DragonSword: Awakening Launch Known Issues and Workarounds

Overview — July 23 through August 2, 2026

Hound13 acknowledged several launch-day issues within hours of the 12:10 PM KST Steam release, then shipped Patches 1.0.1 through 1.0.6. Update through Steam before troubleshooting. This page consolidates official Steam news notices so players avoid third-party misinformation.

Latest Patches — Through 1.0.6 (August 2 sync)

• Patch 1.0.6 — Summer Sea Set cosmetics for Astria and Reina; Cerese store pages preparing
• Patch 1.0.5 — Ornette interaction softlock on Adventure Quests 15–18
• Patch 1.0.4 — Localization, combat fixes, World Boss reward buffs, quest softlocks, graphics
• Patch 1.0.3 — World Boss / Sudden Mission daily reset, Intermediate Promotion prison door
• Patch 1.0.2 — Frame Generation crash, FPS Limit save, Adventure Quest 29, Veteran Promotion, Ornette Bond Quest

D3D12 Crash on Certain GPUs — July 28

Issue: Hound13 posted a Steam notice on July 28, 2026 reporting crashes caused by D3D12 errors on certain GPU and driver combinations. Symptoms include failure to launch or abrupt shutdowns tied to DirectX 12 paths on specific GPU/driver stacks.

Official workaround (Steam Launch Options):

1. In your Steam Library, right-click DragonSword : Awakening.
2. Select Properties.
3. In the Launch Options field, enter -dx11.
4. Launch the game — the client forces the DirectX 11 path until Hound13 ships a permanent D3D12 fix.

Additional troubleshooting:

• Update your GPU drivers to the latest stable release from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel.
• Verify game files through Steam → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity.
• If boot still fails after graphics changes, delete GameUserSettings.ini per the Start-up Crash workaround page.

Hound13 stated the official fix schedule will be announced separately. Keep -dx11 until that patch lands; see also Launch Bugs and Workarounds.

Mods and Save File Modification — July 27

Notice: Hound13 posted on July 27, 2026 that mods and save file edits are unsupported at launch. Third-party tools that alter progression, inventory, or online-adjacent data may trigger account bans or cause save corruption without recovery options.

Recommendation: Play on unmodified retail saves. Back up your save folder before experimenting with any external editor. If corruption occurs, restore from backup or start fresh — Hound13 does not guarantee support for tampered files. Cosmetic-only Steam DLC and the free Abyssal Direwolf promotion are the only supported add-ons via official channels.

Start-up Crash After Graphics Changes — July 24

Issue: Changing certain graphics options (resolution, Frame Generation, FPS Limit, DLSS/FSR) causes the game to crash on the next launch.

Workaround: Close the game, browse to DS/Saved/Config/Windows via Steam → Properties → Installed Files → Browse, delete GameUserSettings.ini, then restart. The game rebuilds the file with default graphics settings.

Fix status: Patch 1.0.2 addresses Frame Generation / resolution / FPS Limit bugs. Keep the workaround if boot still fails — see the dedicated Start-up Crash workaround page.

Urgent: Unpurchased DLC Equip Crash

Issue: Costumes and Familiars you have not purchased appear equippable in-game. Attempting to equip or mount them triggers an abnormal popup and closes the game.

Workaround: Do not equip or mount any DLC costume or Familiar unless you confirmed purchase in Steam. Standard gameplay continues normally when avoiding unpurchased cosmetics.

Fix status: Hound13 deployed Patch 1.0.1 on July 23, 2026 — see our dedicated Patch 1.0.1 page. The update restricts DLC equipment to legitimately owned items only. Verify game files through Steam after patching, then retry cosmetic equipment safely.

Missing Store DLC Items

Some paid items failed to display on the Steam store at launch:

• Black-Dyed Vestment — costume pack
• Exploration Squad Griffon — Familiar variant

Hound13 posted an investigation notice on July 23 at 12:39 KST. These items remain cosmetic-only — no combat advantage when they return to the store. Free launch promotion Abyssal Direwolf claims separately via our Free Rewards guide.

Pre-Launch Build Progression Reset

Players who accessed pre-launch review builds before the public store unlock may experience partial data resets:

• Cooking recipes — rediscover previously learned recipes
• Mini-game records — replay allowed but duplicate rewards unavailable
• Titles — reset except Mercenary Corps promotion titles; achievement progress preserved
• Karma Codex — some entries require re-collection
• Sudden Missions — Merc Guide discovery data reset

This affects a small pre-launch audience — not standard July 22–23 purchasers starting fresh. Demo save data from the closed July 7 trial never transferred regardless.

General Launch Troubleshooting

If crashes persist unrelated to DLC: verify game files through Steam, update GPU drivers, and install on SSD with 60 GB free. Enable lock-on and aim assist per our First Hours guide. Report new bugs on the official Steam community hub or Discord linked from the store page.

Return to Launch Reviews for press scores or Beginner Combat Tips once stability is confirmed.