Fix: Sons of the Forest Stuck on loading screen on PC

Sons of the Forest, a continuation of the survival horror saga developed by Endnight Games and published by Newnight, follows its predecessor, The Forest, into the realm of gripping and immersive gaming. Released as an early access title for Microsoft Windows on February 23, 2023, the game invites players into a world of survival and horror. However, as is often the case with early access releases, some players have reported encountering an issue where they get stuck on the loading screen when starting the game on their PCs.

If you are experiencing difficulties in getting Sons of the Forest to run smoothly, the problem might lie with your computer’s configuration or settings. To assist you in overcoming this hurdle, we have outlined several potential solutions and workarounds. These are designed to address the issue of the game being stuck on the loading screen, enabling you to delve into the captivating experience that Sons of the Forest offers without further technical interruptions.

Fix: Sons of the Forest is Stuck on the loading screen

Check out the following troubleshooting methods below to easily resolve such an issue on your Windows computer. So, without further ado, let’s jump into the guide below.

1. Check-out System Requirements

Make sure to check out the system requirements before jumping to any conclusion whatsoever. If in case, your computer configuration isn’t compatible enough, then you may find issues with the game launching and gameplay.

Minimum Requirements:

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: 64-bit Windows 10
• Processor: INTEL CORE I5-8400 or AMD RYZEN 3 3300X
• Memory: 12 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB or AMD Radeon RX 570 4GB
• DirectX: Version 11
• Storage: 20 GB available space
• Additional Notes: SSD (Preferred)

Recommended Requirements:

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: 64-bit Windows 10
• Processor: INTEL CORE I7-8700K or AMD RYZEN 5 3600X
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 1080Ti or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
• DirectX: Version 11
• Storage: 20 GB available space
• Additional Notes: SSD (Preferred)

2. Increase Virtual RAM

Virtual memory combines your RAM with temporary space on your hard disk. If you’re running out of RAM and the default size of your virtual memory isn’t large enough for your needs, you’ll need to increase it manually.

• Press the Windows logo key on the keyboard and type advanced system settings.
• Click on View advanced system settings.
• Click on Settings > Click on the Advanced tab > Click on Change.
• Uncheck the box next to manage paging file size for all drives Automatically.
• Select your C: drive [Where you’ve installed Windows] > Click the Options button next to the Custom size and type 4096 in the text box of the Initial size (MB) and Maximum size (MB).

Note: Increasing the virtual memory three times higher than the current RAM size is always better. [1GB=1024MB]

• Click on Set and then OK to save changes.
• Restart your computer and your game.

3. Properly Place the Storage and RAM in the slot

For PC users experiencing issues with ‘Sons of the Forest’ getting stuck on the loading screen, another recommended troubleshooting step involves physically inspecting and cleaning internal components. This includes removing the side panel of your CPU cabinet to access the HDD/SSD and RAM components. Once you have safely unplugged these components, gently clean both the slots and the components themselves to remove any dust or debris that might interfere with their performance. After cleaning, ensure the HDD/SSD and RAM are properly reseated in their respective slots. This can sometimes resolve issues related to hardware connectivity, potentially fixing the problem with the game getting stuck on the loading screen.

4. Update GPU Drivers

If in case, you haven’t updated your graphics driver on the Windows computer, then make sure to install the latest patch version. To do so, you’ll need to check for available updates by following the steps below:

• 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 immediately.

5. Close Unnecessary Background Tasks

Another thing you can do is simply close unnecessary background tasks on your PC to ensure there is no additional consumption of system resources happening in the background. To clear out background tasks:

• 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, restart your computer to change effects immediately.

6. Update Sons of the Forest

If in case, you haven’t updated your Sons of the Forest game for a while, 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 Sons of the Forest 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, make sure to close the Steam client.
• Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes, and then try launching the game again.

7. Check for Windows Updates

The chances are high that your Windows OS build outdated or corrupted. If you also feel the same, follow the steps below to check for Windows updates. If the update is available, then just install it. The latest software updates always offer bug fixes and improvements. To do this:

• 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 a feature update available, select Download and install.
• Wait for some time until the update gets completed.
• Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes immediately.

8. Try Disabling Overlay Apps

It seems that 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 Sons of the Forest.
• 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, 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 Sons of the Forest 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.

9. Perform a Clean Boot

It’s common for certain apps and their associated services to automatically start up when you boot your computer, consuming significant internet bandwidth and system resources in the process. If you suspect that these background processes are affecting your system’s performance, performing a clean boot on your computer can be a helpful diagnostic step. This process allows you to start your system with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs, making it easier to identify if any specific app or service is causing issues. Here’s how you can do a clean boot:

• Press Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Now, type msconfig and hit Enter to open System Configuration.
• Go to the Services tab > Enable the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.

• Click on Disable all > Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
• Now, go to the Startup tab > Click on Open Task Manager.
• The Task Manager interface will open. Here go to the Startup tab.
• Then click on the particular task which has a higher startup impact.
• Once selected, click on Disable to turn them off from the startup process.
• Do the same steps for each program that has a higher startup impact.
• Once done, make sure to restart your computer to apply changes.

10. Verify Game Files

If there is an issue with the game files and somehow it gets corrupted or missing, then make sure to perform this method to check for the issue easily.

Verify Game Files on Steam:

• Launch Steam > Click on Library.
• Right-click on Sons of the Forest from the list of installed games.
• Now, click on Properties > Go to Local Files.

• Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
• You’ll have to wait for the process until it gets completed.
• Once done, restart your computer.

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