Troubleshoot the God of War 3 PC Port

Match the symptom

Startup and launch failures

Black screen at startup

For a black screen at startup, use the published package shown above. Alongside the earlier startup patch, it fixes the case where an AMD integrated GPU + NVIDIA laptop GPU left the game black: the launcher now disables the AMD switchable-graphics Vulkan layer that hid the NVIDIA GPU. If it persists, collect the details in the report checklist. Keep the shader cache while making these checks; deleting it adds a rebuild on the next launch.

Overwolf overlay startup crash

Close Overwolf before playing if the startup crash names its overlay module:

ow-graphics-hook64.dll

Incomplete game folder

For code=0xa0020001, check that your own game folder is complete; this code can indicate an incomplete dump. Use the game-folder check and keep the exact error and log.

Full 01.02 update startup crash

The full 01.02 update with the following eboot.bin SHA-256 prefix has a known startup crash under investigation:

6e72330e...
Fault: write access to 0000000000007458 at ntdll.dll
STOP: guest raised debug exception code=0xa0020014

Check the game-version guidance before choosing an update. No workaround is stated. Save the log and use the report checklist.

ucrtbase crash after audio starts

For 0xC0000005 in ucrtbase!strlen just after the audio threads start, save the log and use the report checklist. This is a known issue; no workaround is stated in the release notes.

No game window opens

If no game window opens, read Advanced / Log. On Windows, the default log is beside the program at:

user\last_run.log

With a custom Saves folder, look there instead:

<custom Saves folder>\last_run.log

On Linux with the default AppImage data location:

~/.local/share/gow3/user/last_run.log

If you selected a custom Saves folder, find last_run.log in that folder. If you moved the data using XDG_DATA_HOME or GOW3_DATA_DIR, use the current location under Game / Saves folder. Advanced / Log opens the log directly.

Error 1450: virtual memory

For cannot create guest memory (error 1450), Windows could not allocate the required virtual memory. Let the Windows page file grow, following the launcher's message. To set it manually:

1. Press Win + R and run:

   SystemPropertiesAdvanced
   

2. Open Performance / Settings / Advanced / Virtual memory / Change.

3. Uncheck automatic management, select C: and choose Custom size.

4. Enter an initial and maximum size. The upstream example is 16384 MB initial and 24576 MB maximum; adjust for your PC. Select Set, then OK.

5. Restart Windows before trying again.

On a PC with 8 GB RAM, the separate startup memory warning now appears only with resolution patches above 1080p. Use the page-file steps for the actual error 1450.

GLIBC_2.44 not found

For GLIBC_2.44 not found on an older Linux download, get the rebuilt AppImage from the official program releases. It requires glibc 2.39 or newer. For other startup failures, check the installation requirements and your game folder/version.

The current Linux launcher also fixes the disappearing pointer under XWayland and restores mouse-wheel page scrolling. Update the program before retrying either launcher symptom.

Graphics and textures

Yellow, orange or white textures

The current release fixes textures turning yellow, orange or white after play. Re-enable Performance / GPU data / Deferred GPU readbacks if you disabled it for that problem. The fix works either way; the release's heavy-scene comparison puts the enabled setting at about twice the speed.

That texture fix was checked at 1080p. If broken textures, overly bright areas or a small picture in a corner persist at another render resolution, include the resolution and a screenshot in your report.

Black lines in lighting

For black lines in lighting on AMD or Intel Windows drivers, use Performance / GPU data / Game multisampling / Automatic. If the lines appear on another GPU, try Off and restart. The game log records whether multisampling was applied.

Steam Deck and RADV block corruption

The current Linux AppImage fixes Steam Deck/RADV block corruption on Kratos, the logo and characters. The release author reports confirmation on a Steam Deck. Update before retrying that symptom; if it remains, include the GPU, driver and affected scene in your report.

Saves and shadPS4 migration

On Windows, the default save location is beside the port program:

user\savedata\1\<CUSA>\

With a custom Game / Saves folder, use:

<custom folder>\savedata\1\<CUSA>\

Linux keeps its data under:

~/.local/share/gow3

Check the selected Saves folder before moving files. The launcher backs up saves before each start; use the Game page's save-backup controls to restore one.

Import only God of War III Remastered shadPS4 saves with the same title ID as your game folder. RPCS3 saves belong to the PS3 game and will not load here. Replace the placeholders below with your actual matching title ID and slot name.

1. Close the game and shadPS4. Back up both save folders.

2. Find the source in shadPS4's data folder. Older versions use:

   user\savedata\1\<CUSA>\
   

   Newer versions use:

   home\<user-id>\savedata\<CUSA>\
   

3. Copy each slot folder to the port's selected save location, keeping its original name. Place the slot directly inside the matching title-ID folder; avoid another nested title-ID folder.

4. Exclude the slot's internal sce_sys folder from its game-save contents. Beside the slot, create this metadata folder if absent:

   <slot name>.sce_sys
   

   You can copy the original icon0.png into that sibling folder.

5. Preserve any existing param.bin. Keep param.sfo in its original format; renaming it will not create port metadata. Without port metadata, the slot appears by folder name. Saving again in the port writes its metadata.

6. Start the port and select Load Game.

The save dialog displays at most 32 entries. If a migrated slot is missing from a long list, choose a separate Saves folder containing just that slot under the matching title-ID path and its sibling metadata folder. Keep your original saves and restore the previous folder setting afterward.

Performance and FPS

Progress blocked at 120 or 240 FPS

At 120 or 240 FPS, some paths or ledges can block progress, and button-mashing prompts may stop advancing. Set Performance / Engine frame rate to 60, pass that spot, then restore your previous setting. Use Apply and restart if changing it through the port menu.

Background shader stutter

Background shader preparation can briefly cause stutters, missing effects and FPS drops. Check whether the problem clears as compilation progresses. Performance depends on cache, driver and CPU; engine frame-rate choices are ceilings. If it persists, record the affected scene and collect the failed run's log.

Frame rate limit caps the displayed rate; Engine frame rate sets the game's ceiling. Use the settings reference to check both, along with render resolution. Apply and restart when the menu requests it. Record the scene and settings when a slowdown persists.

Collect a useful failure report

Open Advanced / Log after the failed run and save its output. Include:

• The port's release tag and your operating system.
• CPU, GPU, graphics driver and the game's CUSA/version.
• The action and location that trigger the fault, with the exact error text.
• Your render resolution, frame-rate settings and relevant graphics changes.
• The failed run's log, plus a screenshot when it helps show the symptom.

Use the upstream problem list to find matching player reports. Review logs for personal paths before sharing them, and keep game files out of the report. If requested for a progress blocker, provide a save from before the fault.

Player-report topics

The counts below group existing player reports by title keywords and labels. Topics overlap; use the symptom checks above to choose your next action.

Player-report topics

Player-report labels

For keys or buttons that stop responding, use the input checks.

Sources

• Upstream troubleshooting and save guide
• Official release changes and known issues
• AppImage data location
• Upstream launcher settings
• No-window log check
• Multisampling driver guidance
• Rebuilt AppImage requirements
• Background shader preparation
• Upstream player reports