Yes. Enshrouded Early Access saves carry over to version 1.0, so there is no forced wipe when the full release launches on October 15, 2026.
Keen Games says existing saves will be converted to a newer, more efficient save format when you move into 1.0.
That does not mean continuing your old world is automatically the best choice. Keen has changed the world and reworked the opening hours enough that the studio strongly encourages returning players to start over. You can keep a long-running world if you are attached to it, but a fresh save is the better option if you want to experience the finished progression as intended.
Quick answer: Your Early Access save will still work in Enshrouded 1.0. You do not have to restart. Start fresh if you want the redesigned opening, world changes, and full 1.0 progression from the beginning. Keep your old save if preserving a major base or long-term world matters more. Either way, your skill tree is reset in 1.0, so reassign your points before heading back into combat.
Research basis: Keen Games’ official launch FAQ and 1.0 combat update, plus current Steam and G2A.COM information.
Checked: October 14, 2026.
Table of Contents
- Do Enshrouded Early Access saves carry over to 1.0?
- Should you start over for Enshrouded 1.0?
- Keep your save or start fresh?
- What changes when an old save moves to 1.0?
- What happens to your skill tree?
- Should you back up your Enshrouded save?
- Best choice for returning players
- Related Enshrouded guides
- Enshrouded 1.0 save FAQ
Do Enshrouded Early Access saves carry over to 1.0?
Yes. Keen Games has explicitly confirmed that Early Access saves can be used after Enshrouded reaches version 1.0. There is no mandatory save wipe attached to the October 15 full release.
The technical change happens to the save format itself. Keen says old saves will be converted to a newer, more efficient format. In practical terms, the studio is supporting continuity rather than forcing everyone who played during Early Access to abandon their progress.
Should you start over for Enshrouded 1.0?
For most players returning specifically because of 1.0, yes, starting a new world is the better choice. That is also the direction Keen Games recommends.
The reason is not save compatibility. Your old save works. The reason is that Keen has made significant improvements to both the world and the first few hours of the game. A character that is already deep into progression can skip straight past some of the parts that have been rebuilt for the full release.
Starting over lets you see the new-player flow in context, rebuild your character around the updated skill tree, and experience the finished progression curve rather than dropping an established Early Access character into the middle of it.
Keep your save or start fresh?
What changes when an old save moves to Enshrouded 1.0?
The most important confirmed change is the conversion to the new save format. Keen describes it as more efficient, but the studio has not said that this conversion requires players to manually rebuild or recreate their worlds.
The larger gameplay issue is that the world and early progression have changed around that save. This is why the studio can support old worlds while still recommending a restart. Compatibility and the ideal way to experience the update are two different questions.
Version 1.0 also expands progression with a new biome, raises the player level cap to 50 and equipment cap to 55, adds new enemy variants, and makes broad combat and skill changes. That means even an established character will have new progression ahead.
What happens to your skill tree in Enshrouded 1.0?
Your skill tree is reset when 1.0 arrives. Keen Games says this is necessary because new skills were added and existing skills were moved or adjusted.
So if you continue an Early Access character, do not assume your old build is ready to go. Reinvest your points before leaving your base or heading into tougher areas. Mage and ranged characters deserve particular attention because 1.0 adds new spells, summons, wand options, archer skills, and other combat changes.
Returning-player warning: Loading your old save does not preserve your previous skill allocation. Open the skill tree and rebuild your character before jumping straight into combat.
Should you back up your Enshrouded save before updating?
Yes. Keen expects old saves to convert normally, but making a copy of a world you care about is still sensible before a major version change. This is especially worth doing if you have spent a long time on a large build or host the main world for a multiplayer group.
For Steam Cloud users, the community-moderated Steam discussion points to the default cloud-save folder under Steam\userdata\[YourSteamID]\1203620\remote. Local saves can also use C:\Users\[YourUserName]\Saved Games\Enshrouded. Installation paths can vary, so copy your files rather than moving or deleting the originals.
This backup step is precautionary advice, not a sign that Keen expects the 1.0 conversion to wipe worlds. The official position remains that Early Access saves are supported.
Best choice for returning Enshrouded players
If you played heavily during Early Access and built something you care about, keep the save. There is no reason to delete months of work just because 1.0 exists. You can always create a second world for the fresh-start experience.
If you played for a few dozen hours, stopped months ago, and are coming back specifically because Enshrouded is finally leaving Early Access, start again. You will see the revised opening, learn the updated skill tree naturally, and encounter the reworked world in the order Keen designed for the finished game.
Best compromise: archive the Early Access world, create a new 1.0 world, and keep both. That gives you the complete full-release experience without gambling a base you may want to revisit later.
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Enshrouded 1.0 save FAQ
Will Enshrouded 1.0 wipe my Early Access world?
No. Keen Games says Early Access saves remain usable in version 1.0 and will be converted to the new save format.
Do I have to create a new character for Enshrouded 1.0?
No. A fresh start is recommended rather than required. However, the 1.0 skill-tree changes trigger a skill-tree reset, so continuing characters need to reassign their build.
Why does Keen recommend starting over if old saves work?
Because the studio has made significant improvements to the world and the first few hours of the game. Starting fresh lets you experience those changes as part of the intended 1.0 progression instead of joining the update midway through an established save.
Can I keep my old world and also start a new one?
Yes. You do not need to delete the Early Access world just to begin again. Keeping the old save while starting a separate 1.0 world is the safest option for players who want both continuity and the redesigned full-release experience.
Your old world survives, but 1.0 is a good excuse to begin again
Enshrouded 1.0 does not force Early Access players to throw away their progress. That is the important part. If your existing world contains a base you have spent hundreds of hours shaping, keep it. If you are returning because October 15 finally marks the finished release, a new world is likely the better experience. Keen Games is supporting both choices, but its own recommendation is clear: the reworked world and opening are worth seeing from the beginning.