen when they attempt to start it. Compounding the issue, there is also a lack of audio during this time. Eventually, players are forced to exit the game using the Alt+F4 shortcut, as no other options are available. This persistent issue has understandably led to frustration among the gaming community.”
Fix: Devil May Cry 5 Black Screen After Startup
There is a significant possibility that the black screen issue in Devil May Cry 5 could stem from compatibility problems between your PC’s configuration and the game’s system requirements.
Additionally, factors such as outdated graphics drivers, missing or corrupted game files, an outdated game version, DirectX-related problems, conflicts with overlay applications, and excessively high in-game graphics settings may also contribute to this black screen problem during game launch.
To avoid compatibility issues, it’s advisable to review the game’s system requirements at the provided link and ensure that your computer meets all necessary specifications.
1. Disable Full-Screen Optimizations
To begin, navigate to the directory located at C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Devil May Cry 5\Binaries\Win64. If you’ve chosen to install Steam or the game in a different location, make sure to access that specific folder.
Once there, find the file named Devil May Cry 5.exe, right-click on it, and select Properties from the context menu. In the Properties window, switch to the Compatibility tab.
Look for the option labeled “Enable Fullscreen Optimizations” and deselect it. Finally, click Apply, then OK to confirm and save your changes.
2. Run the game as an Administrator
To prevent any user account control issues related to permissions, it’s important to launch the game executable file with administrative privileges. Additionally, you should also run the Steam client as an administrator on your computer. Here’s how to do it:
- 1. Locate the shortcut for the Devil May Cry 5 executable file on your desktop or in your files.
- 2. Right-click on the shortcut and select ‘Properties‘ from the context menu.
- 3. Navigate to the ‘Compatibility‘ tab in the Properties window.
- 4. Check the box that says ‘Run this program as an administrator‘ to enable it.
- 5. Finally, click ‘Apply‘ and then ‘OK’ to confirm and save your changes.
By following these steps, you can ensure smoother performance and reduce potential access issues while playing.
3. Check Graphics Driver Update
It’s important to verify whether your PC’s graphics driver is up to date, as an outdated or corrupted driver can lead to various problems. Updating the driver can also resolve issues such as black screens in games or applications. Here’s how to check and update your graphics driver:
- 1. Press the Windows + X keys simultaneously to open the Quick Link Menu.
- 2. From the menu, select Device Manager.
- 3. Expand the Display adapters section by double-clicking on it.
- 4. Right-click on your active graphics card.
- 5. Choose Update driver, then select the option to Search automatically for drivers.
- 6. If an update is available, your system will download and install it automatically.
- 7. After the installation is complete, restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.
By keeping your graphics driver updated, you can help improve system performance and resolve potential issues.
4. Update Devil May Cry 5
If you haven’t refreshed your Devil May Cry 5 game in a while, it’s important to check for updates to ensure you have the latest version. Here are the steps to do so:
- 1. Launch the Steam client on your computer.
- 2. Navigate to your Library and select Devil May Cry 5 from the list on the left.
- 3. The client will automatically look for any available updates. If an update is found, click on the Update button to begin the installation.
- 4. Allow some time for the update process to complete. Once it is finished, close the Steam client.
- 5. Finally, restart your PC to apply any changes, and then try launching the game once more.
This will help ensure you have the latest features and improvements for a better gaming experience.
5. Check System Resources
If you’re experiencing slow loading times or lengthy startup processes while playing Devil May Cry 5 on your PC, it’s a good idea to monitor your system resources after launching the game. Follow these steps to check if your RAM or CPU usage is unusually high:
- 1. Open Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys simultaneously.
- 2. Navigate to the Processes tab and identify the task you wish to terminate.
- 3. Select the task, then click on “End Task” to close it. Repeat this for each task individually.
- 4. After you have finished closing the tasks, restart your computer to apply the changes immediately.
This should help improve your game’s performance.
6. Disable Overlay Applications
Some players have reported that overlay applications can operate in the background during gameplay, leading to excessive consumption of system resources, which may negatively impact the gaming experience.
To mitigate potential issues, it’s advisable to disable these overlays if you’re not utilizing any specific applications for chatting, taking screenshots, or recording your gameplay. Here’s how you can do this:
- 1. Launch the Steam client and navigate to your Library.
- 2. Locate Devil May Cry 5, then right-click on it and select Properties.
- 3. In the General section, simply uncheck the box labeled “Enable Steam Overlay.”
