GDevelop Steam Demo Still Saves to Preview Folder After Fest Branch Promotion - How to Fix

Problem: Your GDevelop game passed Gate 5 on the standalone export, but after you promoted the fest_demo Steam branch, playtesters report progress resets every launch. File Explorer shows saves under an preview or editor cache folder—not the path documented in save_path_map.json.

Who is affected now: Teams finishing the 7-day GDevelop save-path freeze in May–October 2026 and promoting a fest branch copied from internal QA. The bug appears only after branch promotion: preview and standalone paths diverged, or event sheets still call browser storage actions on desktop export.

Fastest safe fix: Re-export with a single Storage root driven by a build macro (company + game name)—never a scene variable with a hardcoded path → diff save_path_map.json and gdevelop_freeze_receipt_v1.json between internal and fest_demo → run one-time migration on first launch if testers already saved under preview → set gate4_branch_save_path_match: pass before SteamPipe promotion → add save_path to Wednesday metadata diff.

Direct answer

Progress is not “lost”—it is written to the preview path your fest build still uses. Branch promotion copied events and extensions but not the normalized storage root your freeze week documented. GDevelop’s preview player and packaged exe use different base directories unless you pin the Storage extension to the same logical keys and export profile. Fix the map, the export, and the receipt together; re-testing inside the editor does not count.

Why this issue spikes in May 2026

The GDevelop save-path freeze challenge made save_path_map.json standard—teams promote branches before re-running Gate 3 on the fest profile.
Steam fest_demo builds often inherit playtest event copies where a scene variable still stores C:\Users\...\preview\.
HTML5-first projects keep localStorage actions in sheets; desktop export “works” in preview but writes the wrong store at runtime.
Playtest vs fest_public isolation fails when both branches share one storage key—see playtest isolation playbook.

Pair with 12 Free Defold GDevelop Ren'Py save-path audit resources. After save gates pass, continue October Next Fest metadata checklist.

Symptoms and search phrases

Saves work in GDevelop preview; Steam-installed demo always starts at floor one.
AppData path contains preview, GDevelop 5, or an old project display name.
QA validated Thursday export folder; fest_demo depot behaves differently.
Storage actions show correct variable key but wrong root on disk.
gdevelop_freeze_receipt_v1.json on fest branch missing or stale vs internal branch.
Playtest branch saves persist; fest_public branch does not (shared key, different binary).

Root causes (check in order)

Branch promotion copied events only — save_path_map.json updated on internal, not merged to fest export job.
Scene variable holds Windows path — SaveRoot string still points at preview cache.
localStorage actions on desktop export — preview OK; packaged exe uses wrong persistence layer.
Different build_label / project name between branches — Storage resolves a new folder; players look like “reset.”
Cloud / sync extension disabled on demo define while QA tested with extension on.
Wrong depot promoted — playtest binary on fest branch (see save-slot label case study).
Gate 5 tested Thursday folder only — Gate 6 installed Steam smoke never run on fest_demo.

Fastest safe fix path

Step 1 — Prove where the Steam build writes (packaged only)

Install the build from the fest_demo branch (or local standalone with identical export options).
Delete known save folders listed in your old save_path_map.json (document paths first).
Play to first checkpoint; trigger save.
Search %APPDATA% and %LOCALAPPDATA% for new files modified in the last minute:

Get-ChildItem -Path $env:APPDATA,$env:LOCALAPPDATA -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
  Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -gt (Get-Date).AddMinutes(-10) -and $_.Extension -match '\.(json|sav|dat)$' } |
  Select-Object FullName, LastWriteTime

Pass: Path matches expected_root in map—not preview.
Fail: Path contains preview → continue to Step 2.

Step 2 — Normalize Storage extension root (no baked paths)

In event sheets, replace absolute paths with project constants:

Anti-pattern	Fix
Scene variable `SaveRoot = "C:\..."`	Delete; use Storage extension only
`localStorage` write/read on desktop	Switch to Storage extension actions
Different keys per branch (`demo_save` vs `demo_save_preview`)	One key: `demo_save_v1` on all retail branches

Document in save_path_map.json:

{
  "schema": "save_path_map_v1",
  "company": "YourStudio",
  "game": "FestDemo2026",
  "slots": [
    {
      "slot_id": "demo_progress",
      "action": "Storage write variable",
      "key": "demo_save_v1",
      "expected_root": "%APPDATA%/YourStudio/FestDemo2026/",
      "forbidden_substrings": ["preview", "GDevelop 5 preview"]
    }
  ],
  "save_format_version": 1
}

Outbound reference: GDevelop Storage extension.

