VISIT THE NEW SAVE LOCATIONS WIKI!
The purpose of this thread is to create a comprehensive list of where every game available on Steam saves its data (saved games, config files, etc), so that people will know where to look when they're making backups.
Obviously, to begin with, I can only list the games that I have access to, which given how many games are currently available on Steam, is not very many. So, please, if you have a game that is not on the list, find out where it saves its data and let us know.
WINDOWS VERSION AND DIRECTORY STRUCTURE
Valve currently only officially supports the use of the Steam client on Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. As such, I will only be listing the save locations for these operating systems.
If you are running the Steam client and its games on any other operating system, then you should already know enough about it to be able to find the saves on your own.
Sidenote: While not officially supported by Valve, for the purposes of this thread the Windows 7 beta and RC use the same directory structure as Windows Vista.
Similarly, Windows 2000 uses the same directory structure as Windows XP, so for simplicity's sake, I will only be listing the "XP" and "Vista" variations.
Also for simplicity's sake, rather than typing out the entire path for every single game, I will be using the shorthand forms described below.
Please note that the locations listed are only the system defaults. If you installed Steam to a different location, then simply substitute "Program Files" with the correct install path. If you changed any of the other paths, then I assume you know how to find them.
Please also note that I currently only have access to Windows Vista and 7. The locations listed for Windows XP should be accurate, but I cannot verify them personally.
User IDs
[USERNAME] -- The name of the Windows account you use on your computer
[STEAMNAME] -- The name of your Steam account
[STEAMID] -- A numerical identifier for your Steam account
Steam-specific locations
[STEAMPATH] -- The default location where Steam is installed
Windows 32-bit: C:\Program Files\Steam\
Windows 64-bit: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\
[STEAMAPPS] -- The default location for Steam Games
All versions: [STEAMPATH]\steamapps\
[STEAMCLOUD] -- Files that synchronize with the Steam Cloud
All versions: [STEAMPATH]\userdata\[STEAMID]\
General Windows locations
[DOCUMENTS] -- The default location for the "My Documents" shell folder/library
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[USERNAME]\My Documents\
Windows Vista: C:\Users\[USERNAME]\Documents\
[APPDATA] -- The default location for standard application settings
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[USERNAME]\Application Data\
Windows Vista: C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\
[LOCAL] -- The default location for system-specific application settings
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[USERNAME]\Local Settings\
Windows Vista: C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\
[PUBLICDATA] -- The default location for cross-user application settings
Windows XP: C:\Documents and settings\All Users\Application Data\
Windows Vista: C:\ProgramData\
[PUBLIC] -- The default location for cross-user system settings
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\
Windows Vista: C:\Users\Public\
[SAVEDGAMES] -- The Windows Vista default Saved Games folder
Windows Vista: C:\Users\[DOCUMENTS]\Saved Games\
Windows XP: I do not know of any Windows XP analog for this location. If someone does, please tell me.
Windows Registry
I haven't had a chance to sort through the registry by hand, yet.
Most games' registry settings will probably be somewhere in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software, however, there is currently only one registry key on the list, and it's one of the exceptions.
Note for Vista users: VirtualStore
Some programs require administrative privileges in order to run normally, but do not request those privileges from the system. In order to ensure that these programs can still operate without compromising the rest of the system, Vista uses a system called VirtualStore, which saves any files or settings the program creates in a separate location.
If you cannot find your game's save files in the location listed, try checking to see if they were placed in VirtualStore instead.
VirtualStore files can be located in [LOCAL]\VirtualStore\
GAME LIST AND SAVE LOCATIONS -- Last updated April 29th, 2009, 10:55 AM Valve Time.
It should be noted that some games save data to more than one location.
Why? Who knows. I've done my best to find it all, but if anyone finds anything else floating around in a location that's not listed, again, please let us know.
For games that place data in more than one location, some (or all) of the locations listed may not contain anything of value. I do not know why these games are creating all of these folders scattered throughout Windows, I am simply doing my best to list everything that the games generate which may be missed by standard backup procedures.
