Graphics Issue CS2

CS2 Black Screen on Launch - Complete Troubleshooting Guide

📅 Published: 2026-02-05 🔄 Updated: 2026-02-05 👥 Reports: 8 ⚡ Severity: 🟢 Low

🎯 Quick Answer

Enable GPU Scaling in your AMD graphics control panel or add the `-nojoy` launch option if you use an Anne Pro 2 keyboard to resolve the black screen crash on startup.

SECTION 1: OVERVIEW

This error is a startup crash where Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) fails to initialize its graphical interface. The application process starts, attempts to create a rendering context, and then terminates prematurely without displaying an error message. This problem occurs exclusively on the Windows platform for the PC version of CS2. The issue manifests in the current public build of the game and is not version-specific. This is a common error with a high frequency of occurrence among affected hardware configurations. The severity is game-breaking, as it completely prevents the application from launching and entering the main menu. No formal error codes are generated; the failure is silent from the application's perspective, though Windows Event Viewer may log an Application Hang or Faulting Module event for the cs2.exe process.

SECTION 2: SYMPTOMS

The primary symptom is immediate application termination during the initial launch sequence. The user initiates the launch process from Steam. The game window appears briefly as a black screen, indicating the executable has loaded and begun the DirectX/Vulkan context creation phase. Within 1-3 seconds, the window closes and the process terminates without progressing to the Valve or game logo splash screens. The Steam client interface updates the user's status from "In-Game" back to "Online." The system returns to the desktop with no error dialog from CS2. In Windows Task Manager, the cs2.exe process appears briefly in the list before disappearing.

SECTION 3: COMMON CAUSES

Category: Configuration Error Specific technical explanation: AMD Radeon Software GPU Scaling feature conflicts with CS2's fullscreen exclusive mode initialization. When enabled, the driver attempts to intercept and scale the output resolution, which can disrupt the handshake between the game engine and the display driver during startup. Why this causes the problem: The game engine requests a specific display mode; the driver's scaling intervention creates a mismatch, causing the rendering context creation to fail and the application to abort. Category: Hardware/Peripheral Conflict Specific technical explanation: The Anne Pro 2 keyboard firmware or its associated software sends initialization signals that the Source 2 engine's input system misinterprets as a connected joystick (joy). This triggers legacy joystick code paths that are unstable or unsupported. Why this causes the problem: The game attempts to poll a non-existent joystick device during startup, leading to an input subsystem fault that crashes the engine before the window fully initializes. Category: Software Conflict Specific technical explanation: Outdated, corrupted, or incompatible graphics driver installations. This includes mismatched versions of the Vulkan runtime libraries or DirectX components that CS2 requires for rendering. Why this causes the problem: The game calls API functions that are missing, implemented incorrectly, or reference deprecated driver behavior, resulting in an unhandled exception during the graphics pipeline setup. Category: Configuration Error Specific technical explanation: Corrupted or invalid local game configuration files, such as video.txt or config.cfg, containing display settings the current hardware cannot fulfill (e.g., an unsupported refresh rate or resolution). Why this causes the problem: The game reads these persisted settings before creating the window and attempts to apply them. If the system rejects the parameters, the launch sequence fails. Category: Software Conflict Specific technical explanation: Third-party overlay applications (Discord, MSI Afterburner/RivaTuner Statistics Server, NVIDIA GeForce Experience) injecting hooks into the game process. These injections occur at launch and can interfere with the game's own rendering and anti-cheat initialization. Why this causes the problem: The injection alters the memory space or execution flow of cs2.exe, which can cause conflicts with the anti-cheat system (VAC) or cause the renderer to fault when the overlay attempts to draw. Category: Game Bug Specific technical explanation: A mismatch between the Steam client's launch options and the game's command-line argument parser. Certain launch options may be deprecated or cause conflicts in CS2 that did not exist in CS:GO. Why this causes the problem: The game engine parses invalid or conflicting parameters at startup, leading to undefined behavior and a crash during the initialization of affected subsystems.

SECTION 4: SOLUTIONS

Solution 1: Disable AMD GPU Scaling

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 3 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: AMD Radeon Graphics GPU, Radeon Software installed. Steps:

Right-click on the Windows desktop and select AMD Radeon Software.
Navigate to the Graphics tab in the main application window.
Click on the Advanced dropdown to expand additional settings.
Locate the GPU Scaling option and toggle the switch to the Off position.
Close the Radeon Software application.
Launch Counter-Strike 2 from Steam.

Technical Explanation: This prevents the AMD driver from manipulating the display output before the game fully initializes its own fullscreen exclusive mode, allowing CS2 to establish a stable direct connection to the display hardware. Verification: CS2 progresses past the black screen and displays the Valve logo or main menu. The game window remains stable and does not close unexpectedly.

Solution 2: Add -nojoy Launch Option for Anne Pro 2 Keyboards

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 2 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: Anne Pro 2 keyboard connected. Steps:

Open the Steam client and navigate to your Library.
Right-click on Counter-Strike 2 and select Properties.
In the Properties window, locate the text box labeled Launch Options.
Type the following command exactly: -nojoy
Close the Properties window.
Launch Counter-Strike 2 from Steam.

Technical Explanation: The -nojoy command-line argument disables the game's joystick input detection routines during startup. This bypasses the faulty interaction with the Anne Pro 2 keyboard, which the game incorrectly identifies as a joystick device. Verification: The game launches successfully. You can further verify by checking that other input devices like mice function normally in the menu.

