Fix: Midnight Ghost Hunt Black Screen After Startup

Midnight Ghost Hunt is a chaotic combat multiplayer hide-and-seek video game that allows players to possess seemingly harmless objects like Ghosts or chase them down as Hunters before midnight! Vaulted Sky Games and Coffee Stain Publishing have done a great job because the title has received positive reviews in the early access stage. Still, several players are somehow experiencing the black screen issue on PC.

According to multiple reports online, the affected players mention that it is just stuck on the black screen whenever they try launching the game. Another major issue is that during the black screen, there is no sound coming out as well. After waiting some time, players have to press the Alt+F4 keys to get out of the screen and nothing else simply. So, this issue or bug is frustrating.

Fix: Midnight Ghost Hunt Black Screen After Startup

Fix: Midnight Ghost Hunt Black Screen After Startup

The chances are high enough that Midnight Ghost Hunt black screen may appear due to the PC configuration compatibility issue with the game’s system requirements. Meanwhile, having an outdated graphics driver, missing or corrupted game files, outdated game version, issues with DirectX, overlay app issues, higher in-game graphics settings, etc., can cause several issues with the black screen while the game launches.

It’s worth mentioning to check out the game’s system requirements from the mentioned link to ensure there is no compatibility issue appearing on your computer.

1. Disable Full-Screen Optimizations

  • First of all, go to the C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Midnight Ghost Hunt\Binaries\Win64 directory. [If you’ve installed the Steam client or game on another drive or location, then head over there]
  • Right-click on Midnight Ghost Hunt.exe file and click on Properties.
  • Go to the Compatibility tab > Uncheck the Enable Fullscreen Optimizations toggle.
  • Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.

2. Run the game as an Administrator

To avoid user account control regarding privilege issues, make sure to run the game exe file as an administrator. You should also run the Steam client as an administrator on your PC. To do this:

  • Right-click on Midnight Ghost Hunt exe shortcut file on your PC.
  • Now, select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.

  • Click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
  • Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.

3. Check Graphics Driver Update

Check out the graphics driver update on your PC, whether it’s outdated. Sometimes an outdated GPU driver version or corrupted driver can cause several issues. It’ll also help you fix the black screen-related issues with games or applications. To do so:

  • Press Windows + X keys to open the Quick Link Menu.
  • Now, click on Device Manager from the list > Double-click on Display adapters.
  • Right-click on the dedicated graphics card that you’re using.

  • Next, select Update driver > Choose to Search automatically for drivers.
  • If an update is available, the system will automatically download & install it.
  • Once done, restart the computer to apply changes.

4. Update Midnight Ghost Hunt

If, in case, you haven’t updated your Midnight Ghost Hunt game for a while, then follow the steps below to check for updates and install the latest patch (if available). To do this:

  • Open the Steam client > Go to Library > Click on Midnight Ghost Hunt from the left pane.
  • It’ll automatically search for the available update. If there is an update available, make sure to click on Update.
  • It may take some time to install the update > Once done, close the Steam client.
  • Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes and launch the game again.

5. Check System Resources

If the game loads slow or takes too much time in startup, check out the system resources after launching the Midnight Ghost Hunt game on your PC by following the steps below to check whether the RAM or CPU Usage becomes higher or not.

  • Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open Task Manager.
  • Click on the Processes tab > Select the task you want to close.

  • Once selected, click on End Task. Make sure to do the steps for each task individually.
  • Once done, just restart your computer to change effects immediately.

6. Disable Overlay Applications

According to some affected players, overlay applications can run in the background while gaming and it basically consumes system resources which will cause issues with the gameplay too.

So, disabling them before launching the game will come in handy if you’re not using any dedicated overlay application for chatting, or taking screenshots, or recording gameplay sessions. To do so:

  • Open the Steam client > Go to Library.
  • Now, right-click on Midnight Ghost Hunt > Select Properties.
  • Head over to the General section > Here, just uncheck the Enable Steam Overlay checkbox.
  • Go back to Library > Re-open Midnight Ghost Hunt to check whether the black screen issue is happening or not.

7. Check Windows Updates

The chances are also high that your Windows OS build becomes outdated for a while. In that scenario, your gameplay performance will impact a lot apart from bugs or stability issues. So, it’s always better to check for Windows updates and install the latest version (if available). To do that:

  • 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.

  • 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.

8. Lower in-game Graphics Settings

Try lowering the in-game graphics settings from the game menu to check if that helps. Disable V-Sync, Shadow effects, Anti-Aliasing, and try running a lower display resolution for the game to fix black screen-related issues.

9. Update DirectX

Sometimes an outdated DirectX version or missing DirectX can cause multiple issues with the game launching or gameplay. You should try following the steps below to update it.

  • Head over 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.

10. Press ALT+TAB Key Combo

Some affected PC users have mentioned that by pressing the ALT + TAB key shortcut combo, they can switch between the opened programs on the PC. So, keep pressing the ALT + TAB to switch between programs and then go back to the running game again to check whether the problem has been fixed or not. It’ll change the display mode from full-screen to windowed mode and then full-screen mode, which can fix the black screen issue.

11. Try Disabling Overlay Apps

A couple of popular apps do have their own overlay program that can eventually run in the background and cause issues with the gaming performance or even launching issues. You should turn them off to fix the issue by following the steps below:

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 Midnight Ghost Hunt.
  • 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 the Game bar option.

If, in case, you’re unable to find out the Game Bar option, 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, keep in mind that you should disable some other overlay apps like MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, or any other third-party overlay apps that always run in the background.

12. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime

Ensure to reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime on your computer to completely fix multiple gaming issues or errors. To do that:

  • 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 effects.

13. Verify Game Files and Repair

Verifying the game files and repairing them automatically using the game client is also recommended.

Steam Users:

  • Open up Steam > Go to Library.
  • Right-click on the Midnight Ghost Hunt 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 see 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 running the Midnight Ghost Hunt game again.

Epic Users:

  1. Start by launching the Epic Games Launcher on your PC.
  2. Once the launcher is open, click on the ‘Library’ tab on the window’s left side. This will display all the games you have in your Epic Games account.
  3. Scroll through your library and find the game you want to verify.
  4. Click on the game to see its options. Look for the three dots or a gear icon near the game. Clicking this will open a drop-down menu.
  5. In the drop-down menu, select ‘Verify.’ This will begin the process of checking your game files.
  6. The launcher will now check your game files and compare them with the files on the server. If any discrepancies or corrupted files are found, the launcher will re-download and replace these files. This process can take some time, depending on the size of the game and your internet speed.
  7. Once the verification is complete, you’ll receive a notification. If any files were missing or corrupted, they should now be fixed.
  8. After verifying, try relaunching the game to see if the issue has been resolved.

This process is essential for resolving common issues like game crashes or corrupted files. By following these steps, users can ensure that their game files are intact and up-to-date, often fixing any problems they were experiencing with their games. Remember, this process might take some time, but it is a crucial step in troubleshooting game-related issues on the Epic Games Launcher.

That’s it, guys. We hope this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.

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