Dota 2 black screen and load times: How to fix

Dota 2 players, especially those who have lower-end gaming PCs, have been experiencing black screens or very long loading times when connecting to a Dota 2 match. This issue has been around for the past several months. Now, there's a way to fix the Dota 2 black screen and long loading times issues.

Dota 2 black screen: how to fix

If you are struggling with the black screen and loading time issues in Dota 2, then you can use a new, experimental launch option for the game. This launch option was released in the latest Dota 2 patch, which released in the early hours of the morning on 31st July.

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Before you get started with the fix, you should know using this launch option makes the initial load time of Dota 2 slower. However, once you are in the game, loading into a match should be much faster. 

It is, of course, an experimental launch option you will be using, so proceed at your own risk by following the steps below.

1. Launch Steam.
2. Update Dota 2 if you haven't already.
3. Right-click on Dota 2 and select properties.
4. In the "general" tab, click on "Set Launch Options".
5. Type in -prewarm in the text box (see image below).
6. Run Dota 2 without fear of those black screens or very long loading times heading into a match.

Enabling the new Dota 2 launch option (Screenshot: Steam)

We've tested out the launch option and it works very well on a lower-end gaming PC.

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After following the steps above, I've not experienced a Dota 2 black screen when loading into an Aghanim's Labyrinth match, doing so four times to test it out.