How to Delete Save Data (works as of Jan 2024)

Resident Evil 5 (as well as many of Capcom's games) has very poor support for save data management... there's no official way to start your Story progress over from scratch without tinkering. On top of that, Capcom's February 2023 patch added a "Failed to load data" error message, which prevents you from saving your game if you used one of the simpler methods (I.e. corrupting the save or deleting it with Steam cloud turned off).

Luckily, I found a solution that worked for me to wipe my save data and create a fresh save as of January 2024.

Notes & Disclaimers

A few things to preface before getting into the Guide itself:

• Full credit for this method goes to Steam User Puddin', who posted his solution to an old thread back in August 2022. Here is a link to the original thread if you'd like to access it or show Puddin' some love. Throw him some Points Rewards or something (not like there's much else to use them on): https://steamcommunity.com/app/21690/discussions/0/1474221865197544031/
  
• I should preface that I did this on Windows; if you are a Linux/Steam Deck user, you may have to do some investigation work to find the applicable folders/files, or switch to a Windows PC to do this, then enable Cloud Saves and transfer to your Linux device/Steam Deck.
  
• This method will delete *all* of your saved data for RE5, including your in-game stats, BSAA Emblems, and access to extra modes like Mercenaries, Lost in Nightmares, and Desperate Escape (you must complete the story to unlock them again).

Step 1: Install RE5, make sure Cloud Saves are *enabled*

Before you download and install RE5, make sure that Steam Cloud Saves are turned on before you install the game. We want to make sure that Steam downloads the "remote" folder and "savedata.bin" file for later in this guide.

Steam Cloud Saves are almost always enabled by default, but if you want to make sure, then Right-click on RE5, click "Properties", then in "General", make sure the "Keep games saves in the cloud for Resident Evil 5" is turned on.













Once you've verified that, download the game.

Step 2: Delete "remotecache.vdf" and rename "savedata.bin"

Note: Ignore the "local" folder in this screenshot, I took these screenshots after completing the entire process.

Go to the following file directory...

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\<yoursteamusernumber>\21690\

...and delete the "remotecache.vdf" file.





Then go into the "remote" folder and rename "savedata.bin" to something else, I.e. "savedataOLD.bin"

Step 3: Disable Steam Cloud Saves, disconnect from the internet

Now that the files have been removed/renamed, disable Cloud Saves for RE5 (refer to Step 1 for where to find the Cloud Saves toggle).

Disconnect your PC from the internet. Most devices (including Windows PCs) have Airplane Mode, which will be enough to disable internet access temporarily.

Step 4: Start RE5, continue w/o data, reach a Checkpoint

Now that you're disconnected from the internet (or in Airplane Mode), start RE5.

At the main menu, once you click on "START", you'll receive an in-game error message, telling you that it failed to load save data, then prompt you to either re-try loading data or continue without saving. Click "No" to continue without saving.

Start a new game and play until you reach a checkpoint. By "checkpoint", I mean play until you go through a loading zone. In this case, start Chapter 1-1, run through the initial "market" area, pick up your guns from the butcher, kill the first enemy, escape from the mob, kick the red door down, run through the small tunnel, and go through the door that requires both players and loads in a new area. At this point, you should be right outside of the big village fight.

After you've hit the checkpoint, exit to the main menu and close the game out.

Step 5: Reconnect to the internet, go into Steam Offline mode

After closing the game out, reconnect to the internet (or disable Airplane Mode if you used that).

Set Steam to Offline mode by clicking the "Steam" button at the top-left of the Steam client, and click "Go Offline..."

Step 6: Start RE5 again, create new save data

Now that you're reconnected to the internet and in Steam Offline mode, start up RE5 again. After clicking "START", you should receive another in-game message telling you that no save data exists, prompting you to create a new file. Click "Yes".

At this point, you can exit the game and re-enable Steam Cloud Saves if you wish to transfer your fresh save to another device like the Steam Deck.

On the PC/device you did this process on: Click on the "File Conflict" button next to the "Play" button and choose the "Local Save" option, not the "Cloud Save" option, otherwise all of your hard work will be erased and overwritten.

On the PC/device you want to transfer a new save to: Click on the "File Conflict" button next to "Play" and chose "Cloud Save" option to transfer the new data over.

General advice for Steam Cloud transferring at this point: Just keep track of which device you used to reset your progress (use Local Save), whether or not the new data has been uploaded, and which device you want to transfer the new data to (use Cloud Save).

Now you should be able to play RE5 from a fresh save file! Enjoy!

[St_Nikolay]

I have a question, how to do the opposite save, because they are from the beginning of the game is not, and new writes that failed to save the game, and the file savedata.bin is not even present in the folders of the game (even through the search checked and hidden folders).

[Nomen Estomen]

As an update to this in late 2024, running the game through the first checkpoint is unnecessary. Simply disable steam cloud saves, delete savedata.bin, and start the game with steam in offline mode. Then launch RE5 again; it will prompt you to create a new save file. Once you've created the new save file, you are golden; you can start a fully fresh game.

[Perna Longa]

Just passing here to say that worked for me.
Playing on PC only (not in steam deck or anything else) and also I disabled the cloud save. Made some test and worked, tomorrow I'm gonna play it for real. Anything diferent I come back

[Okama hyam]

HELLO I NEED HELP

i cant save my progress
because the save file not exit
how to fix it
i just buy and install it normal

please someone help me

[Phayze]

Doesn't work if your game is elsewhere keep in mind guide doesn't tell you if you have your steam installed elsewhere

[5persondude]

@MindShift83 Glad the guide helped you out. I haven't tested it myself, but if you make a backup of your save and keep it somewhere safe, then in theory you *might* be able to just swap files out... but take that with a grain of salt; I'm not sure if you'd need the guide to properly overwrite the save, or if it would cause issues with Steam Cloud or something.

I kinda wish I'd kept some of my old PC saves from ~2015 to try this out, but definitely make a backup of your saved data before trying it.

[MindShift83]

Thx for this guide. Is it possible to reverse the process? So if i want to have the experience of a fresh playthrough but don't wanna give up entirely on my old progress so i can rewrite it anytime?