How to Fix PEAK Black Screen Issue On PC?

A black screen in PEAK usually means the game is running, but the renderer can’t present an image. The most common causes are overlays/antivirus hooks, a fullscreen or scaling/HDR mismatch, a wrong rendering API (Vulkan vs DX), or a GPU driver problem.

• Black screen but you hear audio: typically fullscreen/resolution/scaling, HDR, or an overlay hook.
• Black screen then the game closes: often driver/runtime/API conflicts or corrupted game files.
• Only on multi-monitor: wrong display target, HDR/scaling mismatch, or Windows display cache issues.
• Only in-match (after revive/cutscene): still try renderer/overlays/driver/file checks first (can also be a game-side bug).

Try the fixes below in order (quickest/lowest-risk first). After each fix, launch PEAK and check if the black screen is gone.

1. Add Game to Antivirus Exceptions + Disable Overlays

Overlays and real-time scanning can interfere during renderer initialization and fullscreen presentation. Excluding the game reduces scanning hooks, and disabling overlays removes common injection points.

1. Open your antivirus and find Exceptions / Exclusions (usually under Settings, Protection, or Advanced).
   
2. Add the PEAK folder or the game .exe to exclusions.
   Tip: Steam path: Library > PEAK > (gear) Manage > Browse local files.
3. Disable Steam Overlay: Steam > Library > right-click PEAK > Properties > General > uncheck Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.
   
4. Disable Discord Overlay: Discord > Settings (gear) > Game Overlay > toggle off Enable in-game overlay.
   

Also disable other overlays if you use them (GeForce Experience/ShadowPlay, Xbox Game Bar, MSI Afterburner/RTSS, Overwolf, etc.). Guide: How to Disable In-Game Overlays to Fix Lag & FPS Drops?

2. Use Windowed Mode (Alt + Enter)

If fullscreen output is failing (resolution/scaling/HDR/multi-monitor), windowed mode often bypasses the presentation issue so you can reach the settings menu.

1. Launch PEAK and wait ~10–20 seconds (first-time setup/shaders can take a moment).
2. Press Alt + Enter to toggle fullscreen / windowed.
   
3. If you get an image, go to Settings / Graphics and set Windowed or Borderless Windowed.
4. Save and restart the game.

3. Disable Fullscreen Optimizations

These toggles fix many black screens caused by Windows fullscreen presentation, HDR, and multi-monitor mismatches, without touching game files.

1. Open PEAK’s folder (Steam: Library > PEAK > (gear) Manage > Browse local files). Right-click PEAK.exe > Properties.
   
2. Go to Compatibility and enable Disable fullscreen optimizations > Apply.
3. If you use multiple monitors, temporarily run with one display (disconnect extras or set only one active), then launch again.

4. Use Steam Launch Options to Force a Safer Display Mode / Alternate API

Launch options can force a safe output mode or switch the rendering API, which often bypasses black screens tied to fullscreen or a failing renderer.

1. Open Steam > Library > right-click PEAK > Properties.
   
2. In General, use Launch Options.
3. Try one option at a time (remove the previous one before testing the next):

   -windowed
   -w 1280 -h 720
   -dx11
   -dx12
   -vulkan

   

4. Launch PEAK and check if the black screen is resolved.

Note: Not every game supports every flag. If one doesn’t help, remove it and test the next.

5. Update or Clean-Install Graphics Drivers

A bad/outdated driver (or a corrupted driver profile) can break rendering initialization and cause a black screen. A clean install removes leftovers and resets graphics profiles.

1. Press Windows + X > Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters > right-click your GPU > Update driver.
   
3. Select Search automatically for drivers.
4. If it still fails (or no update is found), install the latest driver directly from the manufacturer, using a clean option if available.
5. Official driver pages:NVIDIA Drivers
   AMD Drivers
   Intel Drivers

   

6. During installation, choose the clean install option (if available).

Laptop note: If you have integrated + dedicated graphics, force PEAK to use the dedicated GPU: Settings > System > Display > Graphics (add PEAK.exe) > set to High performance.

6. Verify the Game Files

Missing/corrupted files can prevent PEAK from loading properly and cause black screens. Steam’s verify feature replaces broken files by comparing your install to the server version.

1. Steam > Library > right-click PEAK > Properties.
   
2. Go to Installed Files > click Verify integrity of game files.
3. When it finishes, restart your PC and launch PEAK again.

7. Reset Windows Display Cache in Registry (System-Wide)

This is system-wide (not PEAK-only). It can help if Windows display/scaling data is corrupted or incompatible with your current monitor setup. If you’re not comfortable editing the registry, skip this.

Safety: Create a System Restore Point first. For extra safety, right-click each key and Export it before deletion.

After reboot: Windows may re-detect your displays and briefly reset layout/scaling.

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, press Enter.
   
2. Go to:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers\Configuration

3. Right-click Configuration > Delete.
4. Go to:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers\Connectivity

5. Right-click Connectivity > Delete.
6. Go to:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers\ScaleFactors

7. Right-click ScaleFactors > Delete.
8. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC.