The launch of Monster Hunter Wilds on PC delivered breathtaking deserts, colossal monsters, and immersive gameplay. Yet, many players have encountered a frustrating problem: the black screen. This issue can appear during startup, cutscenes, or even mid-game, effectively halting progress and leaving your screen completely blank.
This guide explains the common causes of the black screen in Monster Hunter Wilds and provides accurate, step-by-step solutions to help you get back to hunting.
Why the MH Wilds Black Screen Happens
A black screen generally indicates that the game cannot properly initialize its graphics, access necessary system resources, or load essential game files. Key causes include:
1. Graphics Driver and Rendering Conflicts
- Outdated or Corrupted Drivers: New AAA games like Monster Hunter Wilds rely on up-to-date NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel drivers. Old or damaged drivers can prevent the game from rendering graphics, resulting in a black screen.
- Upscaling & Frame Generation Issues: Features such as NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, or Frame Generation can sometimes conflict with the game, triggering black screens if enabled.
- Display Mode Conflicts: Borderless fullscreen or unsupported resolutions, especially on high-refresh-rate monitors, can confuse the game’s display handler and result in a black screen.
2. Software Interference and Overlays
- Third-Party Overlays: Discord, NVIDIA GeForce Experience/ShadowPlay, AMD Radeon Overlay, MSI Afterburner, and RivaTuner can inject code that disrupts the game.
- Antivirus/Firewall Blocks: Security software may mistakenly block the game’s executable (MonsterHunterWilds.exe) or anti-tamper files, preventing the game from launching.
- Mods and ReShade: User-installed mods can break compatibility, particularly after official updates.
- Corrupted Crash Reporter Files: Files like CrashReport.exe or CrashReportDll.dll may interfere with a clean launch.
3. System and Hardware Factors
- Power Supply Issues (PSU): High-end GPUs can spike in power draw during startup or map changes. An aging or insufficient PSU can trigger black screens.
- Corrupted Game Files: Missing or damaged files from interrupted downloads or updates can prevent the game from loading properly.
- Corrupted Save Data: Rarely, save file corruption can cause crashes immediately after launch logos, producing a black screen.
Step-by-Step Solutions for the Black Screen
To fix the black screen, follow this tiered approach. Start with the simplest fixes and progress to advanced solutions if necessary.
Tier 1: Quick Graphics and Game Fixes
| Step | Action | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Update Graphics Drivers | Download the latest drivers from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel. Use the clean install option to remove corrupted or old settings. |
| 2 | Disable Upscaling & Frame Generation | Turn off DLSS, FSR, or Frame Generation in graphics settings to prevent conflicts. |
| 3 | Verify Game Files | Steam: Right-click game → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity. This replaces missing or corrupted files. |
| 4 | Switch Display Mode | Change from Borderless to Windowed or Fullscreen (Standard) mode to fix initialization errors. |
| 5 | Wait for Shader Compilation | After fresh installs or updates, shaders may take 5–15 minutes to compile. Interrupting this process can cause crashes. |
Tier 2: Resolve Software Conflicts
| Step | Action | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Disable Overlays | Close Discord, GeForce Experience, AMD overlay, MSI Afterburner, RivaTuner, and other non-essential overlays. |
| 7 | Run as Administrator | Right-click MonsterHunterWilds.exe and Steam → Run as administrator to ensure proper permissions. |
| 8 | Whitelist in Antivirus/Firewall | Add the game’s folder and executable to exclusions in Windows Security or third-party antivirus software. |
| 9 | Uninstall Mods/ReShade | Remove mods, REFramework, or ReShade files. Outdated mods often cause black screens after updates. |
Tier 3: Advanced System Fixes
| Step | Action | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Force DirectX Version | Steam: Right-click game → Properties → Launch Options → type -dx11 or -dx12 to force a stable API. |
| 11 | Remove Crash Reporter Files | Delete or rename CrashReport.exe and CrashReportDll.dll in the game folder (backup first). |
| 12 | Check Save Data | Disable Steam Cloud → rename save files (e.g., add .BAK) → relaunch to create new saves. |
| 13 | Check Power Supply | If black screens occur during high-load scenarios, test PSU or temporarily lower GPU power limits. |
| 14 | Install/Repair Visual C++ Redistributables | Ensure all required Microsoft Visual C++ packages are installed. |
| 15 | Update Windows | Apply all system updates and security patches for optimal game stability. |
Final Thoughts
The Monster Hunter Wilds black screen issue can stem from a variety of hardware, software, and configuration conflicts. By systematically applying these solutions—from updating drivers and disabling overlays to checking game files and PSU stability—you can restore full functionality and enjoy uninterrupted hunts.
Following this structured troubleshooting guide ensures you identify the root cause efficiently and reduces frustration, so your next hunt is immersive, uninterrupted, and free of black screens.