Solution 3: Perform a Clean Graphics Driver Reinstall

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 10 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Administrator access, internet connection for driver download. Steps:

Download the latest graphics driver package from the official AMD or NVIDIA website for your specific GPU model.
Download and run the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) utility from https://www.guru3d.com/download/display-driver-uninstaller-download/.
Boot Windows into Safe Mode.
Run DDU in Safe Mode. Select your graphics hardware vendor (AMD/NVIDIA) and choose Clean and restart.
After Windows restarts normally, install the previously downloaded graphics driver package using the Custom (Advanced) installation option.
Select the Perform a clean installation checkbox during setup.
Restart the system when prompted and launch CS2.

Technical Explanation: A clean installation removes corrupted driver files, registry entries, and outdated Vulkan/OpenGL runtime components, ensuring the game interacts with a stable, standard driver environment. Verification: The game launches without a black screen crash. System stability is confirmed, and the driver version in the vendor control panel matches the newly installed version.

Solution 4: Reset CS2 Video Configuration

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: Medium Steps:

Navigate to the CS2 local configuration folder. The default path is: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\[Your Steam ID]\730\local\cfg
Locate the file named video.txt.
Rename this file to video.txt.backup.
Also, locate the file named config.cfg in the same directory.
Rename this file to config.cfg.backup.
Launch Counter-Strike 2 from Steam. The game will generate new, default configuration files.

Technical Explanation: This forces CS2 to ignore any corrupted or hardware-incompatible display settings stored in the user configuration. The game reverts to safe, default video settings upon first launch. Verification: CS2 launches and may prompt you to confirm video settings. The game operates with default graphical options, which you can then reconfigure.

Solution 5: Disable Conflicting Overlay Software

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: Medium Steps:

Close all non-essential applications, especially those with overlay functionality.
For Discord: Open Discord User Settings > Activity Privacy > disable Display currently running game as a status message. Then go to Game Overlay > disable Enable in-game overlay.
For NVIDIA GeForce Experience: Open the application, click the Settings gear icon, and toggle off In-Game Overlay.
For MSI Afterburner/RivaTuner: Exit both applications from the system tray. You may need to set RivaTuner Statistics Server's application detection level to None for cs2.exe if you wish to keep it running.
Launch CS2 without any of these applications running.

Technical Explanation: Preventing third-party DLL injection eliminates a common source of memory access violations and rendering conflicts during the game's initialization phase, particularly with the anti-cheat system. Verification: CS2 launches successfully. You can systematically re-enable overlays one by one to identify the specific conflicting software.

Solution 6: Verify Integrity of Game Files

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 5-10 minutes Success Rate: Low-Medium Steps:

Open the Steam client and navigate to your Library.
Right-click on Counter-Strike 2 and select Properties.
Select the Installed Files tab in the left-hand menu.
Click the Verify integrity of game files button.
Wait for the process to complete. Steam will check all local files against the latest version on the Steam Cloud and download replacements for any missing or corrupted files.
Launch CS2 once the verification finishes.

Technical Explanation: This process replaces corrupted or altered game executables (cs2.exe), core libraries (e.g., platform.dll), and configuration templates that may be causing the startup sequence to fail. Verification: Steam confirms "All files successfully validated." CS2 should then launch. If the problem persists, the corruption lies in user data, not core game files.

Solution 7: Launch with Minimal Startup Parameters

Difficulty: Advanced Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: Low Prerequisites: Comfort with Steam launch options. Steps:

Open CS2 Properties in Steam and access the Launch Options field.
Remove ALL existing launch options and enter the following parameters: -autoconfig -safe -windowed -w 1024 -h 768
Launch CS2. If it starts successfully in a small window, close the game.
Remove the -autoconfig -safe -windowed -w 1024 -h 768 parameters from the launch options.
Launch the game again normally. It will now use the basic, working configuration established by the -autoconfig command.

Technical Explanation: The -autoconfig command forces the game to reset all video and performance settings to the lowest defaults. The -safe mode disables third-party hardware and software integrations. Launching in a low-resolution window (-windowed -w 1024 -h 768) ensures compatibility with any display. Verification: CS2 launches in a low-resolution, windowed mode. After removing the launch options and restarting, the game launches normally with stable default settings.

SECTION 5: PREVENTION

Maintain updated graphics drivers by checking for updates monthly or before major game patches. Use the vendor's official utility (AMD Adrenalin, NVIDIA GeForce Experience) for notifications. Avoid modifying core game files in the cs2.exe directory. Regularly clean the C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\[Steam ID]\730\local\cfg directory by backing up and removing old config.cfg and video.txt files after major game updates that change rendering systems. Before adding new launch options, test them individually to confirm they do not cause instability. Disable non-essential overlays as a standard practice for competitive gaming applications.

SECTION 6: WHEN TO CONTACT SUPPORT

Contact Steam Support or Valve developer support only after exhaustively testing all solutions in this guide and confirming the problem persists. Before contacting support, gather the following diagnostic information: the complete cs2_win64.exe crash dump from C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\dumps, the system's DirectX Diagnostic file (generated by running dxdiag and saving the output), and a list of all running processes. Provide your exact hardware specifications, including GPU model and driver version. Official support channels are accessible via the Steam Help site (help.steampowered.com) under the Counter-Strike 2 section.