Start a new full-release save; demo progress does not transfer
Do not copy Lootbound demo data over the full game's save. The demo and release builds use different save structures, so a copied profile can display old playtime yet still open the full game's new-save introduction and tutorials. That partial recognition does not mean the run, unlocks, or progression converted successfully.
Keep the full-release profile created by the current game and begin progression there. Treat the demo as a separate experience. The safest answer is definitive: there is no supported demo-to-full save migration for the current release, and manual copying cannot turn the demo profile into a valid release profile.
Stop if a copied save shows the intro again
If the profile picker shows familiar playtime but loading the profile starts the opening note, box scene, or tutorials, stop using that copied file. The release build is reading enough metadata to list the profile but cannot use the demo progression as a valid current save. Continuing can make it harder to tell which files belong to which build.
Close the game and preserve both sets before changing anything else. Keep the demo backup in a clearly named folder outside the live save location. Restore the newest untouched full-release backup or let the game create a clean release profile. Never repeatedly merge individual files from the two versions.
- Close Lootbound completely.
- Copy the current live save folder to a dated backup.
- Move demo backups outside the live save path.
- Restore the latest untouched release profile or create a new one.
- Launch once and confirm the release profile saves normally.
Protect Steam Cloud while restoring the release profile
Before replacing any live file, allow Steam to finish synchronization and note which machine holds the newest valid release progress. Make a local backup of that profile. If Steam asks you to choose between local and cloud files, select the copy whose modification time and progress match the latest full-release session, not the older demo playtime.
Avoid testing migration steps on the only good copy. Work from duplicates and keep Steam closed while moving files. After restoration, launch on one machine, enter the Hub, exit normally, and allow synchronization to finish before opening the game elsewhere. This creates one clear release state instead of several conflicting profiles.
- Back up before every restore.
- Keep demo and release backups in separate folders.
- Use modification time and known progress to identify the correct release save.
- Synchronize one confirmed profile before launching on another device.
Know what can and cannot be preserved
Screenshots, notes, and knowledge from the demo remain useful, but the progression file does not convert. Recreate hero unlocks, Hub purchases, achievements, and run history in the full release. Do not promise yourself a shortcut based on a profile name or playtime value that happens to appear in the picker.
The release has received balance and system changes that the demo save was not built to represent. Starting clean keeps current unlock state, item pools, difficulty progress, and Library data internally consistent. It also gives later technical troubleshooting a valid baseline instead of a mixed profile whose failures cannot be isolated.
| Data | Carryover result |
|---|---|
| Run progress and unlocks | No supported transfer |
| Profile metadata such as visible playtime | May appear but does not prove compatibility |
| Screenshots and personal notes | Keep separately |
| New full-release progress | Protect with a dated backup and Steam Cloud |
Recover from an attempted transfer without deleting everything
First look for an untouched full-release backup or a valid Steam Cloud copy. Restore the complete profile as one unit rather than selecting individual files. If no release progress existed before the transfer attempt, remove the incompatible copy from the live path after backing it up and let Lootbound create a new profile.
Confirm the repair by completing a small action, returning to the Hub, exiting normally, and reopening the same profile. Once that state survives a restart, back it up again. The goal is not to make the demo file load; it is to establish one healthy current-release save that future runs can safely extend.