How to fix Killing Floor 2 black screen on startup

Here's what you can do.

Zeds charging at players in Killing Floor 2
Image via Tripwire Interactive

Killing Floor 2 is back on the menu, with new and returning players flooding the servers. But some are coming across a black screen when they boot up the game.

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Since Killing Floor 2’s release in 2015, the developer has updated the game with new maps, weapons, skins, and more. It’s been patched for optimization and performance as well. But despite all of this, it still crashes and has its fair share of errors.

Here are a few fixes I came across for the black screen on startup error.

How to fix Killing Floor 2 launching issues on PC

Verify your game files

As always, the first step you should try is to verify your Steam game files. You can do that by going into properties of Killing Floor 2 and finding an option called “verify game files.” The application will check if everything is installed and often redownload incomplete files.

Check server status and your internet connection

You can check the server status of Killing Floor 2. With the game relying on multiplayer, it will often crash if there are any connectivity issues. If the servers are down, we recommend waiting for them to get fixed.

Player looking at Control Room in one of the maps in Killing Floor 2.
Get in the control room and fix it. Screenshot by Dot Esports

It’s also worth checking your internet connection. I was surprised by a black screen when my internet was unstable. You can always reset your router or call your internet service provider.

Update your graphic drivers

Another common fix is updating your graphic drivers. The latest drivers are recommended for Killing Floor 2.

Some players have also reported turning off Nvidia Experience before launching Killing Floor 2 also fixed the issue.

Run the game as an admin

This fix rarely works with Steam games, but Killing Floor 2 players have reported success with this method. Go into your Steam folder on your computer and find KillingFloor2.exe. Right-click it and run it as an administrator.

Killing Floor 2 character looking at a banner in one of the maps.
While some Elfs are lazy, the devs aren’t. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Disable your firewall and antivirus software

Like many multiplayer games, firewall software can often change your connectivity with gaming servers. This could cause the game to have the black screen error. If you’re still facing this issue, you can turn off your antivirus to make it work again.

How to fix Killing Floor 2 launching issues on consoles

Unfortunately, there aren’t many fixes on consoles. The best you can do is redownloading the game, and if that doesn’t help, wait for the near hotfix. That said, console players rarely come across this issue in the first place.

Author
Image of Mateusz Miter
Mateusz Miter
Freelance Writer at Dot Esports. Mateusz previously worked for numerous outlets and gaming-adjacent companies, including ESL. League of Legends or CS:GO? He loves them both. In fact, he wonders which game he loves more every day. He wanted to go pro years ago, but somewhere along the way decided journalism was the more sensible option—and he was right.