How to Fix Granblue Fantasy: Relink Black Screen on Launch?

When players launch Granblue Fantasy: Relink, they encounter a black screen following the display of the game’s trademarks, suggesting that the game is not progressing as it should.

This issue commonly arises from an incomplete game installation or complications with the compiling of the game’s shaders, which can hinder proper launch.

Additional sources of trouble include conflicts with Steam’s overlay feature, outdated graphics card drivers, or incompatibilities with connected gaming controllers.

Some players have successfully resolved the issue by adjusting settings associated with the game’s controller inputs, such as deactivating certain controller configurations within Steam’s settings.

For those affected by this black screen problem, it is advisable to attempt launching the game without pressing any buttons during startup, disconnect any superfluous USB devices, and consider running the game in administrator mode.

Should these steps fail to remedy the situation, please proceed to the methods below.

1. Run with compatibility mode

Windows provides the option to run programs in compatibility mode for different versions of Windows. Because default settings may contribute to the black screen issue, the initial method to try is running the game in compatibility mode.

1. Open Steam and navigate to your Library.
2. Right-click on Granblue Fantasy: Relink, hover over Manage, and select Browse Local Files.
   
3. Right-click the executable file for Granblue Fantasy: Relink and choose Properties.
4. Go to the Compatibility tab, check Run this program in compatibility mode for, and select Windows 8.
5. Additionally, select Run this program as an administrator to prevent interference from the Windows Firewall.
6. Click Apply and then OK to save your changes.
7. Finally, launch Granblue Fantasy: Relink to check if the black screen issue has been resolved.

2. Disable Steam overlay

Overlay features are a common culprit for crashes or black screen issues. These features run on top of applications and games, consuming substantial system resources, which can result in various problems.

Popular applications with overlay features include Discord, Steam, and Nvidia GeForce Experience. If you’re running any of these applications, ensure that their overlay feature is disabled.

Since the Steam overlay can cause Granblue Fantasy: Relink to become stuck on a black screen, disabling it is our next recommended step.

1. Launch Steam and go to the Library section.
2. Right-click on Granblue Fantasy: Relink and choose Properties.
3. Uncheck the option Enable the Steam overlay while in-game.
   
4. Afterwards, verify whether the black screen issue still occurs.

3. Close background applications

Insufficient memory due to background applications can result in a black screen or game crashes. It is thus advisable to shut down any unnecessary programs running in the background while gaming.

1. Right-click the Taskbar and select Task Manager.
2. Within the Task Manager, close all non-essential applications, leaving only Granblue Fantasy: Relink active.
   
3. After closing the applications, see if the black screen problem is resolved.

4. Update GPU driver

Black screen issues can point to GPU driver problems which might be causing Granblue Fantasy: Relink to display a black screen. Updating the GPU driver can resolve corruption and issues caused by outdated software.

1. Open your GPU’s proprietary software, like AMD Radeon Software or Nvidia GeForce Experience.
2. Navigate to Driver Updates and click Check for updates.
3. Follow the prompts to Download and install the updated driver.
   
4. Once updated, check to see if the issue has been resolved.

5. Verify game files

Verifying the integrity of game files is always recommended for troubleshooting black screen issues, as corrupted files can be the cause. Make sure to verify that all game files are in order.

1. Access Steam and go to the Library section.
2. Right-click on Granblue Fantasy: Relink and select Properties.
   
3. Choose Local Files on the left side and select Verify integrity of game files.
   
4. If problems continue after this process, consider reinstalling the game completely.

Lastly, if none of the above solutions work, a complete game reinstallation might be necessary to ensure there are no corrupted files causing the issue. Before doing so, ensure that you have the latest versions of DirectX and the Microsoft Visual C++ redistributables.