Fix Invincible VS Black Screen on PC with Window Mode

You click “Play” on Invincible VS. The screen goes dark. You hear audio—maybe the menu music, maybe the announcer’s voice—but the screen remains completely black. No image. No error message. Just an endless void where your game should be. This specific black screen issue (where audio plays but video does not) is almost always caused by a fullscreen initialization failure. Your graphics card and the game cannot agree on a resolution, refresh rate, or display mode, so the screen stays black while the game runs invisibly in the background. The fastest and most reliable fix is to force the game into window mode by editing a single configuration file. This guide walks you through every step, even if you cannot see anything on screen or access the in-game settings menu.

Summary

What Causes the Black Screen in Invincible VS?

Before diving into the fix, it helps to understand what is happening. When Invincible VS launches in fullscreen mode, it attempts to take exclusive control of your display. It sends a request to Windows: “Switch to this resolution, at this refresh rate, in fullscreen mode.” If your monitor, graphics card, or Windows version disagrees with any part of that request, the handshake fails. The game thinks it is running, but Windows never displays the image.

Common triggers for this specific black screen:

Trigger	Why It Happens
Multiple monitors	The game tries to launch on the wrong display
4K or ultrawide resolution	The game defaults to a resolution your monitor does not support
144Hz+ refresh rate	High refresh rates can confuse older game engines
HDR enabled in Windows	HDR and exclusive fullscreen sometimes conflict
Recent GPU driver update	A new driver changed how fullscreen is handled
DisplayPort connection	Rare compatibility issue with some DP versions

The good news is that window mode bypasses all of these triggers entirely. In window mode, the game runs as a standard Windows application window, not taking exclusive control of your display. The black screen disappears instantly for most users.

Method 1: Edit the Config File (Even If You Cannot Launch the Game)

This is the primary fix. It works even if you have never successfully launched Invincible VS before, and it works even if you are currently staring at a black screen right now.

Step 1: Open File Explorer and Show Hidden Folders

The configuration file you need is located inside a hidden folder called AppData. By default, Windows hides this folder from view.

Press Windows Key + E to open File Explorer
Click This PC on the left sidebar
Open your C: drive (or whatever drive contains your Windows installation)
Open the Users folder
Open the folder with your Windows username (for example, John or Desktop)
At the top of the window, click the View tab
Click Show → Hidden items (a checkmark will appear)
You should now see the AppData folder appear (it may look faded)

Step 2: Navigate to the Correct Folder

Follow this exact path:

C:\Users[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Tag Fighter\Save\Config\Windows\

Breaking it down:

Folder	Action
`AppData`	Open it
`Local`	Open it
`Tag Fighter`	Open it
`Save`	Open it
`Config`	Open it
`Windows`	Open it

Inside the Windows folder, you will see a file named GameUserSettings.ini.

Step 3: Open and Edit the Config File

Right-click on GameUserSettings.ini
Select Open with → Notepad (do not use WordPad or Word)

You will see many lines of text. Do not be intimidated. You only need to change one or two values.

Step 4: Change Fullscreen Mode to Window Mode

Scroll down until you find this line:

FullscreenMode=0

It may also show FullscreenMode=1 or FullscreenMode=2. Here is what each number means:

Value	Mode
`0`	Exclusive Fullscreen
`1`	Windowed Fullscreen (borderless)
`2`	Window Mode (with borders)

Change the line to:

FullscreenMode=2

Type the number 2 exactly. This forces the game to launch in standard window mode.

Step 5: (Optional) Lower the Resolution

If you want to be extra safe, you can also lower the resolution while you are in the config file. Find these two lines:

ResolutionSizeX=3840
ResolutionSizeY=2160

(The numbers may be different on your system, such as 2560x1440 or 1920x1080.)

Change them to a standard, safe resolution:

ResolutionSizeX=1600
ResolutionSizeY=900

Or use 1920x1080 if you prefer. The key is to choose a resolution almost every monitor supports.

Step 6: Save the File

Click File in the top-left corner of Notepad
Click Save (or press Ctrl + S)
Close Notepad

Step 7: Make the File Read-Only (Prevents the Game from Changing It Back)

Invincible VS may try to switch back to fullscreen mode the next time you launch it. Making the file “read-only” locks your changes in place.

Right-click on GameUserSettings.ini again
Select Properties
At the bottom of the window, check the box that says Read-only
Click Apply
Click OK

Step 8: Launch the Game

Close File Explorer and launch Invincible VS through Steam.

