Sniper Elite 5 Black Screen After Startup: How to FIX

Sniper Elite 5 Black Screen After Startup: “Sniper Elite 5 is a recently launched third-person tactical shooter that emphasizes stealth gameplay and features an advanced kill-cam, setting a new benchmark in the gaming industry.

Released by Rebellion Developments in May 2022, this title serves as the sequel to Sniper Elite 4 and is accessible across a range of platforms including PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

While the game has received predominantly positive feedback from PC users on Steam, a notable issue has emerged: many players are encountering a persistent black screen when attempting to start the game.

Reports from various users indicate that the game freezes on a black screen at launch, often accompanied by a complete lack of audio. In most cases, players find themselves waiting indefinitely, ultimately resorting to the Alt+F4 command to exit the game. This technical glitch has proven to be a significant source of frustration for those affected.”

Fix: Sniper Elite 5 Black Screen After Startup

There is a significant likelihood that Outward’s black screen issue arises from compatibility problems between your PC’s configuration and the game’s system requirements.

Additionally, various factors can contribute to this problem, including outdated graphics drivers, missing or corrupted game files, an outdated game version, DirectX-related issues, conflicts with overlay applications, and excessively high in-game graphics settings.

To prevent compatibility issues, it is advisable to review the game’s system requirements through the provided link. This will help ensure that your computer meets the necessary specifications for optimal gameplay.

1. Disable Full-Screen Optimizations

To begin, navigate to the directory located at C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sniper Elite 5\Binaries\Win64. If your Steam client or the game itself is installed on a different drive or location, make sure to access that specific folder instead.

Once there, locate the Sniper Elite 5.exe file, right-click on it, and select Properties from the context menu.

In the Properties window, switch to the Compatibility tab. Here, you will need to disable the option for Fullscreen Optimizations by unchecking the corresponding box.

Finally, to apply your changes, click on the Apply button followed by OK to exit the window.

2. Run the game as an Administrator

To bypass user account control prompts related to permissions, it’s important to launch the game executable file with administrative privileges. Additionally, ensure that the Steam client is also running as an administrator on your computer. Follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the Sniper Elite 5 shortcut icon on your desktop.
2. Select ‘Properties‘ from the context menu, then navigate to the ‘Compatibility‘ tab.
3. Check the box that says ‘Run this program as an administrator‘ to enable it.
4. Click ‘Apply,’ then hit ‘OK’ to confirm your changes.

By doing this, you can help prevent any privilege-related issues while playing the game.

3. Check Graphics Driver Update

Ensure that your graphics driver is up to date, as an outdated or corrupted version can lead to various problems, including black screen issues in games or applications. To check and update your graphics driver, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key and the X key simultaneously to open the Quick Access Menu.
2. From the options presented, select Device Manager.
3. Locate and double-click on Display adapters to expand the list.
4. Find your active graphics card, right-click on it, and select Update driver.
5. Choose the option to Search automatically for updated driver software.
6. If an update is found, your system will proceed to download and install it automatically.
7. Finally, restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.

Keeping your graphics driver updated can help enhance your system’s performance and resolve any display-related issues you may encounter.

4. Update Sniper Elite 5

If you haven’t updated your Sniper Elite 5 game recently, it’s important to check for the latest patches to ensure you’re enjoying the best gaming experience. Here’s how to do it based on your platform:

**For Steam Users:

1. Launch the Steam client and navigate to your Library.
2. Locate and select Sniper Elite 5 from the list on the left side.
3. The client will automatically look for any available updates. If an update is found, click the “Update” button.
4. Allow some time for the update to install. After it’s complete, exit the Steam client.
5. To finalize the process, restart your PC before launching the game again.

**For Epic Games Launcher Users:

1. Open the Epic Games Launcher and head to your Library.
2. Find Sniper Elite 5 in the list on the left.
3. Click on the three-dot icon next to the game’s title.
4. Ensure that the auto-update feature is enabled to receive updates automatically.
5. The launcher will search for available updates. If one is present, click the “Update” button.
6. Finally, restart your PC to apply all changes, then start the game once more.

Following these steps will ensure you have the latest updates installed!

5. Check System Resources

If you experience slow loading times or extended startup periods while playing Sniper Elite 5 on your PC, it’s important to monitor your system’s resources. Follow these steps to determine if your RAM or CPU usage is excessively high:

1. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. Navigate to the Processes tab and identify the application you wish to terminate.
3. Select the application and click on “End Task.” Repeat this process for each application that may be consuming resources.
4. After managing the tasks, restart your computer to apply the changes immediately.

