Black screen after launching the game

[KooriGraywolf]

After using the task manager Steam shutdown fix for a long time, today I was able to load the game normally without issues. Is this fixed for anyone else?

[Wlad]

@KooriGraywolf Glad it works for you, you are the chosen one for today haha

I've been playing for a month casually and i've never been able to launch the game properly...
All i can do is the task manager Steam shutdown fix...
I've tried everything, it is frustrating that nobody knows exactly what's up !

How can the technical support be so silent about this issue among Steam Users.

[KooriGraywolf]

Unfortunately, I haven't deliberately changed anything for it to work. I think even at the start of Dawntrail I still had this problem. Then somewhere along the line something happened (maybe in one of the patches) that then made it work on my PC. But I didn't try starting FF14 normally on every single patch just out of having of ending the Steam process in the task manager, so if a patch solved it then I don't know which one..

But I haven't changed PC or Windows version of anything, other than Windows' periodic updates (which I doubt have anything to do with it) and FF14's patches.

[Dezriel]

I logged into the game just fine yesterday. Now, after downloading the 6.2 patch, after clicking on "play", game launches, expands to fullscreen, but the screen stays black. When I click mouse button while on the black screen, the game closes and I have to re-start launcher, put in login details again, rinse and repeat. Is this happening to anyone else?

This same EXACT thing is happening to me, so frustrating. Something in the patch is messing us up.

[Dezriel]

while my symptoms are exaclty like yours, these fixes did not work for me

UPDATE

Updating my graphics driver seems to have done the trick

[KolpoPirate]

Found a solution that possibly circumvents the issue without sacrificing steam's functionality:
1. Install XIVLauncher, launch it and tick "Use Steam service account", login and quit the game
2. Find FINAL FANTASY XIV ONLINE in your steam library and add "C:\Users\**YOUR USERNAME HERE**\AppData\Local\XIVLauncher\XIVLauncher.exe %command%" launch option in properties
3. Launch normally through Steam

So far so good, tell me what you think

[bobharris]

Found a solution that possibly circumvents the issue without sacrificing steam's functionality:
1. Install XIVLauncher, launch it and tick "Use Steam service account", login and quit the game
2. Add "C:\Users\**YOUR USERNAME HERE**\AppData\Local\XIVLauncher\XIVLauncher.exe %command%" launch option in your steam library
3. Launch normally through Steam

So far so good, tell me what you think

I would LOVE to get this work, but no luck here. I'll keep trying.
AMD System.
I've been using the dll rename start, rename back for the past couple months.
Trying the XIV launcher in hopes I can get chat and screenshots going again.

HUZZAH it works. Finally.
So The Add instruction is for the original FFXIV Launcher in Steam, not adding the XIVLauncher. After running XIVLAUNCHER, getting that working, add the launch command to the OG FFXIV program setting in steam.
Also, be sure to turn back on the switch for steam overlay in the settings for the FFXIV Steam. I'd turned it off in og debugging.

Thanks KolpoPirate! I've been wanting this fixed for a long time.

[KolpoPirate]

That's great news, i'm glad it worked. I've clarified step 2 a bit just as you said too
Sometimes the game still crashes on launch but second launch does the trick. Since XIVLauncher remembers your password etc i can live with that

[Shridia]

I found a "solution", of sorts... not a pretty one, but in the end it turned out to be the most time effective for me.

In short, I figured that my installation of Windows had gotten some kind of bit-rot, that made FFXIV unable to run, because it worked just fine on another computer.

So I...

1) Took a backup of documents, pictures, music, etc

2) Wiped C: and reinstalled Windows, Steam and FFXIV

Took me about 2 hours... and that is minor compared to the amount of time I have spent banging my head against the black screen.

Sorry I could not provide a more elegant solution, but at least it is effective.

//Shridia

[Splerfle]

I have been trying to help a friend with this issue for weeks, and none of the steam based help worked, however, if you are using a nvidia driver, that can be the culprit, updating the driver can solve the issue.

looking through the forum you can tell that the issues began during 6.2 which was the beginning of the graphical updates for FFXIV for Dawntrail, causing issues with nvidia drivers, updating, or waiting for updates for the new drivers, seemingly only laptop nvidia graphics cards are having this issue (if you are having this issue otherwise please let me know.)

while i was looking at path notes i noticed that the reason why it seems to only occur on "major updates" is because that is when their graphical overhauls occur.

however this only works if steam itself itself is not the direct culprit.

if the steam fixes dont work, and you have an nvidia driver, this might be a solution.