Running into save file issues is never fun, especially in a story-rich game like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, where every decision and battle counts. Lately, some players have reported losing their save files entirely after a crash or when booting the game back up. A frustrating bug can wipe out hours of progress and kill the momentum. So, what’s going on, and is there any way to get your save back? Here is what we know so far.
Many players have run into an issue where the “Continue” button disappears from the main menu in Clair Obscur Expedition 33, leaving only the option to start a new game, despite the actual save file still being present in the proper save file location. The game, for some reason, fails to detect the existing save data, effectively locking players out of their progress even though the files haven’t been deleted. So, is there a fix?
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 Save File Lost Issue: Is there any fix yet
Unfortunately, there’s no official fix for the missing save file issue just yet. Until the developers patch it, you’ll have to lean on community-suggested workarounds and a bit of trial and error to see which method (if any) gets your progress back on track.
First things
As a first step, restart your PC and run both the game and its launcher with administrator privileges to avoid any permission issues. Additionally, ensure the game is allowed through Windows Firewall and any third-party antivirus software you might be using, as security programs can sometimes block or interfere with game files. It’s also a good idea to close any unnecessary background applications to free up system resources and prevent potential conflicts while the game is running.
Launch and Rename
One player-suggested workaround involves tricking the game into recognizing your old save. First, start a new game to generate fresh save data, then return to the title screen where the “Continue” option appears. While the game is still running, ALT+TAB out and head to the game save location typically at: “C:\Users\Username Folder\AppData\Local\Sandfall\Saved\SaveGames\[your save number folder]”. Inside the “backup” folder, rename the latest backup save file to EXPEDITION_0.sav, and then copy both that file and SavesContainer.sav into the main save folder, replacing the existing files. Switch back to the game and try hitting continue to see if this fixes the issue for you.
For Gamepass
For save issues in the game’s Game Pass version, one workaround that’s helped players involves starting two new games to generate fresh save slots, then manually replacing the new save data with the old one. After creating two new games and exiting, navigate to: “C:\Users\Username Folder\AppData\Local\Packages\KeplerInteractive.Expedition33_ymj30pw7xe604\SystemAppData\wgs\”. The final folder name may vary. Sort the contents by date and identify folders with larger file sizes (old saves may be around 232 KB vs. 56–57 KB for new ones). Copy your old save files into the folders containing the new saves, and rename them to match the new save file names (back up the originals first). Then, relaunch the game and try loading both save slots. Your old save might be restored even if the preview looks new.
Last Resort
As a last resort, verify the integrity of the game files through your platform (Steam or Game Pass) to ensure nothing is corrupted or missing, and check for any pending updates, patches, or hotfixes that might resolve the issue. If problems persist, consider reinstalling the game entirely, preferably on an SSD to improve stability and loading reliability, which could help the game properly recognize or load save data.
Those are all the effective workarounds we have for now. We hope you were able to fix the missing save file issue in the game. Now, before you leave, do not forget to bookmark DigiStatement for more gaming content like this. You can also click here to find out how to change the difficulty level in Clair Obscur Expedition 33.