Step 3 — Diff freeze receipts and maps between branches

Before promoting fest_demo:

fc /n release-evidence\gdevelop\internal\save_path_map.json `
       release-evidence\gdevelop\fest_demo\save_path_map.json

Extend gdevelop_freeze_receipt_v1.json:

{
  "schema": "gdevelop_freeze_receipt_v1",
  "project_version": "0.4.0-freeze-week",
  "gates": {
    "gate3_save_path_map": "pass",
    "gate4_export_folder": "pass",
    "gate4_branch_save_path_match": "pass"
  },
  "freeze_pass": true,
  "build_label": "gd-nextfest-2026-05-24-rc1",
  "branch": "fest_demo",
  "documented_save_key": "demo_save_v1",
  "verified_root_note": "%APPDATA%/YourStudio/FestDemo2026/"
}

Block promotion if gate4_branch_save_path_match is not pass or maps differ.

Step 4 — Re-export fest profile and promote depot

Open the fest export preset (not “quick preview export”).
Confirm debugger off, 64-bit, same game name as save_path_map.json.
Run Gate 5 round-trip on the new exe before SteamPipe.
Upload to fest_demo depot only—do not reuse playtest manifest.
Log build_label in BUILD_RECEIPT.

Step 5 — One-time migration for early fest testers

If preview-folder saves already shipped:

// Pseudologic — run once at Title scene on first launch after patch
if (storage.exists("demo_save_v1") == false && fileExistsLegacyPreview()) {
  storage.write("demo_save_v1", readLegacyPreviewSave());
  storage.write("save_migrated_from_preview", true);
}

Ship player-facing note: first launch after patch may import progress—or reset if corrupt. Align store FAQ save claims.

Step 6 — Installed Steam smoke (Gate 6)

Run S4–S6 from Wednesday demo build smoke on the Steam-installed build with a clean Windows user or VM. Editor and Thursday-folder tests do not satisfy this step.

Verification checklist

[ ] save_path_map.json identical on internal and fest_demo evidence folders.
[ ] No preview substring in verified save path on installed Steam build.
[ ] gate4_branch_save_path_match: pass in fest receipt.
[ ] Gate 5 round-trip passes twice on fest build_label.
[ ] Gate 6 installed smoke GREEN.
[ ] Wednesday metadata diff includes save_path column.
[ ] Playtest and fest use different keys if both live—isolation playbook.

Prevention

Treat branch promotion as “re-run Gates 3–6,” not “copy depot ID.”
Pin Storage extension version in Monday scene inventory.
Ban scene variables for OS paths—code review grep C:\\ and preview.
Add CI job: fail if save_path_map.json on fest_demo ≠ internal.
Pair with Defold save root help in multi-engine studios—same promotion discipline.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Fix
Preview OK, Steam reset	Re-run Step 1 on installed build; fix Storage root
Two folders updating	Duplicate save systems—remove `localStorage` actions
Key exists, load empty	Read key ≠ write key in event sheet
Only fest branch fails	Wrong depot promoted; verify `build_label` in-game
Playtest OK, fest bad	Separate `playtest_save_v1` vs `demo_save_v1` keys
Receipt says pass, players fail	Receipt from Thursday folder, not Steam install

FAQ

Is this the same as Defold collection map drift?
Same branch promotion failure class—see Defold save root help. GDevelop uses Storage extension paths, not sys.save.

Does Gate 4 in the freeze challenge mean branch paths?
Official Gate 4 is export folder audit. Add gate4_branch_save_path_match for promotion—this help article’s gate blocks fest upload when branches diverge.

Can I use Steam Cloud?
Only if implemented and FAQ-accurate. Default Storage is local—document in save_path_map.json.

Construct NW.js demos?
Parallel fest cluster—Construct uses AppData + package.json name; help article planned for NW.js save mismatch (same Wednesday diff column).