Games that save OUTSIDE [STEAMAPPS]
Alien Shooter: Vengeance (2006)
[DOCUMENTS]\AlienShooter2 Saves\
Assassin's Creed™: Director's Cut Edition (2008)
[APPDATA]\Ubisoft\Assassin's Creed\
[PUBLICDATA]\Ubisoft\Assassin's Creed\
Bejeweled Deluxe (2006)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\bejeweled deluxe\userdata\
[PUBLICDATA]\PopCapGames\Bejeweled\
[PUBLICDATA]\Steam\Bejeweled\
Bioshock™ (2007)
[DOCUMENTS]\Bioshock\
[APPDATA]\Bioshock\
Braid (2009)
[APPDATA]\Braid\
Company of Heroes (2007)
[DOCUMENTS]\My Games\Company of Heroes\
Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (2006)
[DOCUMENTS]\My Games\beyond the sword\
Earth 2160 (2006)
[DOCUMENTS]\Earth 2160\
Empire: Total War™ (2009)
[APPDATA]\The Creative Assembly\Empire\
Fallout 3 (2008)
[DOCUMENTS]\My Games\Fallout3\
GRID™ (2008)
[DOCUMENTS]\Codemasters\GRID\
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X™ (2009)
[SAVEDGAMES]\ (exact folder unknown)
Ghost Master® (2003)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\ghost master\GhostData\SaveGames\
[PUBLIC]\Ghost Master\
Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
[LOCAL\Rockstar Games\GTA IV\ --- Saved games and configs
[DOCUMENTS]\Rockstar Games\GTA IV\ --- Miscellaneous user data
The Last Remnant™ (2009)
[DOCUMENTS]\My Games\The last remnant\
The Longest Journey (2000)
[APPDATA]\The Longest Journey\
Lost Planet™: Extreme Condition (2007)
[LOCAL]\capcom\lostplanet\
Luxor 2 (2005)
[DOCUMENTS]\MumboJumbo\luxor2\
[PUBLICDATA]\MumboJumbo\luxor2\
Mass Effect (2008)
[DOCUMENTS\BioWare\Mass Effect\
Mount and Blade (2008)
[DOCUMENTS]\Mount&Blade Savegames\
Mr. Robot (2007)
[DOCUMENTS]\MrRobot\
On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One (2008)
[APPDATA]\HotheadGames\RainSlickEp1\
On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two (2008)
[APPDATA]\HotheadGames\RainSlickEp2\
(presumed, unverified)
Overlord™ (2007)
[DOCUMENTS]\Overlord\
Peggle Deluxe (2007)
VISTA-ONLY: [PUBLICDATA]\PopCap Games\Peggle\
VISTA-ONLY: [PUBLICDATA]\Steam\Peggle\
XP-ONLY: [STEAMAPPS]\common\peggle\userdata\
Peggle Extreme (2007)
VISTA-ONLY: [PUBLICDATA]\PopCap Games\PeggleExtreme\
VISTA-ONLY: [PUBLICDATA]\Steam\PeggleExtreme\
XP-ONLY: [STEAMAPPS]\common\peggle extreme\userdata\
Peggle™ Nights (2008)
VISTA-ONLY: [PUBLICDATA]\PopCap Games\PeggleNights\
VISTA-ONLY: [PUBLICDATA]\Steam\PeggleNights\
XP-ONLY: [STEAMAPPS]\common\peggle nights\userdata\
Perimiter 2: New Earth (2009)
[DOCUMENTS]\My Games\Perimiter2\
Sid Meier's Pirates! (2006)
[DOCUMENTS]\My Games\sid meier's pirates!\
Plant Tycoon (2007)
[DOCUMENTS]\LDW\plant tycoon\
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas 2 (2008)
[DOCUMENTS]\My Games\Ubisoft\R6Vegas2\
Reaxxion (2008)
REGISTRY: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Reaxx ionRetailGMC13
[PUBLICDATA]\Hot Lava Games\ReaxxionRetail\
SpellForce 2 - Shadow Wars (2008)
[DOCUMENTS]\SpellForce2\
Thief: Deadly Shadows (2004)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\thief deadly shadows\save\
[DOCUMENTS]\Thief - Deadly Shadows\
Titan Quest (2007)
[DOCUMENTS]\My Games\Titan Quest\
Titan Quest - Immortal Throne (2007)
[DOCUMENTS]\My Games\Titan Quest - Immortal Throne\
Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)
[DOCUMENTS]\Eidos\Tomb Raider - Anniversary\
TrackMania Nations Forever (2008)
[DOCUMENTS]\TrackMania\
[PUBLICDATA]\TrackMania\
Trials 2: Second Edition (2008)
[DOCUMENTS]\Trials 2\ --- Replays only
[LOCAL]\Redlynx\Trials 2 SE\
Unreal Tournament 3 Black (2009)
[DOCUMENTS]\My Games\Unreal Tournament 3\
Virtual Villagers 2: The Lost Children (2007)
[DOCUMENTS]\LDW\Virtual Villagers - The Lost Children\
Virtual Villagers 3: The Secret City (2008)
[DOCUMENTS]\LDW\Virtual Villagers - The Secret City\
The Witcher: Enhanced Edition (2008)
[DOCUMENTS]\The Witcher\
World of Goo (2008)
[LOCAL]\2DBoy\WorldOfGoo\
[PUBLICDATA]\2DBoy\WorldOfGoo\
X3: Terran Conflict (2008)
[DOCUMENTS]\Egosoft\X3TC\
Games that save inside the [STEAMAPPS] COMMON or [STEAMCLOUD] folder
It's probably best to back up the entire [STEAMAPPS] folder if you can, but if you're low on space, I've tried to root out the important stuff for anything that saves there.
