Platformers are making a huge comeback recently. Celeste is a fun retro platformer that has you make your way to the top of a mountain. It is full of Easter eggs, lots of secrets, and other fun discoveries you can make along the way. This is a simple game that you can enjoy on very dated or handheld PCs, including the Steam Deck. However, the Steam Deck experience isn’t as smooth as you’d have hoped. There are reports from players encountering a black screen issue when launching the game on their Steam Decks. So, if you are encountering the same, consider reading until the end.
Celeste and similar platformers are indie games. Indie games generally have excellent support on multiple platforms, like Windows or Linux. Despite this support, there are some issues that keep popping up once in a while. This seems to be one of them. Even though the game is Deck Verified, there are issues like the black screen issues that need some tinkering to solve and fix once and for all.
Celeste Steam Deck black screen issue: How to fix it?
The description of the issue is simple. You get a black screen when you launch the game or try to play the game on your Deck. This is a persistent black screen that does not budge and ends with you needing to restart the game or the Deck itself. There are some methods to solve this issue, although none of them are official. These methods have thus far been successful in solving this issue for many, so they are worth a shot.
1). Restart the Deck
The first step in any case like this is to make sure you solve any software issues with the Deck itself. In this case, you need to restart the Deck to make sure there are no software issues. Post the restart, try playing the game again.
2). Reinsert the SD card
If the game is installed on the SD card of your Deck, take it out, clean it, and reinsert it again. Make sure there is no dirt or dust on the contact points to ensure a firm and stable connection. If the issue persists, consider reinstalling the game on your Deck’s internal storage.
3). Verify Game files
Check for corrupted game files. This issue can also occur if the game files are corrupted. So, to fix this, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings. Click on Properties.
- Now, click on Installed Files.
- Once here, select the verify the integrity of game files option.
Wait for the verification to take place. Post verification, restart the Deck, and try launching the game.
4). Updates
Make sure you are running the latest version of the game. The latest version is often the most stable and reliable. If you are on an older version, update the game to check if the issue persists.
5). Proton Experimental
If you are using the default Steam launcher to run the game, you can try changing the Proton version to Experimental. You can do this by following these steps:
- Go to the game’s Properties menu via Steam.
- Here, click on Compatibility.
- Now, look for the Force Proton Use option and change the settings to Proton Experimental.
After this, run the game and check if the issue persists.
6). Force Correct Graphics Drivers
This was a fix shared by Steam Deck Gameplay on YouTube. If you are using the Heroic Launcher to launch the game, you can set a custom variable file and value to run. This will force a certain type of action that is known to fix the issue. Here’s how to do the needful:
- Open the Heroic Launcher and go to Settings for Celeste.
- Now, click on Other (Autre in the video) and type in the variable and value.
- The variable is FANA3D_FORCE_DRIVER, and the value is OpenGL. You will need to manually add this variable and its value.
- Once done, run the game.
This will force the variable to be swapped with OpenGL, which is known to work well with the Steam Deck. Doing so can fix the black screen issue on the Steam Deck while playing Celeste, as it has for a few players.
Anyway, this is all we have on how to fix the black screen issue in Celeste. If you find this guide helpful and would like to read more such content, make sure to visit Android Gram daily.
