PEAK How to Fix Black Screen & Crashing

Written by Jason B.

If the game PEAK starts with a black screen but you can still move your mouse or hear sounds, it's likely caused by broken fullscreen settings or corrupted resolution data. Here are some potential ways to fix it and get back into the game.

Check for Resolution or Fullscreen Bugs

PEAK might be trying to load in a resolution your monitor can’t handle.

Fix:

• Right-click PEAK in your Steam Library

• Select Properties, then under Launch Options paste:
  -screen-fullscreen 0 -screen-width 1920 -screen-height 1080

• Try launching the game again

• If the screen is still black, press Alt + Enter to force windowed mode

Reset Display Settings via Registry

Unity games store screen settings in the registry. If these are broken, it can lead to black screens.

Fix:

• Press Windows Key + R, type regedit, and hit Enter

• Navigate to:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Landcrab\Peak

• Delete all entries that start with Screenmanager

• Restart Steam and launch PEAK again

Switch from DX12 to Vulkan or Vice Versa

Some players report black screens only happen with one rendering API.

Fix:

• Try running with -force-vulkan or -force-d3d12 in Steam Launch Options

• If Vulkan causes crashes, stick with DirectX12 but use the screen fix above

Update Your GPU Drivers

This bug appears most often on outdated cards like the AMD Radeon HD 7000 series. Update your graphics drivers:

• Go to AMD or Nvidia’s official site

• Download the latest drivers for your GPU

• Restart your PC and try launching PEAK again

Disable Overlays and Background Apps

Apps like Discord, GeForce Experience, MSI Afterburner, or Steam overlay can sometimes block video output.

Fix:

• Disable all overlays (Steam, Discord, etc.)

• Exit all background apps before launching the game

Try Windowed Mode First

If fullscreen causes a black screen, force the game into windowed before launch.

Fix:

• In Launch Options, add:
  -popupwindow -screen-fullscreen 0

• This can bypass some monitor compatibility issues

Use a Game Booster (Optional)

If network issues or startup crashes persist, try a tool like LagoFast to improve launch reliability and system compatibility.

Final Blurb

Black screen bugs in PEAK are usually caused by resolution conflicts or old graphics drivers. The good news is the fix is simple once you know where to look.

Try the launch options, reset the registry, and always keep your drivers updated. And no, switching monitors won’t help... we checked.

FAQ

Q: Why can I move my cursor but still see only black in PEAK?

Because the game is loading behind an invisible fullscreen layer your monitor can’t display.

Q: Will switching to Vulkan fix the issue?

It might, but Vulkan crashes for many users too. DirectX12 with forced windowed mode is more reliable.

Q: Is this caused by a weak graphics card?

Sometimes. Older AMD GPUs like the HD 7000 series have more trouble with PEAK.

Q: Does reinstalling PEAK fix the black screen?

Only if your registry and GPU settings are clean. Otherwise, it won’t help on its own.

Q: Can overlays really break the game?

Yes. Many Unity-based games crash or go black due to overlay conflicts, especially Steam and Discord.

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