Anything that saves in the [STEAMCLOUD] folder is automatically synchronized with the Steam Cloud and does not need to be backed up (unless you are manually synchronizing with an offline machine)
Aquaria (2007)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\aquaria\save\
AudioSurf (2008)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\audiosurf\Scores\ -- local high scores
Buccaneer: The Pursuit of Infamy (2008)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\buccaneer\buccaneer\data\Captains
Call of Duty series
[STEAMAPPS]\common\[NAME OF COD GAME]\players\profiles\
Caster (2009)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\caster\save\
Culpa Innata (2007)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\culpa innata\Data\SaveGame\
Defense Grid: The Awakening (2008)
[STEAMCLOUD]\18500\
Doom II (1994)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\doom 2\base\*.DSG
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey (2006)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\dreamfall the longest journey\saves\
Eets (2006)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\eets\User\
Fish Tycoon (2005)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\fish tycoon\FishSaveGame1.pts
FlatOut (2005)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\flatout\Savegame\
FlatOut 2™ (2006)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\flatout2\Savegame\
Gravitron 2 (2008)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\gravitron2\Data\SaveGame.sav
Heavy Weapon Deluxe (2006)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\heavy weapon deluxe\userdata\
I-Fluid (2008)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\i-fluid\driverEvas.dlu
Jagged Alliance 2 Gold (2006)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\jagged alliance 2 gold\SavedGames\
[STEAMAPPS]\common\jagged alliance 2 gold unfinished business\SavedGames\
Left 4 Dead (2008)
[STEAMCLOUD]\500\
[STEAMAPPS]\common\left 4 dead\left4dead\cfg\
[STEAMAPPS]\common\left 4 dead\left4dead\save\
Master Levels for Doom II (1995)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\master levels of doom\doom2\*.DSG
The Maw (2009)
[STEAMCLOUD]\26000\
Mightier (2009)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\mightier\Settings.cfg
Psychonauts (2005)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\psychonauts\WorkResource\SAVEDGAMES\
Return to Castle Wolfenstein (2001)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\return to castle wolfenstein\Main\save\
Sacred Gold (2006)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\sacred gold\save\
Spear of Destiny (1993)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\spear of destiny\base\SAVEGAM*.SOD
Ultimate Doom (1995)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\ultimate doom\base\*.DSG
Wolfenstein 3D (1994)
[STEAMAPPS]\common\wolfenstein 3d\base\SAVEGAM*.WL6
Games that save inside the [STEAMNAME] folder
Again, it's best to just back up the entire [STEAMAPPS] folder, and if you don't have room to back up the actual games, then please keep in mind that the [STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME] folder ONLY saves user data. The actual files for the games are stored in the .gcf files in [STEAMAPPS].
I'm listing the locations for the Config and Save files for the sake of completion, but there really is no reason not to back up the entire [STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME] folder.
Dark Messiah Might and Magic Multi-Player (2006)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\dark messiah might and magic multi-player\cfg\
Dark Messiah Might and Magic Single Player (2006)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\dark messiah might and magic single player\mm\cfg\
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\dark messiah might and magic single player\mm\SAVE\
Disciples II: Galleans Return (2006)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\disciples ii galleans return\SaveGame\
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\disciples ii galleans return\Exports\
Disciples II: Rise of the Elves (2006)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\disciples ii rise of the elves\SaveGame\
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\disciples ii rise of the elves\Exports\
Garry's Mod (2006)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\garrysmod\garrysmod\cfg\
Half-Life (1998)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\half-life\valve\SAVE\
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\half-life\valve\*.cfg
Half-Life 2 (2004)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\half-life 2\hl2\cfg\
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\half-life 2\hl2\SAVE\
Half-Life 2: Episode One (2006)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\half-life 2 episode one\episodic\cfg\
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\half-life 2 episode one\episodic\SAVE\
Half-Life 2: Episode Two (2007)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\half-life 2 episode two\ep2\cfg\
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\half-life 2 episode two\ep2\SAVE\
Half-Life 2: Lost Coast (2005)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\half-life 2 lostcoast\lostcoast\cfg\
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\half-life 2 lostcoast\lostcoast\SAVE\
Half-Life: Blue Shift (2001)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\half-life blue shift\valve\SAVE\
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\half-life blue shift\valve\*.cfg
Half-Life: Opposing Force (1999)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\opposing force\valve\SAVE\
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\opposing force\valve\*.cfg
Portal (2007)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\portal\portal\cfg\
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\portal\portal\SAVE\
Team Fortress 2 (2007)
[STEAMAPPS]\[STEAMNAME]\team fortress 2\tf\cfg\
Games that I could not find save data for
These games, I couldn't find any save data for. Some of them, it's possible that I haven't done enough in the game to generate any data to save, but for most of them I definitely have, but still couldn't find anything.
If anyone can shed any light on these titles, as always, you're more than welcome to.
Bejeweled Twist (2008)
--unknown--
(I found an empty folder in [PUBLICDATA]\PopCap Games\, but that was it)
Virtual Villagers: A New Home (2006)
--unknown--
The Wonderful End of the World (2008)
--unknown--
08/09/2015, 09h54
