Re: Games are not loading

I’ve never had an issue with this game until last week.  I’ve done the recommended fixes and they have not worked.  I’m getting some of the same black screen with matching moments game but i am able to restart that game and it works ok except it is lagging.  This is very frustrating because i have not been able to complete challenges in the solitaire home game.  

gilsgal562​ 

Hello! I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing a black screen when trying to load Solitaire Home Story for the past 3 days. That's definitely frustrating. Thank you kindly for sharing your device, the game and the description of what you are experiencing - this is 100% how any issue should be posted and described, perfect. WTG 🎉

Pogo is currently investigating loading issues affecting Solitaire Home Story (along with Pogo Slots and Sweet Tooth Town) for some players. However, I'm also using Windows 11 with Microsoft Edge, and the game is loading fine for me, which suggests this may be a browser configuration or device-specific issue.

The fact that you're getting a black screen with no audio and no visuals at all suggests the game isn't loading or initializing properly. This typically points to one of these issues:

• Graphics driver incompatibility preventing the game from starting
• Hardware acceleration conflict in Edge
• Corrupted browser cache blocking the initial game load

▶️ Updating your graphics drivers is really important for gaming. When they’re out of date, they’re often the reason we end up with black screens.

Important note about graphics drivers: Graphics driver updates can come with our System Updates - however, they may not be the most current. Graphics drivers are made by other companies (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel), and they can release updates at any time that Microsoft doesn't automatically include in real time. For the most current updates, it is best to visit the graphics card manufacturer's website directly to check for updates. As gamers, graphic drivers are crucial for gaming, and we should do this check monthly.

Additionally, even if your device is brand new, we still need to check for updates - they can come in at any time and are never-ending. A new device may be shipped with drivers that are already outdated by the time we receive it.

Windows states this as well: " There may be better drivers on Windows Update or on the devise manufactures website"

Here are the full troubleshooting steps you can try for resolving a Black Screen. Please note: System checks like these are not just for Pogo - they are essential maintenance that should be done regularly for the overall security, performance, and stability of our devices. Think of these as a "health checkup" for your computer. Once you get the hang of this, it will be like making a cup of coffee with cream and sugar 🙂 I do this all as well! Let's get it:

Turn OFF Hardware Acceleration (Quick Test) This is the fastest way to test if your graphics driver is causing the black screen:

• Open Microsoft Edge
• Click the three dots (...) in the top right corner
• Click Settings
• Click System and performance (in the left sidebar)
• Click System
• Find "Use graphics acceleration when available"
• Toggle it to OFF 
• Close Edge completely (close all Edge windows)
• Reopen Edge and try Solitaire Home Story again

If the game loads with hardware acceleration OFF: This confirms your graphics drivers need updating (next step).

Update Your Graphics Drivers

• Press Windows key + X
• Click Device Manager
• Double click on Display adapters
• You'll see your graphics card listed (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel)
• Right Click on the name of your graphics driver and a popup will appear with choices - Select - Update Driver
• This will check for any updates to your graphics driver via Windows Update (like in the picture above)
• Visting to the manufacture's website is a little more detailed however an article was created here for us, with links to the manufactures > How to troubleshoot graphics issues on PC

If you driver did need an update, remember to:

• Restart your laptop
• Go back to Edge Settings and turn hardware acceleration back ON
• Try Solitaire Home Story again

Clear Cache and Cookies

• Open Edge
• Click the three dots (...)
• Click Settings
• Click Privacy, search, and services (left sidebar)
• Under "Clear browsing data" click Choose what to clear
• Select Cached images and files and Cookies and other site data
• Click Clear now
• Restart Edge and try the game

Additional Troubleshooting

Disable Edge extensions temporarily:

• Open Edge
• Click the three dots (...)
• Click Settings
• Click Extensions (left sidebar)
• Turn off any using the toggle bar next to each
• Don't worry you can turn them back on the same way if you would like. 
• Close Edge completely and reopen
• Try Solitaire Home Story again

Clear Windows temporary files:

• Press Windows + R
• Type %temp%
• Press Enter
• Select all files (Ctrl + A)
• Delete all files (some may be in use and won't delete - that's okay, skip them)

Give these troubleshooting steps a try, if for some reason none of them work, watch for updates on Pogo Forums or Pogo Blog as the team investigates.

Hope this helps & Take Care 🐈‍⬛