How to Fix Black Screen When Launching World War 3?

When launching World War 3, you might see a black screen instead of the usual menu or interface. This usually means the game couldn’t load graphics or connect to needed services, so it may freeze or close without a message. The main reason for this is the computer using the wrong graphics card, especially on systems with both built-in and dedicated graphics.

Other possible causes are broken game files, outdated graphics drivers, or conflicts with screen overlay programs.

Now that we’ve covered the possible reasons for the black screen issue in World War 3, let’s move on to the troubleshooting steps.

1. Check for a server issue

If you’re just beginning to troubleshoot, we recommend first checking whether a server problem is causing the black screen. This has happened in the past and, usually, the developers provide a quick hotfix once they’re aware of the issue.

To check if the issue comes from the servers, you can use a service called DownDetector to see whether World War 3 is currently facing any server-related problems.

Go to the DownDetector status page of World War 3 and look to see if many users are reporting problems that match yours.

Note: On the DownDetector page for World War 3, scroll down to the comments section to see if other players are experiencing the same black screen issue right now.

If you notice other users are having the same problem, the next step is to check the official Twitter account of World War 3 for any announcements about server problems.

Note: The World War 3 developers are usually quick to update players about server outages or technical issues. Always check their social channels for the latest updates.

If your investigation confirms an ongoing server problem, you’ll have to wait for the developers’ official fix.

To get notified quickly about new fixes, you can also join the Discord channel of World War 3 and keep an eye on the Technical Support chat.

2. Force the game to run in full screen via Steam (if applicable)

If you’ve ruled out server issues, the next step is to check if the game is trying to launch in borderless or windowed mode, which can lead to the black screen. Many users have fixed this by forcing the game to open in full-screen mode using Steam’s launch options.

Note: If you’ve changed the game to not start in full screen before, this method will reset that.

1. Open Steam and log in to your account.
2. Go to the Library tab and right-click on World War 3 in your list of games.
3. Click on Properties from the menu that appears.
   
4. In the Properties window, select the General tab.
5. Look for Launch Options.
6. Type -fullscreen (without quotes, but with the dash) in the Launch Options box.
   
7. Save the changes, restart Steam, and try launching the game again.

3. Delete the HTML folder

In some cases, corrupted log files in the game’s HTML folder can prevent World War 3 from launching past the black screen. Many players have solved the issue by deleting this folder, which is safe because the game will recreate it automatically on the next launch.

Note: This folder does not contain any essential game data, so deleting it won’t cause any harm.

1. Close both Steam and the game, making sure they aren’t running in the background.
2. Open File Explorer and navigate to where World War 3 is installed. By default, if installed via Steam, it’s located at:

   C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\WW3

3. Find the HTML folder, right-click on it, and select Delete to remove it.

   

4. After deleting the HTML folder, try launching World War 3 as you normally would and check if the black screen issue is resolved.

4. Upgrade to Windows Administrator account

Another common reason World War 3 may not launch properly is if your Windows account doesn’t have administrator rights. This usually becomes a problem when the game or its updates require elevated permissions.

Some users have fixed this by switching their account to administrator mode.

Note: This method is particularly effective if you are launching the game outside of Steam, from its own launcher.

Here’s how to change your account to administrator:

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type ‘ms-settings:’ and press Enter to open the Settings window.

   

2. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes to proceed.
3. Once in the Settings menu, click on Accounts in the left sidebar.

   

   Note: If the menu isn’t visible, click the menu icon in the top-left to open it.

4. Under Accounts, scroll down to Other users.

   

5. Select your current user account, then click Change account type.
6. On the next screen, select Administrator from the dropdown and click OK.

   

7. Save the changes and restart your PC.
8. Sign back in and launch the game to see if the issue is fixed.

5. Disable MSI Afterburner or RTSS (if applicable)

If you use MSI Afterburner, RTSS, or similar programs to monitor or overclock your graphics card, these could be causing the black screen. Many users have reported that the issue goes away once these tools are shut down.

Note: MSI Afterburner and Rivatuner (RTSS) are popular apps for overclocking and monitoring graphics cards.

Open the Task Manager by pressing CTRL + Shift + ESC, find the MSI Afterburner and RTSS processes, and end them.

Note: If RTSS doesn’t close automatically with MSI Afterburner, end it separately in Task Manager.

Once these applications are stopped, try launching World War 3 again.

6. Disable Fast Startup

Enabling Fast Startup in Windows 10 or Windows 11 can sometimes cause black screens when starting games like World War 3. Disabling Fast Startup has helped many players get past this issue, although it may make your computer take a little longer to boot up.

Note: Disabling Fast Startup only affects how quickly Windows starts after a shutdown, not your game’s performance.

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “powercfg.cpl” and press Enter to open the Power Options menu.

   

3. In the Power Options window, click Choose what the power buttons do from the menu on the left.

   

4. Click Change settings that are currently unavailable at the top of the window to unlock the shutdown settings.
5. Scroll down to Shutdown settings and uncheck Turn on fast startup (recommended).

   

6. Click Save Changes, shut down your computer, and then restart to see if the black screen is gone.