Where the saves live
There are three paths worth knowing, because the Linux location changed with the newer build.
| Platform | Path |
|---|---|
| Windows | %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\FieldsOfMistria\saves |
| Steam Deck / Linux (current) | ~/.local/share/FieldsOfMistria/saves |
| Proton / older Linux | ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/2142790/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/Local/FieldsOfMistria/saves/ |
Back up before you do anything else
Copy the entire saves folder to a location outside the game directory — a second drive or a cloud folder is ideal. Copy, do not move. A backup you made before the problem is the only tool that reliably fixes save corruption.
The Steam Deck sync problem
The developer notes that Steam fails to synchronise saves when transitioning to the new Linux build. If your Steam Deck progress appears to have vanished after an update, check the older Proton path in the table above before assuming the save is gone — it may simply be in the previous location.
Moving a save to another machine
Copy the whole saves folder, not individual files, and place it at the equivalent path on the target machine with the game closed. Launch the game once before overwriting anything, so that the folder structure already exists.
Beta-branch saves need separating
The new engine beta branch is developed separately from the main branch, its progress is not merged back, and the developer asks players to back up their saves before using it. Keep beta saves in their own backup folder so you never restore one over a main-branch game by accident.
If a save is already lost
Version 1.0.1 fixed several save-loading crashes and 1.0.2 fixed further crashes tied to file access errors, so make sure you are patched before concluding a save is unrecoverable. If it still will not load, report it through the official form rather than editing the file.
Primary sources
Checked against these public pages. Official sources define confirmed features and status; community sources are labelled as such and used for game data that the developer does not publish directly.