What to expect:

The game will open in a window (not fullscreen)
The black screen should be gone
You will see the game normally

Step 9: (After Successful Launch) Adjust Settings In-Game

Once you have confirmed the game works in window mode:

Go to Settings → Graphics
Change your preferred resolution and graphics quality
If you want to try fullscreen again, select it from the in-game menu
Do not change the config file back manually unless you also uncheck “Read-only”

Note: If you successfully switch to fullscreen from within the game menu, you can later go back to the config file, uncheck “Read-only,” and the game will remember your settings.

Method 2: If You Already Have Access to the Game Menu

If you can see the game menu but the screen goes black after you start a match or change settings, you do not need to edit config files. Use the in-game menu instead.

Launch Invincible VS (even if you have to Alt+Tab or guess where the menu is)
Go to Options or Settings
Select Graphics or Display
Change Display Mode from Fullscreen to Windowed or Borderless Window
Click Apply or Save
The screen may flicker—this is normal
The black screen should disappear

Method 3: Delete the Entire Config Folder (Alternative Fix)

If editing the GameUserSettings.ini file did not resolve the black screen, the entire configuration folder may be corrupted. Deleting it forces the game to create a brand new folder with fresh, uncorrupted files.

Note: This method resets all your in-game settings (graphics, controls, audio) to default. Your save game progress is not affected.

Step-by-step instructions:

Navigate back to the Tag Fighter C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Tag Fighter\
Locate the folder named Config
Right-click on the Config folder
Select Rename and change the name to Config.oldAlternatively, you can press Delete to remove it entirely. Renaming is safer because you can restore it if something goes wrong.
Launch Invincible VS

The game will detect that the Config folder is missing and automatically create a new one with default settings. The default settings include window mode on most systems, which should bypass the black screen.

If the black screen persists after renaming the Config folder: Restore the original folder by deleting the new one and renaming Config.old back to Config. Then proceed to Method 4.

Method 4: Force Window Mode Using Steam Launch Options

Steam allows you to add launch options that override in-game settings. The -windowed command forces almost any game to launch in window mode, regardless of what the config file says.

How to add the launch option:

Open your Steam Library
Right-click on Invincible VS
Select Properties
Under the General tab, find the Launch Options text box
Type the following command exactly: -windowed
Close the Properties window
Launch Invincible VS

Additional useful launch options for black screen issues:

Command	Effect
`-windowed`	Forces window mode
`-res=1600x900`	Sets a specific resolution
`-borderless`	Windowed mode without borders
`-DX11`	Uses DirectX 11 (fixes some black screens)
`-DX12`	Uses DirectX 12 (alternative)

You can combine multiple commands like this:

-windowed -res=1600x900 -DX11

How to remove launch options:

If the launch options do not help or cause new problems, simply go back to the Launch Options text box, delete everything, and leave it blank.

Method 5: Disable HDR in Windows (Common Black Screen Cause)

High Dynamic Range (HDR) is a beautiful feature for movies and supported games, but it frequently causes black screens in games that do not handle HDR correctly. Invincible VS is one of those games.

Check if HDR is enabled:

Press Windows Key + I to open Settings
Go to System → Display (Windows 11) or Display (Windows 10)
Look for Windows HD Color or HDR
If Use HDR is turned ON, toggle it OFF
Launch Invincible VS and test

If HDR was the problem:

You have two options:

Leave HDR disabled while playing Invincible VS (simplest solution)
Enable HDR only for supported games using Windows’ “Auto HDR” feature (Windows 11 only)

To use Auto HDR:

Go to Settings → Display → HDR
Turn Auto HDR on
Keep Use HDR off unless you are watching HDR content

Method 6: Lower Your Monitor’s Refresh Rate

High refresh rate monitors (144Hz, 165Hz, 240Hz, etc.) are a known trigger for black screens in some Unreal Engine games. Forcing your monitor to run at 60Hz can resolve the issue.

How to lower your refresh rate:

Right-click on your desktop and select Display Settings
Scroll down and click Advanced Display (Windows 11) or Advanced Display Settings (Windows 10)
Look for Choose a refresh rate (or Refresh Rate)
Change the value from 144Hz, 165Hz, or 240Hz to 60Hz
Click Keep changes (if prompted)
Launch Invincible VS

If 60Hz fixes the black screen:

You have several options going forward:

Option	How to do it
Play at 60Hz	Keep the refresh rate at 60Hz while playing
Use window mode	Window mode is less sensitive to refresh rate issues (you may be able to switch back to 144Hz after setting window mode once)
Create a custom resolution	Use your GPU control panel (NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Adrenalin) to create a 144Hz profile that works with the game

Create a 144Hz profile that works (NVIDIA example):

Open NVIDIA Control Panel
Go to Change resolution under Display
Click Customize → Create Custom Resolution
Keep your native resolution (e.g., 2560×1440)
Set refresh rate to 144Hz
Click Test
If the test succeeds, save the profile
Apply it and launch the game

Preventing the Black Screen from Returning

Once you have successfully launched Invincible VS without a black screen, use these tips to prevent the issue from coming back.

