If The Relic: First Guardian crashes, will not launch, or opens to a black screen on PC, start by updating the game and checking its current Steam requirements. Then use Steam’s general launch checks—restart, update Windows and graphics drivers, verify the game files, and temporarily close non-essential background software. These are troubleshooting steps, not confirmed fixes for every symptom: the developer has not published a verified universal solution for startup crashes or black screens in the sources available.
1. Update the game before troubleshooting
Project Cloud Games is continuing technical and performance work on the Steam version. The Steam store page showed Patch 18 live on September 18, 2026; later updates may be available by the time you read this. Let any pending Steam download finish, then check the game’s Steam store page and news for the latest update notes.
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Updates have addressed some specific problems, but the notes do not establish a fix for every launch error or black screen. Patch 6, published August 5, 2026, said a loading interaction involving spawn points was fixed and frame drops in large-scale Chapter 2 battles were partially resolved. Patch 7, published August 7, fixed an in-game loading issue that had blocked entry to the Sanctum of the Stepped Aside. Neither note identifies a general startup black-screen fix. See the publisher’s Patch 6 update and Patch 7 update.
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Compare your system with the requirements currently listed on Steam; listings can change. The store page specifies a 64-bit processor and operating system, 16 GB RAM, and these processors:
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- Compatible with Windows and Android.
- 1000Hz Polling Rate (for 2.4G and wired connection)
- Hall Effect joysticks and Hall triggers. Wear-resistant metal joystick rings.
- Extra R4/L4 bumpers. Custom button mapping without using software. Turbo function.
- Refined bumpers and D-pad. Light but tactile.
| Requirement tier | Processor listed | Memory listed |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Intel i5-11400 or Ryzen 7 4800H | 16 GB RAM |
| Recommended | Intel i5-12650H or Ryzen 7 5800 | 16 GB RAM |
Use the live Steam listing to check the full current specification. Meeting minimum requirements is a compatibility baseline, not a guarantee that the game will run without a crash.
3. Run Steam’s general launch checks
Steam recommends the following general checks for games that fail to launch. They are not documented as title-specific cures for The Relic: First Guardian.
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- Supported Multi-Platform:Switch/Switch 2 (NO support wake-up function)/iOS/Android/Windows PC (Notice:Not compatible with Xbox, PlayStation or GeForce Now, For game platforms not mentioned, please consult customer service before buying）
- Connection modes:Wired/Bluetooth/Wireless Dongle(Connect to PC via Bluetooth : Select iOS (phone) mode, but it's not recommended; Dongle is more stable)
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- Restart your PC. This clears a stuck session and gives Windows a clean start.
- Install Windows and graphics-driver updates. Use Windows Update and the support or update utility for your graphics hardware. Restart if prompted.
- Verify the game files in Steam. In your Library, right-click The Relic: First Guardian, choose Properties, open Installed Files, and select Verify integrity of game files. Wait for Steam to complete the check, then try launching again.
- Temporarily close non-essential background software. Close overlays, tuning utilities, and other applications you do not need, then test the game. Restore them afterward; do not leave security protection disabled.
These platform-wide checks are described in Steam Support’s launch troubleshooting guidance. If one step changes the symptom, note which one; that can help distinguish a file, driver, or software conflict from an unchanged failure.
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Steam says an “already running” error can occur after a game closes improperly or crashes silently. Open Windows Task Manager, look for a lingering process associated with the game, and end it if it is still present. Then verify the game files using the steps above and try again. Steam’s explanation and guidance are at Steam Support: game is already running.
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- TMR Sticks: The G7 Pro features GameSir's Mag-Res TMR sticks, combining Hall Effect durability with traditional potentiometer performance. This advanced technology delivers stable polling rates for smooth, drift-free gaming with low power consumption.
- Hall Effect Analog Triggers: The GameSir precision-tuned Hall Effect analog triggers provide unmatched smoothness and linear input for precise control. Featuring clicky Micro Switch trigger stops, gamers can easily switch based on their preferences.
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- GameSir Nexus App: The G7 Pro is compatible with the upgraded GameSir Nexus app, which brings a significant upgrade over the original. It introduces powerful new features such as gyro settings, stick curve adjustments, and button-to-mouse mapping, giving you deeper customization and more control than ever before.
5. Treat a black screen as an unresolved symptom, not a known patch target
The reviewed official sources do not identify a single cause or confirm a specific fix for a startup black screen in this game. Apply the reversible checks above, and distinguish what you see: a black window that remains open, a game that exits, or a Steam error each points to a different failure pattern. The publisher’s documented loading fixes concern in-game locations and do not prove that a startup black screen is resolved.
Avoid deleting save folders or configuration files as an initial fix. No game-specific official source reviewed here recommends that step, and deleting files could put settings or progress at risk. The similarly named Relic Entertainment is a different developer; its troubleshooting guidance for its own games should not be treated as instructions for Project Cloud Games’ title.
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- Multi-Platform PC Gaming Controller: Working with Switch, PC, Android, and iOS devices via Bluetooth, wired, and wireless dongle connections.
- Hall Effect Joysticks: Delivering enhanced recentering performance for smoother control and superior anti-drift capability. Plus, with anti-friction rings.
- 2-Way Trigger Lock: With trigger stops, gamers can toggle between short and long pull positions. Additionally, gamers can activate hair trigger mode by pressing M+LT/RT (triggers must be in the long pull position).
- 1000Hz Polling Rate: This ensures that your inputs are registered almost instantaneously, minimizing lag and maximizing your performance during competitive play.
- Mechanical Circular D-pad: Designed for quick reactions and accuracy in every direction, this D-pad elevates your gaming experience with superior responsiveness.
6. Gather details if the problem continues
When contacting the game’s developer support, include information that can help reproduce or diagnose the problem:
- Whether the game exits immediately, stays on a black screen, or displays an error (copy the exact text).
- Your Windows version, CPU and GPU models, and graphics-driver versions.
- The game version shown by Steam and whether file verification completed successfully.
- What troubleshooting steps you tried and whether they changed the symptom.
Project Cloud Games’ development team acknowledged launch shortcomings in a statement published by Perp Games on August 6, 2026: “The launch did not meet the standard of experience we intended to deliver.” The statement establishes that the launch had technical shortcomings; it does not diagnose an individual PC’s crash or promise that a particular check will resolve it. Read the publisher’s statement.
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