Returnal Black Screen on PS5, How to Fix?

Housemarque and Sony Interactive Entertainment have developed a third-person shooter roguelike video game called 'Returnal' only for PlayStation 5 that was...

Abd Razaaq

Last updated on March 24, 2023

Abd Razaaq

Author

I'm a Tech Content Writer and Full-Time blogger. Since I love Android and Google's device, I started my career in writing for Android OS and their features. This led me to start "GetDroidTips". I have completed Master of Business Administration at Mangalore University, Karnataka.

Fix: Returnal Stuck on Black Screen on PS5

The PlayStation screen will keep going black on the boot menu for a few seconds without any sound, and then you may need to boot the console again to get rid of the black screen issue. If you’re also facing the same problem, don’t worry because here we’ve shared some workarounds to fix it.

Sometimes it may be possible that your outdated system version, issues with the game, in-game graphics settings, older system versions, etc., might affect the game launching or black screen issues. Additionally, issues with the display resolution, issues with HDMI cables, issues with external drives, etc., may trigger multiple other problems whatsoever. So, without wasting any more time, let’s jump into it.

1. Check for Game Updates

It’s always better to check for game updates and install the latest update on the console. An outdated game version can cause several compatibility issues rather than having bugs. To do so:

Go to Library and select the game you want to update.
Press the Options button on the controller and select Check for Update.
If an update is available, follow the instructions to install the update.

2. Check for System Updates

You should also check for the firmware updates and install the system update to the latest version so that your console can run all the recent games properly. To do that:

Go to the Settings menu on the PlayStation console.
Select System Software Update > Make sure to check for available updates and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update process.
Once done, reboot the system to apply changes.

3. Delete Saved Game Data

It’s recommended to delete the saved game data on the console because sometimes the corrupted or missing game data can trigger multiple issues with the game crashing or black screen on the PlayStation console. To do this:

Go to the Settings menu > Select Storage.
Choose Saved Data > Select Returnal.
Press the Options button on the controller > Select the saved game data files (one or multiple).
Choose to Delete and confirm the task to complete it.
Once it’s done, make sure to reboot the console to apply changes.

Note: All Returnal game files (locally saved data) will be deleted from your PlayStation console. Since you’re online, all saved game data will be there on the cloud unless you delete cloud saves manually.

4. Rebuild Database (PS5)

Rebuilding the database on your PlayStation console can quickly resolve the potential issues or errors. To do so:

Switch off your console completely. Unplug the power cable from the console and wait for around 2-3 minutes.
Now, plug in the power cable, and turn it on to clear the Cached Data automatically from the system.

Check whether this issue has been fixed with the Returnal game or not. If not, follow the next steps below.

Now, press and hold the Power button on the PlayStation console until you hear 2 beeps. [The second beep will sound after seven seconds]
The console will boot in the Safe Mode > Connect the controller to the USB with the console and press the PS Button on the controller.
Next, you’ll get an option called ‘Rebuild Database’.
Select ‘Rebuild Database’ and confirm the task.
It may take some time depending on the hard drive data size. Have some patience.
Once done, just reboot the system normally.

5. Reset the Console

As a last resort, you should try resetting the console to the factory default so that you can understand whether the problem is happening with the console or the game. To do so:

Go to the Settings menu (cog icon) on the console.
Hit System software > Select Reset options.
Select Reset your console > Select Reset.
After a few minutes, your PS5 console will automatically reset itself to the factory default mode.
Finally, the console will automatically boot into the standard setup screen after some time. [If you’re selling your console, then don’t follow the next steps]
- If you’re resetting for troubleshooting or any kind of issue, you may proceed through the normal setup.
Once done, log into your account and install the Returnal game to check for the black screen issue again.

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