ARC Raiders black screen on startup
✅ Verified on 2026-11-15 · ARC Raiders version Hotfix 2.4.1 (Nov 5, 2026) + Store Update 2.5.0 (Nov 10, 2026) · Platform: PC (Steam)
Quick fix
Close or uninstall Razer Synapse (especially its overlay modules) before launching — it is the most commonly reported cause of the startup black screen.
Symptoms
The game launches but you get a black screen — often stuck on 'Pre-shaders Loading' or after the intro movie — with audio playing or a GPU driver reset that sometimes requires a full power cycle.
Fixes that work
Exit or uninstall Razer Synapse
- Fully close Razer Synapse from the system tray (or uninstall it) before starting the game.
- Relaunch ARC Raiders via Steam — players stuck on the 'Pre-shaders Loading' screen traced the hang to Synapse, and Razer has since shipped an addressing update.
- If you need Synapse, disable its overlay and extra modules individually to find the culprit.
Source: https://steamcommunity.com/app/1808500/discussions/0/614304932235025569
Power cycle the PC and update GPU drivers
- If your display output is dead after the black screen, do a full power cycle: shut down, unplug the PSU/power cable for 30 seconds, then restart — this resets the GPU when a normal reboot does not.
- Clean-install the latest NVIDIA/AMD driver (use DDU for a clean removal if a plain update did not help).
- Lower graphics settings and monitor GPU/VRAM temperatures — some AMD users get full-system black screens from thermals or unstable driver versions.
Source: https://steamcommunity.com/app/1808500/discussions/0/614304932235025569
Embark's official black/loading screen steps
- Run the game as an Administrator and update your operating system.
- Disable non-essential background processes and overlays (Discord, GeForce, Steam overlay).
- Verify game files in Steam or via the Epic launcher repair option; only reinstall as a last resort.
Source: https://help.embarkgames.com
Frequently asked questions
Why is ARC Raiders stuck on 'Pre-shaders Loading'?
The most reported causes are peripheral software interfering at shader-compile time (Razer Synapse is the top report) and GPU driver hooks — one confirmed case traced it to AMD driver 26.8.1 hooking Steam via GameManager64.dll. Close Synapse, and update or roll back your AMD/NVIDIA driver.
The screen goes black but the PC is still running — is my GPU dying?
Usually not — it is typically a driver reset caused by an unstable driver version or overlay conflict; update or clean-reinstall the GPU driver and power cycle the PC before suspecting hardware.
Can I get past the black screen after the intro movie?
Some players report that spamming Tab, Space, and left mouse click after the intro movie gets them past the first-launch black screen while a permanent fix (driver update, Synapse removal) is applied.