- 4. Return to your Library and restart Devil May Cry 5 to see if the black screen problem persists.
7. Check Windows Updates
Your Windows operating system may occasionally become outdated, which can lead to reduced gameplay performance in addition to potential bugs and stability issues. To ensure your gaming experience remains optimal, it’s important to regularly check for and install any available Windows updates. Here’s how you can do this:
- 1. Press the Windows key + I to access the Settings menu.
- 2. Navigate to the “Update & Security” section.
- 3. Under “Windows Update,” click on “Check for updates.”
- 4. If updates are available, select the option to download and install them.
- 5. Allow some time for the installation process to finish.
- 6. Finally, restart your computer to implement the changes immediately.
Keeping your OS up to date can greatly enhance your overall performance and user experience.
8. Lower in-game Graphics Settings
Consider adjusting the graphics settings within the game menu to see if this resolves the issue. Specifically, you might want to turn off V-Sync, shadow effects, and anti-aliasing. Additionally, reducing the display resolution could help address any problems related to black screens.
9. Update DirectX
An outdated or absent DirectX version can lead to various problems when trying to launch or play games. To resolve these issues, consider the following steps to ensure your DirectX is up to date:
- 1. Visit the Microsoft website to download the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer onto your computer.
- 2. Follow the instructions to manually install or update your DirectX version.
- 3. After the installation is complete, restart your computer to implement the changes effectively.
10. Press ALT+TAB Key Combo
Certain users experiencing issues on their PCs have reported a potential workaround involving the ALT + TAB key combination. By repeatedly pressing these keys, users can toggle between active applications on their computer.
This method allows you to return to your game and verify if the issue has been resolved. This action effectively switches the display from full-screen to windowed mode and back, which may help rectify any black screen problems.
11. Try Disabling Overlay Apps
Certain widely-used applications may have overlay features that can run in the background, potentially leading to performance issues during gaming or even complications when launching games. To resolve these problems, it’s advisable to disable these overlays by following the instructions outlined below:
**Turn Off Discord Overlay
- 1. Open the Discord application and click on the gear icon located at the bottom.
- 2. Navigate to the Overlay section under App Settings and toggle off the “Enable in-game overlay” option.
- 3. Select the Games tab and find Devil May Cry 5 on the list.
- 4. Ensure the “Enable in-game overlay” toggle is switched off for this game.
- 5. Restart your computer to implement the changes.
**Disable Xbox Game Bar
- 1. Press the Windows + I keys to access Windows Settings.
- 2. Click on Gaming, then select Game Bar, and turn off the option to “Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using the Game bar.”
- 3. If you cannot locate the Game Bar setting, use the search function within the Windows Settings menu.
**Turn Off Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay
- 1. Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience application and go to the Settings menu.
- 2. Click on the General tab and disable the “In-Game Overlay” feature.
- 3. Restart your PC to ensure the changes take effect before starting your game again.
Additionally, consider disabling other overlay applications such as MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB control software, or any other third-party overlays that may be running in the background, as these can also interfere with gaming performance.
12. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime
To resolve various gaming-related issues or errors, it’s important to reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime on your computer. Follow these steps to complete the process:
- 1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to access the Start Menu.
- 2. In the search bar, type “Apps & Features” and select it from the results.
- 3. Scroll through the list to find the Microsoft Visual C++ programs installed on your system.
- 4. Click on each program and choose the Uninstall option.
- 5. Head over to the official Microsoft website to download the most recent version of the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime.
- 6. After the download is complete, install the software on your computer, and then restart your system to apply the changes.
By following these steps, you should be able to effectively address any gaming issues you may be experiencing.
13. Verify Game Files and Repair
It is advisable to verify and automatically repair game files through the game client for optimal performance.
To do this, follow these steps:
- 1. Launch Steam and navigate to your Library.
- 2. Locate Devil May Cry 5 in your game list and right-click on it.
- 3. Select ‘Properties‘ and then click on the ‘Local Files’ tab.
- 4. Click on ‘Verify Integrity of Game Files…‘
This will initiate a process that checks all installed game files for any missing or corrupted files. Allow the verification to complete fully. After it finishes, exit the Steam client and restart your computer to ensure all changes take effect.
Once your computer has rebooted, reopen Steam and attempt to launch Devil May Cry 5 again.
We hope you find this guide useful. If you have any questions or require further assistance, feel free to leave a comment below!
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