High On Life is a comedic sci-fi action-adventure Metroidvania first-person shooter game. The game was created by Justin Roiland and developed and published by Squanch Games. It takes place in a science fiction world and features talking guns. The game is now available for the PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. As the game received a new update, the High On Life black screen issue on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S is ruining everything.

Affected players are getting frustrated a lot due to the black screen issue, which appears whenever trying to launch the High On Life game or after pressing the ‘Start’ button. This issue appears on all compatible devices, respectively, a major hit to the players and developers. As per reports on the Steam Community, the game menu works fine, but after pressing the “Start” button, a blank screen appears.

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Fix: High On Life Black Screen on PC

Whereas some affected players claim that after hitting the ‘Start Engine’ button, the game starts loading car info, and the background music appears before the blank black screen. Even after rebooting the game, the same issue repeatedly appears to several players, regardless of their device. Luckily, a couple of possible workarounds for you should come in handy. So, without wasting any more time, let’s jump into it.

1. Press the Alt + Tab Keys to Switch Programs

Press the Alt+Tab keys on the keyboard to switch between opened programs on the Windows computer. Press the mentioned keys to go back to the game interface, and it should work properly this time.

2. Run the game as an Administrator

Make sure to run the game exe file as an administrator to avoid user account control regarding privilege issues. To do this:

  • Right-click on the High On Life exe file on your PC.
  • Now, select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.
  • Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
  • Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.

3. Disable Full-Screen Optimizations

You should also disable the full-screen optimizations on the PC to check for the issue again.

  • First, go to the High On Life game folder on your PC where it has been installed.
  • Right-click on the AssettoCorsa.exe file and click on Properties.
  • Go to the Compatibility tab > Uncheck the Enable Fullscreen Optimizations toggle.
  • Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.

4. Check Graphics Driver Update

Check out the graphics driver update on your PC, whether outdated or not. If there is an outdated GPU driver present on the PC, it may conflict with some issues with the game launching or a black screen. To check for the latest updates:

  • Press Windows + X keys to open the Quick Link Menu.
  • Now, click on Device Manager from the list > Double-click on Display adapters.
  • Right-click on the dedicated graphics card that you’re using.
  • Next, select Update driver > Choose to Search automatically for drivers.
  • If an update is available, the system will automatically download & install it.
  • Once done, restart the computer to apply changes.

5. Repair Game Files

Needless to say, issues with corrupted or missing game files on the PC might encounter game-launching conflicts a lot. If in case, your game starts to load for a few seconds and then closes automatically or doesn’t launch at all then it’s better to verify and repair the installed game files on the PC by following the steps below:

For Steam Launcher:

  • Launch the Steam client > Click on Library.

  • Right-click on High On Life from the list.

  • Click on Properties > Go to Local Files.

  • Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.

  • This process may take some time to get completed. So, have some patience.

  • Once done, make sure to reboot the PC to apply changes.

For Epic Launcher:

6. Update High On Life

We should also recommend you manually check for the game update at your end via the Steam client to ensure there is no outdated game version conflicting with the game launching. An outdated game patch version can trigger several potential issues that might trigger black screen issues. To do this:

For Steam: 

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  • Open Steam and go to Library.
  • Click on High On Life from the left pane.
  • Steam will automatically search for the available update.
  • If there is an update available, click on Update.
  • Make sure to wait for some time until the update completes.
  • Once done, ensure to reboot the PC to apply changes.

For Epic Launcher: 

  • Open the Epic Launcher client > Go to Library > Look for High On Life from the left pane.
  • You must tap on the three-dot icon on your High On Life application.
  • Make sure to check the auto-update to get a new update installation automatically.
  • It’ll automatically search for the available update. If there is an update available, make sure to click on Update.
  • Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes, and then try launching the game again

7. Set Launch Options on Steam

The chances are high that your game launcher cannot load the game properly due to some unexpected reasons. It’s better to set launch options on Steam by following the steps below:

  • Open the Steam client > Click on Library.
  • Right-click on High On Life.
  • Go to ‘Properties’ > Click on ‘Set Launch Options…’.
  • Type /soft and try playing the game again.

This causes your Steam launcher to resort to software mode. Though you may feel slightly sluggish with UI and some artefacts, you’ll at least be able to run the game until a permanent fix arrives.

8. Set High-Performance GPU

If you are running a dual GPU system or just encountering the full black screen issue in the launcher, then make sure to assign the game and the launcher files to the high-performance graphics on the PC you’re using. To do so:

For Nvidia GPU:

  • Right-click on the blank desktop screen > Open Nvidia Control Panel.
  • Go to 3D Settings > Click on Manage 3D Settings.
  • Open Program Settings > Select High On Life from the list. [AssettoCorsa.exe]
  • Select the preferred graphics processor for this program from the list.
  • Once done, you can see it as High-Performance Nvidia Processor.
  • Make sure to save changes and reboot the PC.

For AMD GPU:

  • Right-click on the blank desktop screen > Open Radeon Settings.
  • Head over to Additional Settings > Go to Preferences.
  • Click on Power > Click on Switchable Graphics Application Settings.
  • Select High On Life (AssettoCorsa.exe) from the list.
  • If the game is not visible, select Add Application to include the game.
  • Once done, select High Performance from Graphics Settings.
  • Finally, reboot the PC to apply changes.

Note: Make sure to set the high-performance graphics for the acs.exe file as well.

  • If the game is not visible, select Add Application to include the game.

9. Install Redistributables Packages of ACC

Sometimes missing or corrupted redistributable packages of the game file may cause several issues with the launching. You should follow the steps below to install common redistributables packages on the PC.