Tip 1: Keep the config file as read-only

As shown in Method 1, setting GameUserSettings.ini to Read-only prevents the game from overwriting your window mode settings. This is the single most effective prevention method.

Tip 2: Launch the game the same way every time

If window mode works, always launch the game from Steam normally
Do not use custom shortcuts or “Run as administrator” unless necessary
Avoid changing graphics settings frequently

Tip 3: Be cautious with GPU driver updates

New GPU drivers sometimes reset certain settings or change how fullscreen is handled. If you update your driver and the black screen returns:

Re-apply the config file edit (Method 1)
Or roll back to the previous driver (see the pillar article for instructions)

Tip 4: Create a backup of your working config file

Once you have a working GameUserSettings.ini file, save a copy somewhere safe.

Navigate to C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Tag Fighter\Save\Config\Windows\
Copy GameUserSettings.ini to your Desktop or Documents folder
Name it GameUserSettings_working_backup.ini

If the black screen ever returns, you can restore this working file in seconds.

Troubleshooting: What If Nothing Works?

You have tried all six methods and Invincible VS still shows a black screen. Here are final checks and advanced solutions.

Final quick checks:

Check	What to look for
Monitor cable	Is it plugged into the dedicated GPU, not the motherboard?
Second monitor	Disconnect all but one monitor for testing
USB devices	Disconnect everything except keyboard and mouse
Overlays	Disable Discord, Steam, and NVIDIA overlays (see pillar article)
Antivirus	Temporarily disable antivirus to test

Advanced solution: Edit the config file while the game is running

If you can hear the game audio but see a black screen, you can sometimes force window mode without closing the game.

Launch Invincible VS (you will hear audio)
Press Alt + Enter on your keyboard (this is a universal Windows shortcut to toggle between fullscreen and window mode)
Wait 3-5 seconds
If the screen appears, go to graphics settings and save your preferences

Advanced solution: Use the Windows Game Bar

Launch Invincible VS (black screen, audio playing)
Press Windows Key + G to open the Xbox Game Bar
Click the Settings gear icon
Look for an option to force the game into window mode (varies by Windows version)
This is a long shot, but it has worked for some users

Advanced solution: Reinstall the game to a different drive

Corrupted game files can cause black screens even when the config file is correct. Uninstall Invincible VS from Steam and reinstall it to a different drive (see the pillar article Section 14 for detailed instructions).

Summary: Quick Reference for Black Screen Fixes

Method	Best for	Difficulty	Success Rate
Method 1: Edit config file + read-only	Any black screen where audio plays	Easy	Very High
Method 2: In-game menu	When you can see the menu	Very Easy	High
Method 3: Delete Config folder	When Method 1 fails	Easy	Medium
Method 4: Steam launch options (-windowed)	Users comfortable with Steam settings	Easy	High
Method 5: Disable HDR	Windows 10/11 with HDR enabled	Very Easy	Medium
Method 6: Lower refresh rate to 60Hz	High refresh rate monitors (144Hz+)	Easy	Medium

Recommended order to try:

Method 1 (edit config file) – solves 80% of black screen cases
Method 4 (Steam launch option -windowed) – solves another 10%
Method 5 (disable HDR) – if you have HDR enabled
Method 6 (lower refresh rate) – if you have a 144Hz+ monitor
Method 3 (delete Config folder) – last resort before reinstalling

You Have Conquered the Black Screen

The Invincible VS black screen is frustrating, but it is rarely a sign of serious hardware failure. In nearly every case, the issue is a simple miscommunication between the game’s fullscreen request and your Windows display configuration.

By following this guide, you have learned:

How to edit the GameUserSettings.ini config file to force window mode
How to make those changes permanent using Read-only mode
Alternative methods including Steam launch options and deleting the Config folder
How HDR and high refresh rates contribute to black screens
Prevention strategies to keep the problem from returning

If the black screen is now fixed: Enjoy the game. Consider bookmarking this guide in case a future game update or driver installation resets your settings.

If the black screen persists: The issue may be deeper than a simple configuration conflict. Return to the main pillar article (Complete PC Fix Guide) and work through the remaining sections, particularly:

Section 4: Antivirus & Firewall
Section 5: Visual C++ installation
Section 6: Dedicated GPU configuration
Section 10: Windows compatibility settings

Pillar Guide: Invincible VS Won’t Launch or Crashes on Startup? Complete PC Fix Guide
Next Article: Invincible VS Fatal Error Crash Fix: Delete or Rename Config and Save Folders
Coming Soon: Fix Invincible VS Crash on Launch Using DX11 or DX12 Steam Launch Options