Culture/Entertainment · NEWS EXPLAINER
Enshrouded 1.0 launches today: what happens to saves, skills, keybinds and cross-play
The October 15 release brings the full Embervale map to PC and PS5. Returning players can keep their saves, but should expect automatic migration, a skill-tree reset and default keybindings; PC-to-PS5 cross-play is not available at launch.
Enshrouded leaves Early Access on October 15 at 8:00 a.m. PDT / 11:00 a.m. EDT / 4:00 p.m. BST / 5:00 p.m. CEST, launching on Steam and PlayStation 5. Existing PC owners do not need to buy the game again, but returning players should check their save location, skill tree and controls before continuing an old world.
Existing saves work, with an automatic migration step
Keen Games says existing characters and worlds remain usable in 1.0. Saves made in version 0.8 or earlier are backed up before they are converted automatically to a smaller new format. The character and world selectors now separate Local and Steam Cloud tabs, so a save that looks absent may be on the other tab. Keen also lists the Windows local-save folder in its changelog. Make a separate backup before first launch if the world is irreplaceable, then confirm the expected character and world appear before overwriting anything.
Your skill tree and custom keybindings need attention
The first time an existing character is loaded in 1.0, its skill tree is reset and the points must be assigned again. Custom keybindings also return to their defaults. These are expected launch behaviors, not evidence that character progress or a controller profile has been deleted. Screenshot a preferred build and unusual bindings before updating, then recheck combat, building and interaction controls before entering a dangerous area.
The headline content is the finished map and story
Version 1.0 opens the rest of Embervale, including the endgame Cinder’s Cradle region, concludes the current main story and raises the character level cap to 50 and upgraded gear cap to 55. Sparkworks adds wired logic for interactive builds and adventures. The update also brings full voice work for major survivors and lore in English, German and Mandarin Chinese, HDR support, visual and performance changes, new enemies, spells and quality-of-life options. Those additions are substantial, but they do not remove the migration and settings checks for an established save.
PC and PS5 launch together, but not into one shared pool
PC supports co-op groups of up to 16 players, while PlayStation 5 supports up to eight. Standard PS5 offers a 60 fps Performance mode or 30 fps Quality mode; PS5 Pro has a dedicated 60 fps mode. Keen’s launch FAQ says cross-platform play is not available at launch, so PC and PS5 friends cannot assume they can join the same session. The developer says it is working on cross-platform play but gives no date. Xbox Series X|S is planned for spring 2027 rather than this launch.
Price, launch discount and a five-minute checklist
The launch announcement lists a price of $39.99 / €39.99 and a 10% discount on both launch platforms for the first 14 days. Existing Steam Early Access owners receive 1.0 without another purchase. Before loading an old world: copy the save folder if the world matters, note the active Local or Steam Cloud tab, capture the current skill build and bindings, plan to reassign points, and confirm every intended co-op player is on a compatible platform. Treat cross-play as unavailable until Keen publishes a shipped update, not merely a plan.