  • Go to the installed game directory. By default C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\assettocorsa_CommonRedist is the location.
  • If you have installed the game on another location, head over there.
  • Now, install those packages one by one and then try launching the game again to check for the issue.

10. Turn Off Stereoscopic View in Nvidia Control Panel

Nvidia 3D Vision is also known as Stereoscopic View which allows users to play any Direct3D games in stereoscopic mode. You should try to disable it manually by following the steps below to cross-check if the problem is still bothering you or not.

  • If you have installed the game on another location, head over there.

  • Open Nvidia Control Panel > Click on ‘Set Up Stereoscopic 3D’.

  • Next, uncheck ‘Enable Stereoscopic 3D’ to turn it off.

  • Make sure to reboot the PC to apply changes.

11. Turn Off Third-Party Overlay Apps

Mostly conflicts with the background running third-party overlay apps can trigger several issues with the game launching because they consume a lot of system resources just like the processes whenever you start the game. Even though the game doesn’t launch, the overlay app starts and runs until you close it manually. Whereas some overlay apps may also start running while you boot the system at the very beginning. So, try disabling overlay apps manually.

Disable Discord Overlay:

  • Open the Discord app > Click on the gear icon (Settings) at the bottom.
  • Select Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
  • Click on Games > Select High On Life.
  • Make sure to turn off the Enable in-game overlay toggle.
  • Once done, reboot your PC to apply changes.

Disable Xbox Game Bar:

  • Press the Win+I keys to open Settings.
  • Now, click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar.
  • Turn Off the Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using the Game bar option.
  • Once done, save changes, and reboot the PC to apply changes.

Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:

  • Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Go to Settings.
  • Click on General > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
  • Once done, restart the PC to apply changes.

Disable Steam Overlay:

  • Open the Steam client > Click on Library.
  • Right-click on High On Life > Click on Properties.
  • Click on General > Turn OFF the Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game option.
  • Once done, reboot the PC to change the effects.

Some PC gamers or advanced users also use other overlay apps such as MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, etc. Suppose you’re also using any other mouse or keyboard software or any RGB tool, which isn’t necessary that much during gaming. Then it’s better to turn them off. Your High On Life black screen issue can be fixed by doing so.

Disable In-Game Overlay in Radeon Settings:

  • Open the AMD Radeon Software application > From the main menu, click on Settings.
  • Go to Preferences > Under the General section, Turn Off the In-Game Overlay toggle.
  • Once done, you should reboot the PC to apply changes.

12. Try Lowering the Refresh Rate of the Monitor

You should try lowering the refresh rate of the monitor to 60 Hz or 120Hz (maximum). Don’t increase the refresh rate more than that to avoid screen tearing, glitches, or black screen issues during gaming. No matter whatever screen resolution you’re using, the refresh rate should be toned down.

Fix: High On Life Black Screen on Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S

If you’re a Xbox console user and facing the black screen issue with the Assetto Corsa game then you can follow the methods below to try fixing it.

1. Check System Updates

Checking for system updates on the Xbox console is recommended before getting into any other workarounds. Sometimes an outdated system build can cause several issues.

  • Press the Home button on the Xbox console to open the Dashboard menu.
  • Now, select Settings from the bottom of the menu > Select All Settings.
  • Choose to System > Select Updates.
  • Select Update Console (if available) > Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the update process.
  • Once done, make sure to restart the console to apply changes.

2. Delete Saved Game Data

Corrupted or missing game data can cause multiple issues with the black screen on the Xbox console. We recommend you delete the saved game data on the Xbox console to check for the issue.

  • On Home, select My games & apps.
  • Highlight the game, press the Menu button on your controller, then select Manage game & add-ons.
  • Select the Saved data box, then choose the item you want to delete.
  • Delete it.
  • Once done, make sure to reboot the console to apply changes.

All the game files which are locally saved will be deleted from your Xbox console. But don’t worry. Since you’re online, all saved game data will be there. This should fix the High On Life black screen issue on Xbox Consoles.

3. Reinstall High On Life

If in case, the blank black screen problem persists with the High On Life game, then make sure to uninstall and reinstall the game on the console. It should going to fix the issue. To do so:

  • Press the Xbox button on the controller to open the Guide menu.
  • Select My games & apps > Hit See all > Choose Games.
  • Then select the Ready to install tab > Select Queue.
  • Select the High On Life game that you’re trying to reinstall.
  • Now, press the Menu button on your controller.
  • Select Manage game & add-ons or Manage app.
  • Choose High On Life > Select Uninstall all.
  • Make sure to select Uninstall all to confirm the task.
  • Wait for the uninstallation process to complete.
  • Reboot the system to apply changes.
  • Then press the Xbox button on the controller to open the Guide menu again.
  • Hit My games & apps > Select See all > Go to Games.
  • Select the Ready to install tab > Hit Install for High On Life.
  • Wait for the installation process, and then restart the console.

This method may help you to fix the High On Life black screen issue on Xbox Consoles.

4. Reset the Console

If none of the workarounds come in handy for you, try performing the factory reset to your console to check for the issue.

  • Press the Xbox button on the controller to open the Guide menu.
  • Select Profile & system > Go to Settings > Select System.
  • Go to Console info > Select Reset console.
  • You’ll get a prompt like Reset your console?
  • Here you should select Reset and remove everything. [This will delete all user data, including accounts, saved games, settings, all installed apps & games, etc]
  • Although you can choose to Reset and keep my games & apps, it may not resolve the issue in most cases.
  • After you select the option, your Xbox console starts deleting and resetting the system to the factory default settings.
  • Wait for the process to get completed, then reboot the console.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.

  • Although you can choose to Reset and keep my games & apps, it may not resolve the issue in most cases.