This will help improve your game’s performance.

6. Disable Overlay Applications

Some players who have experienced issues suggest that overlay applications running in the background can consume valuable system resources, leading to gameplay problems.

To enhance your gaming experience, especially if you’re not using an overlay for chatting, taking screenshots, or recording your gameplay, it’s advisable to disable these features before launching your game. Here’s how you can do that:

1. Open your Steam client and navigate to your Library.
2. Locate Sniper Elite 5, right-click on it, and select Properties.
3. In the Properties window, go to the General tab and uncheck the box labeled “Enable Steam Overlay.”
4. Return to your Library and restart Sniper Elite 5 to see if the black screen issue persists.

By following these steps, you may improve your gaming performance.

7. Check Windows Updates

It’s quite likely that your Windows operating system may become outdated over time. When this happens, you may experience a decline in gameplay performance, in addition to encountering bugs and stability problems. To ensure optimal performance, it’s advisable to regularly check for and install the latest Windows updates. Here’s how you can do this:

1. Press the Windows + I keys to access the Windows Settings menu.
2. Navigate to the Update & Security section, then click on Check for updates under Windows Update.
3. If an update is available, choose the option to Download and install it.
4. Allow some time for the update process to complete.
5. Finally, restart your PC to immediately apply the changes.

By keeping your system updated, you can enhance your gaming experience and minimize potential issues.

8. Lower in-game Graphics Settings

Consider adjusting the graphics settings within the game menu to see if it resolves your issue. Specifically, turning off V-Sync, shadow effects, and anti-aliasing may improve performance. Additionally, you might want to experiment with a lower display resolution to address any problems related to a black screen.

9. Update DirectX

An outdated or absent DirectX installation can lead to various problems when starting or playing games. To resolve these issues, consider the following steps to update DirectX:

1. Visit the official Microsoft website to obtain the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer for your computer.
2. Proceed to install or manually update your DirectX version.
3. After the installation is complete, restart your computer to ensure that the changes take effect.

10. Press ALT+TAB Key Combo

Certain users experiencing issues on their PCs have reported that utilizing the ALT + TAB keyboard shortcut allows them to toggle between active applications.

By repeatedly pressing the ALT + TAB keys, you can cycle through your open programs and return to your game to see if the issue has been resolved.

This action effectively switches the display from full-screen to windowed mode and back to full-screen, which may help alleviate the black screen problem.

11. Try Disabling Overlay Apps

Certain widely used applications feature overlay programs that can operate in the background, potentially leading to performance issues during gaming or even problems with launching games. To resolve these issues, it’s advisable to disable these overlays by following the steps outlined below:

**Disabling Discord Overlay:

1. Open the Discord application and click the gear icon located at the bottom of the interface.
2. In the App Settings menu, select the Overlay option and toggle off the “Enable in-game overlay.”
3. Navigate to the Games tab, find Sniper Elite 5, and ensure the in-game overlay is disabled for this game as well.
4. Restart your computer to ensure all changes take effect.

**Disabling Xbox Game Bar:

1. Press the Windows + I keys simultaneously to access the Windows Settings menu.
2. Click on the Gaming section and select Game Bar. Here, turn off the option that allows recording game clips, taking screenshots, and broadcasting using the Game Bar.
3. If you cannot locate the Game Bar option, you can use the search function within the Windows Settings to find it.

**Disabling Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:

1. Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience application and navigate to the Settings.
2. Under the General tab, switch off the “In-Game Overlay” feature.
3. Restart your computer afterward to apply these changes before attempting to launch your game again.

Additionally, remember to disable any other overlay applications that may be running in the background, such as MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB management software, or any other third-party overlay tools. This will help ensure optimal gaming performance.

12. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime

To resolve various gaming issues or errors, it’s important to reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime on your computer. Here’s how to do it:

1. Begin by pressing 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. Look through the list for the Microsoft Visual C++ programs.
4. Click on each program and choose the option to uninstall it.
5. Next, 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, proceed with the installation on your computer. Finally, restart your system to apply the changes effectively.

13. Verify Game Files and Repair

It is advisable to check the integrity of your game files and automatically repair any issues using the game client.