How to make a dark game brighter without washing it out

September 29, 2026 · 3 min read · Shooters & survival

Game too dark, and the brightness slider turns everything into grey mush? The problem is that people raise the wrong setting. Here is an order that works almost everywhere.

Step 0. Check the monitor

If blacks on your monitor are grey and dark scenes look muddy, the cause may be a limited RGB range or the monitor mode. First — full RGB range and correct brightness and contrast. Our free online monitor test shows it in a minute.

Step 1. In-game brightness by the calibration screen

Most games show a calibration screen: the logo "barely visible". Set it that way — it is the starting point, not the final result.

Step 2. Gamma, not brightness

Setting	What it does	Result
Brightness	Lifts everything, black included	Grey, flat picture
Gamma	Brightens dark and mid tones	Shadow detail with a normal sky
Contrast	Stretches light and dark apart	Shadows even darker

Raise gamma in 0.1 steps: 1.1 → 1.2 → 1.3. Regular games need 1.1–1.3; night scenes 1.6–2.0.

Step 3. A little saturation

After a gamma boost the picture loses some "density". 110–130% saturation brings the color back.

Step 4. A separate profile

Gamma 1.6 on the desktop is uncomfortable. Save the settings as a DisplayTune profile bound to the game — it only turns on there. The Night vision group has ready-made options. Want to preview first? Try them on your own screenshot in the vibrance simulator.

Signs you went too far: sky and lights turn into white blobs and gradients show banding. Step back by 0.1–0.2 gamma.

DisplayTune does this in a couple of clicks

Saturation up to 350%, brightness, contrast, gamma and temperature, per-game profiles that switch on automatically, and hotkeys. Works on NVIDIA, AMD and Intel. First day free.

Try it free Pricing — from 200 RUB

Want to see how it looks first? Load your own screenshot into the free Vibrance simulator →

Frequently asked questions

Why does the game turn grey when I raise brightness?

Brightness lifts black too. For dark games raise gamma — it brightens the shadows while black stays dark.

What gamma is normal for games?

1.0–1.3 for regular scenes and 1.6–2.0 for night. Above that the picture goes flat and blows out.

How do I brighten only one game?

Create a profile in DisplayTune and bind it to the game's .exe — desktop colors stay normal.