Fix Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen After Startup

Cities: Skylines II is the next installment in the popular city-building series developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive. The game features an expanded simulation experience, with improved factors such as city and population size, advanced traffic AI, and management schemes. However, some players have reported encountering issues like black screen and game not existing problems. If you are facing the same issues, you can refer to this helpful troubleshooting guide to resolve them.

Several online reports indicate that players are experiencing issues when launching the game, as it gets stuck on a black screen. Additionally, there is no sound during the black screen. Players have to wait for some time before pressing Alt+F4 to exit the game as there is no other solution available. This bug can be frustrating for players.

Detailed Guide on How to Fix the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen Issue

Dealing with the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen problem can be quite frustrating, especially when you’re excited to start playing the game. In this article, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive list of possible solutions that can help you fix this issue. Each step we outline is specifically tailored to address the “Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen” problem, and by following them, you’ll be able to enjoy a seamless gaming experience.

Disabling Full-Screen Optimizations for Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen Issue

- Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Cities Skylines 2\Binaries\Win64. Adjust the path if you’ve installed Steam or the game elsewhere.
- Right-click Cities Skylines 2.exe, select Properties.
- Under the Compatibility tab, uncheck Enable Fullscreen Optimizations to alleviate the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen problem. Apply the changes.

Running Cities Skylines 2 as an Administrator to Bypass the Black Screen

- Locate the Cities Skylines 2 exe file on your PC.
- Right-click, choose Properties > Compatibility.
- Checkmark Run this program as an administrator. Apply the changes. Also, consider running the Steam client as an administrator to prevent any privilege issues that might trigger the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen issue.

Graphics Driver Update to Fix Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen

- A dated GPU driver might be behind the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen issue. Ensure it’s up to date by opening the Quick Link Menu using Windows + X.
- Go to Device Manager > Display adapters.
- Right-click on your graphics card, select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers.

Update Cities Skylines 2 to the Latest Version

- On Steam:
  - Open Steam, head to Library.
  - Click on Cities Skylines 2, letting Steam check for updates. If one exists, select Update.

Monitor System Resources During Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen Instances

- If Cities Skylines 2 takes excessive time to load, potentially leading to the Black Screen issue, assess system resources.
- Use Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, end tasks consuming high resources.

Disable Overlay Applications to Prevent Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen

- Background overlay apps might cause the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen problem.
- On Steam, navigate to Library, right-click Cities Skylines 2 > Properties. In the General section, uncheck Enable Steam Overlay.

Stay Updated with Windows to Avoid Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen

An outdated Windows OS might be causing the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen. Regularly check for updates on the Windows Settings menu > Update & Security.

Press Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
Next, click on Update & Security > Select Check for updates under the Windows Update section.

Windows Update Windows 11

If there is an update available, select Download and install.
Wait for some time until the update gets completed.
Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes immediately.

Modify In-game Graphics Settings

- Reducing in-game settings can sometimes help mitigate the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen issue. Consider lowering resolution by disabling V-Sync, Shadow Effects, and Anti-Aliasing.

Update DirectX

An older DirectX version can lead to the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen. Update it from Microsoft’s official site.

Head to this Microsoft link to download the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer on your PC.
Next, install or update the DirectX version manually.
Once done, restart your computer to apply changes.

Use ALT+TAB Key Combo

- Pressing ALT + TAB switches between open applications, changing the game’s display mode, potentially resolving the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen.

Disable Other Overlay Apps

Other apps, like Discord, Xbox Game Bar, or Nvidia GeForce Experience, might have overlays that cause the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen problem. Ensure these are disabled when running the game.

Disable Discord Overlay:

Launch the Discord app > Click on the gear icon at the bottom.
Click on Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
Click on the Games tab > Select Cities Skylines 2.
Finally, turn off the Enable in-game overlay toggle.
Make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.

Disable Xbox Game Bar:

Press Windows + I keys to open Windows Settings.
Click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar > Turn off Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Game bar option.

If, in case, you’re unable to find the Game Bar option, then just search for it from the Windows Settings menu.

Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:

Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Head over to Settings.
Click on the General tab > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
Finally, restart the PC to apply changes and launch the game again.

Also, remember that you should always disable some other overlay apps like MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, or any other third-party overlay apps that run in the background.

Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime

This runtime can influence games. It might cause the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen issue if corrupted or outdated. Reinstall it from Microsoft’s official site.

Press the Windows key from the keyboard to open up the Start Menu.

Type Apps & Features and click on it from the search result.
Now, locate the Microsoft Visual C++ program(s) in the list.

Select each program and click on Uninstall.
Visit the official Microsoft website and download the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime.
Once done, install it on your computer and restart the system to change the effects.

Verify and Repair Game Files

Game clients offer the option to verify and repair game files, which can fix potential issues causing the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen.

Open up Steam > Go to Library.
Right-click on the Cities Skylines 2 game.
Click on Properties > Go to the Local Files tab.
Select Verify Integrity of Game Files…
This process will start by verifying and checking all the installed game files to determine whether a missing/corrupted file is located.
Let the process be completed. Once done, close the Steam client and restart your computer to apply changes.
Finally, re-open Steam and try rerunning the Cities Skylines 2 game.

Conclusion:

Encountering the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen issue can be a frustrating experience for passionate gamers. However, with the detailed solutions provided above, you have a comprehensive toolkit to overcome this problem. It’s important to approach each solution systematically and patiently, keeping in mind that not all systems will respond in the same way. The key here is persistence. By staying informed, updated, and proactive, you can ensure that the Cities Skylines 2 Black Screen issue becomes a thing of the past, allowing you to immerse yourself in the captivating world of Cities Skylines 2 fully.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. For those who are experiencing specific issues like getting stuck on the loading screen, crashing issue, Stuttering, C++ Redistributable Error, Hardware Not Supported, or Textures Not Loading in Game, it’s recommended to click on the provided link to get detailed troubleshooting steps and possible solutions. Always ensure your systems are up-to-date, and be patient as fixes and updates roll out.