⚙️ ☵ Hiraeth Startup Error – Universal Steam Fix (works for other games too)

A few days ago I received a report from a long‑time player — Victor Van Doos, currently with around 100 hours in Hiraeth – thank you again! ːss2heartː Today the same issue appeared on my own machine, and fortunately I managed to find a reliable fix.

The build is fine. The error appeared suddenly, without any game update, and the game files themselves are correct.

Cause

A recent Windows update, a Steam issue, or something related to Steam’s download/cache system.

Symptoms

• Hiraeth cannot get past the loading screen

• If it does start, the screen may stutter heavily and/or the keyboard stops working (mouse may partially respond)

• Steam file verification does not fix the issue

THIS IS NOT CAUSED BY THE GAME, YOUR SYSTEM, OR YOUR HARDWARE

Quick and Effective Fix

1. Open File Explorer and go to:

   %localappdata%\\Hiraeth\\

2. (Optional) Copy the SaveGames folder somewhere safe. It’s your choice — and a big vehicle update requiring new saves is coming soon anyway.

3. Uninstall Hiraeth from Steam.

4. Delete the entire Hiraeth folder from:

   %localappdata%

5. In Steam: Steam → Settings → Downloads → Clear Download Cache

6. Reinstall Hiraeth on Steam.

7. (Optional) Restore your saves by copying your backup back into:

   %localappdata%\\Hiraeth\\Saved\\SaveGames\\

   At minimum, you can restore NVideo.sav and UserSettings.sav to bring back your settings.

This fix also works for other Steam games

If you encounter similar issues in other games — stuttering on startup, missing input, or the game refusing to load despite correct files — you can apply the same steps. Just replace:

%localappdata%\\Hiraeth\\

with the corresponding folder for that game, for example:

%localappdata%\\GameName\\

The combination of clearing Steam’s download cache and removing corrupted config files solves a wide range of Steam‑related startup problems.

After applying these steps, the game runs perfectly!

I’m sorry for the inconvenience — as you’ll see, the issue appeared independently of the game itself, most likely due to a Windows update or a Steam cache error. I didn’t report this to Steam because, although their support usually responds quickly, I wanted to find a fast solution for everyone.

Warm regards,

Paweł