The Blood of Dawnwalker launched with a few technical quirks on PC (and some controller oddities across platforms). Here’s a practical guide to the most common issues and how to fix them, based on official developer workarounds and community solutions as of early September 2026.
1. Display Setup Fixes (Stuttering, Black Screen, Performance)
Problem: Stuttering in Windowed or Borderless mode
This is one of the most reported issues. The game runs much more smoothly in exclusive Fullscreen.
Fix:
- Go to Settings → Display
- Set Display Mode to Fullscreen
- Set your resolution to your monitor’s native resolution
- Restart the game
Extra tips for better display stability:
- Temporarily disable HDR in Windows and on your monitor if you get a black screen on launch.
- If the game shows a black screen, try pressing Alt + Enter to force windowed mode, then switch back to Fullscreen in the menu.
- Cap your frame rate slightly below your monitor’s refresh rate (e.g., 141 on a 144 Hz display) if you have screen tearing.
- Make sure V-Sync is off if you’re using G-Sync or FreeSync.
Recommended Display Settings for Stability:
- Display Mode: Fullscreen
- Resolution: Native
- V-Sync: Off (unless you have tearing)
- Frame Rate Limit: On (match your monitor or slightly lower)
2. Crash Fixes (Especially Shader Compilation Crashes)
Main official fix from Rebel Wolves:
Many PC crashes (especially during the first shader compilation) are linked to outdated BIOS on Intel systems conflicting with Unreal Engine’s Oodle compression.
Primary Fix:
- Update your motherboard BIOS to the latest version (check your motherboard manufacturer’s support page).
- After updating the BIOS, reboot and launch the game again so it can rebuild shaders cleanly.
Additional Crash Fixes to Try:
- Verify game files (Steam right-click → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity).
- Update your graphics drivers (clean install recommended).
- Close monitoring software (MSI Afterburner, RivaTuner, Discord overlay, NVIDIA Overlay, Xbox Game Bar, etc.). These can trigger Unreal Engine crashes.
- Disable any overclocks (CPU, GPU, RAM) temporarily.
- Make sure the game is installed on an SSD.
- As a last resort, reinstall the game.
Note: Hotfix 1.0.2 (released shortly after launch) already includes some controller and stability improvements, so make sure your game is fully updated.
3. Sensitivity & Controller Settings
Problem: Sprinting stops when changing direction (diagonal input issue)
This is a known deadzone problem on controllers.
Official temporary workaround:
- Lower Controller Sensitivity from 1.0 to 0.8 in the in-game controller settings.
Better community fix (Steam users):
- In Steam, right-click The Blood of Dawnwalker → Manage → Controller Layout (or click the controller icon).
- Edit the layout → Joysticks → Gear icon next to Behavior.
- Set Deadzone Shape to Square (or Custom → Square).
- Apply and test.
This Square deadzone fix solves the diagonal sprinting issue for many players without needing to lower sensitivity.
Mouse Sensitivity:
- Adjust the single Mouse Sensitivity slider in Settings → Controls.
- You can also invert X and Y axes if preferred.
- There is currently no advanced mouse acceleration option.
Controller Tips:
- There are two control schemes available (Default and Alternative).
- PS5 controllers currently lack full button remapping (developers are working on it).
- Vibration can be toggled on/off.
Quick Troubleshooting Checklist
| Issue | First Thing to Try | Secondary Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Stuttering | Switch to Fullscreen | Update GPU drivers |
| Crash on launch/shaders | Update BIOS | Verify files + close overlays |
| Black screen | Alt + Enter → Fullscreen | Disable HDR temporarily |
| Sprint stops on diagonal | Set sensitivity to 0.8 | Steam deadzone → Square |
| General instability | Verify files + update drivers | Clean reinstall |
Most of these issues are being actively worked on by Rebel Wolves. Keep the game updated and check the official Steam discussion board or the game’s X account for the latest hotfixes.
If you’re still running into problems after trying these, drop your system specs (CPU, GPU, RAM, and whether you’re on Intel or AMD) and I’ll try to help further.
