Crimson Moon PC fixes: black screen, controller, and performance issues
Use this guide to sort Crimson Moon PC problems into requirements, black-screen symptoms, controller detection, crashes, shader stutter, co-op, and save issues. It separates official evidence from low-risk troubleshooting and does not promise a universal fix without a reproducible case.
Compare your PC before changing settings
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| OS / API | Windows 11 · DirectX 12 | Windows 11 · DirectX 12 |
| CPU | Intel i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | Intel i7-10700K or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X |
| Memory | 16 GB RAM | 32 GB RAM |
| GPU | NVIDIA GTX 1070, AMD RX 5700, or Intel Arc A580 | NVIDIA RTX 3070, AMD RX 6700 XT, or Intel Arc A770 |
| Storage | 50 GB available space | 50 GB available space |
These are the requirements shown on the official Steam store page ↗ (external; new tab). They are not a promise of a particular frame rate or resolution.
Match the issue to the installed version
The official 1.0.2 release notes ↗ (external; new tab) are released on all platforms. They name fixes for repeated shader compilation, several boss and area performance problems, controls and Steam Deck behavior. This does not establish a universal FPS improvement or solve every recurring crash.
For Deck, the notes describe improvements to the default graphics configuration, dock/undock input behavior and combat synchronization. Compare your installed version and settings before reporting a remaining issue; no measured preset or guaranteed frame rate is supplied here. For saves, the single-device recommendation still applies.
The patch timeline separates 1.0.2 from the planned 1.1 work. The launch issue list ↗ (external; new tab) is historical context, not proof that its September 1 status remains current.
What to do when Crimson Moon launches to a black screen
The checked official support article does not publish a universal black-screen workaround. Start by identifying whether the symptom is a crash, an unrendered display, or a menu-loading problem; those paths have different evidence and should not be treated as one guaranteed fix.
| Symptom | Low-risk next check | Evidence boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Black screen appears with a crash or after RT changes | If you can reach graphics settings, disable ray tracing and repeat the same scene once. If the menu never opens, skip this test and report the startup failure; no verified configuration-file bypass is provided here. | Ray-tracing-related crashes are documented; this is a diagnostic step, not a guaranteed black-screen fix. |
| Audio or input works but no image appears | If the settings menu is accessible, compare windowed or borderless mode. Otherwise, record resolution, HDR, monitor count and GPU for support instead of following an inaccessible menu step. | No Crimson Moon-specific display workaround was verified in the official sources checked here. |
| Main menu does not load | Check the current support article for account and menu-loading notices before editing local files. | The official list mentions an account issue that can prevent the Main Menu from loading; version status can change. |
Do not install unverified DLLs, delete save folders, or copy random launch commands from search results while diagnosing a black screen. Capture the store, platform, GPU, driver, game version, and exact symptom first.
Keyboard remapping and controller problems need different checks
Keyboard: where to change bindings
Patch 1.0.0.1 (September 3, build 162350) ↗ (external; new tab) introduced basic keyboard and mouse controls. Open Settings → Keyboard → custom keyboard profile using the left arrow. Rebind an available action or adjust mouse sensitivity, then test the action. Multiple bindings per action, double-tap bindings and hold bindings were excluded from that initial implementation; the checked later notes do not announce their release.
Hotfix 1.0.1 corrected custom-binding prompts and HUD icons, Shift labels, the missing Cancel option and an ESC-binding UI issue. If the input works but its prompt is wrong, report that separately from an action that does not fire.
Version 1.0.2 also addresses exiting the remap screen with a controller, Mouse Buttons 4/5 labels and rebind confirmation behavior. These menu fixes are not the promised full controller-remapping feature.
Controller: detection versus remapping
Controller button remapping moved to planned Patch 1.1 in the September 17 announcement. A detected controller with unavailable remapping is therefore different from a controller that produces no input.
- For detection failure, test the controller in Steam’s controller test and note USB versus Bluetooth.
- Try one controller with competing remapping tools closed, restart Steam and the game, and retest the same action.
- Report model, store, connection type, installed game version and whether keyboard input still works.
These detection checks are general PC diagnostics, not a published Crimson Moon-specific fix. Do not replace save files to change bindings.
What to try first for any PC issue
- Confirm Windows 11, DirectX 12, free storage, and the official CPU/GPU/RAM requirements.
- Update the graphics driver and restart before comparing a setting change.
- If a crash appears after ray tracing is enabled and settings remain accessible, test once with ray tracing disabled.
- For a black screen, a controller failure, or a settings change, alter one variable at a time and write down the result.
- For shader, co-op, or save failures, compare the released patch notes above with the historical official Known Issues ↗ (external; new tab) article first.
For the exact Windows save-path lead and backup precautions, see the Crimson Moon save file location guide.
The checked sources do not establish a fixed per-option cost, a universal frame-rate gain, a guaranteed black-screen workaround, or a universal controller fix. Since the official requirements already specify DirectX 12, this guide does not add a command-line shortcut.
Vendor documentation is not a game benchmark
NVIDIA Shader Cache
NVIDIA documents configurable shader-cache sizes in its Control Panel help. It does not prescribe a Crimson Moon-specific cache size or guarantee that a setting removes stutter.
Read NVIDIA documentation ↗ (external; new tab)AMD Shader Cache
AMD documents Shader Cache as AMD Optimized by default. “Reset” is a troubleshooting action, not a universal performance toggle for this game.
Read AMD documentation ↗ (external; new tab)Crimson Moon PC troubleshooting FAQ
The checked official Known Issues page does not publish a universal black-screen workaround. If graphics settings remain accessible, disabling ray tracing is a diagnostic comparison. If the menu never opens, report the startup failure through official support.
Test one controller, close competing input tools, restart Steam and the game, and record whether the controller is detected in Steam and another game. The checked official support article does not publish a Crimson Moon-specific controller detection fix.
Read the released patch notes above first, then use Crimson Moon support ↗ (external; new tab) with your platform, store, hardware, version, and reproducible steps.
Community PC modifications
Crimson Moon Mods: Nexus, UE4SS & FOV Controls — Find Crimson Moon mod authors, distinguish the UE4SS loader from FOV tweaks, and check installation paths and version limits before changing files.
Why do shaders still compile every time?
The 1.0.2 notes list repeated startup compilation as fixed, but a later Steam player report ↗ (external; new tab) still describes the symptom. That report does not establish the installed build, hardware or cause. No verified universal cache deletion or launch-command workaround is available from the evidence checked here.
- Record the installed game version and store. Distinguish startup compilation from stutter after a level has loaded.
- Note any driver or graphics-setting change between launches. Compare launches without changing several settings at once.
- Record compilation duration, whether it reaches completion, GPU/driver and any active mods. Send the reproducible sequence through the support route in the FAQ.
Do not delete a save folder to address shader compilation. A claim that the behavior is damaging an SSD was a player concern, not a diagnosis established by that thread.