Doom The Dark Ages not Working with only black screen and audio? We have fix

Following over a decade-long break, the primary line of Doom series returned triumphantly in 2016. Since then, developers at id Software have maintained its momentum with Doom Eternal, and judging by our assessment, Doom The Dark Ages is expected to be another fantastic game. In recent times, it has become increasingly popular for games to launch early at an additional cost through programs like Early or Advanced Access. As a result, some enthusiastic fans have been able to delve into the “dark ages” figuratively, with nothing but a black screen and background music to keep them company.

Black screen fix for Doom The Dark Ages

The sequels following 2016’s Doom release each provide a unique experience while maintaining the core essence of the game. The original reboot was the most traditional, but Eternal was fast-paced and platform-focused, with Dark Ages seeming to be slower and more tactical, focusing on ground combat. Unfortunately, some players are unable to start this new version as it only displays a black screen and plays background music. Fortunately, there are solutions available, so let’s dive in and fix the issue.

It seems that the issue predominantly impacts players who use Nvidia graphics cards, which isn’t surprising given the current state of Nvidia’s video drivers, which hasn’t been optimal lately. However, don’t worry, as there are some possible solutions to this problem and they aren’t difficult to implement. Let me share them with you right away:

1. Update your video driver to the latest version.
2. Try rolling back your driver to a previous version.
3. Reinstall your graphics card drivers.
4. Adjust power management settings for your GPU.

If you still use Nvidia Control Panel instead of the revamped Nvidia App, navigate to “3D settings”, select “Manage 3D settings” and click on “Restore” button in the main window.

In your Steam library, right click on Doom The Dark Ages, choose “Properties…” and in “General” tab, in “Launch Options” section add the line as below:

Disable all overlay apps that you may have, including Steam, MSI Afterburner, SteelSeries GG, Nvidia Ansel and similar.
In case you use 2 or more monitors, try launching the game while only one is plugged in. However, do not attempt disconnecting them while Doom is already running as it will cause it to stop responding.
While starting the production, do not Alt-Tab. This is a known issue acknowledged by id Software in their official FAQ and they are working to have it resolved, yet if that happens to you, it can be fixed by restarting your computer.

As a last resort, you can try clean reinstallation of GPU drivers by using software like DDU. After removing them from your PC, make sure to install the latest one using “Perform Clean Installation” option that is available after choosing “Advanced” install path.

It’s important to note that Id Software isn’t solely responsible for this release issue. Nvidia also plays a role, specifically due to their recent problematic driver updates. Both parties are addressing their respective problems, and in the meantime, we hope the solutions provided will allow you an enjoyable experience of slaying demons.

If you’re interested in discovering more about this game, don’t forget to look over our tutorial, and feel free to use the interactive maps to uncover all the hidden mysteries. Enjoy your exploration!

2025-05-13 12:17

Black screen fix for Doom The Dark Ages

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