Released in 2015, Black Desert Online has hardly aged a day. This title churning out a gigantic fantasy open world with ruthless PVP keeps the gamers gripped to their screens. However, frustrating issues like post-character-select black screen continue to plague the experience. This guide offers solutions to get you back in the game.

This issue of a black screen has been haunting the players of Black Desert Online for quite some time now. This is one of the nagging issues that may arise immediately after updating any game or right from the time of installation, causing immense chagrin to the community. This stubborn error has therefore locked many gamers out of this game and has been relentlessly searching for solutions that can get their virtual plays running. If you are currently stuck in this frustrating cycle of black screens after the character selection menu, at least take comfort in knowing that you are not alone in this struggle. Let's dive right into the issue at hand, and let's discuss potential remedies to get you back into the game.

Black Desert Online Black Screen after Character Select: How to Fix?




Black screen is one of the common headaches of players in Black Desert Online. Fortunately, there's still no officially prescribed solution from the developers. However, several workarounds have been discovered that could help resolve the problem.


 Alexandre : First of all, try to restart your game and your PC.


Most of the issues that arise in games can be easily resolved by merely restarting the game. Close the application entirely and then launch the game again to check if your issue still prevails. If that doesn't work, you can often fix it by rebooting your computer.

Press Esc Twice


Another fix for this same error was reported by one Steam user who suggested that after selecting a character, press the Esc key twice, and the workaround worked for him. You, too, might get your issue resolved with this trick.

Wait for a while


Some players said that they fixed the black screen simply by allowing the game to load. If you do encounter this, then you may want to wait for a few moments before jumping to other troubleshooting steps.

Verify Game Files


Some players have said that Black Desert Online's black screen is fixed by verifying game files. Here's how to do it:


1. Open up your Steam Library and right-click Black Desert Online.


2. Click on "Properties" in the dropdown menu.


3. Go to the "Local Files" tab.


4. Click "Verify integrity of game files."


5. Let it complete, then launch the game.


If this still doesn't work, you can also scan game files directly through the Black Desert Online launcher.

Clean Reinstall Your Graphics Drivers


Another thing you can do to troubleshoot your graphics problems in Black Desert Online is to reinstall your GPU drivers. Here's how:


1. Using the Quick Link Menu, press Windows + X and move to the Device Manager.


 2. Expand "Display adapters," right-click your dedicated GPU, and select "Properties."


 3. Under the tab "Driver," click "Uninstall" and confirm.


 4. Now, restart your PC; upon booting, stop Windows from automatically reinstalling the driver.


 5. Go to your GPU manufacturer's website to download the latest compatible driver.


 6. Run the downloaded installer to install the new driver.


 7. Now you can launch Black Desert Online and check if the problem still persists.

Run the Game as Admin


You need to go to the folder where Black Desert Online is installed. Right-click the .exe file of the game and then select Properties. In the tab Compatibility, click on the box that says, "Run this program as an administrator." Apply it and then launch the game again to see if the problem persists.

Run Hard Drive Scan


Open the Command Box via the Start menu or by using the Windows and R keys. Type "cmd" in it, and right-click "cmd.exe," which comes up in the search results, running it as an administrator. Now type either "CHKDSK /f" or "CHKDSK /r" to check your drives for errors and, if required, correct them. After these processes are finished, restart your computer and try to see if you can launch the game without this problem again.

Run the Game with a VPN


One such solution to the problem, posted by MMTB08 on Reddit, is to turn on a Virtual Private Network and then run the game; it might get you past the issue. You can use any VPN provider and its server.

Reinstall the Game


If all the above trouble-shooting steps didn't fix the problem for you, then you may want to try a different SSD and reinstalling the game on that. Very often, that alone will fix hidden issues and even allow the system to be more smoothly operable. The key improvements include the following:


• Clarify: This change was to reword for clarity.


• Concision: Removed extra words.


• Suggestion: Uses "consider" to make the suggestion, not to give a command.


• Additional benefit: Adds mention of performance improvement.

Contact Support


If you continue to see a black screen after the reinstallation, feel free to contact our support team for further assistance. Pearl Abyss support is always ready to help.


That's all you need to know about How to Fix Black Desert Online Black Screen After Selecting Character and now that you know, we hope you can quickly fix the problem.




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