Demo vs full game (and save carryover)

The two Steam apps

Installing the demo is not a purchase of 1.0. Buying 1.0 does not automatically remove the demo; they stay separate apps unless the developer later changes that.

Does demo progress carry into 1.0?

Plan to start a new profile on app 4459590.

Several independent write-ups quote a developer reply dated 10 October 2026 saying demo progress will not carry into the full game. We have not opened that original Steam or Discord post ourselves, so the date should be treated as [verify against the original reply]. Nothing in the official “Slotbound 1.0 Is Out Now!” news post describes a transfer tool.

What does carry is your knowledge of the loop: spinning, absorbing, Cores, and the habit of reading tooltips.

Mid-run saves inside the demo still work. Official demo v0.3.0 added mid-run saving so you can finish an unfinished demo attempt later. That is not the same as importing a demo save into 1.0. Copying files by hand is not a documented supported path.

Windows save folder (demo or local files)

A widely cited developer reply points at the Windows folder:

%APPDATA%\slotbound

That is C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Roaming\slotbound for a typical account. Copy the folder only with the game closed, and only as a backup of the app you are already playing. macOS and Steam Deck save locations are [verify in-game / on device]. Steam Cloud is not something we can confirm from official news posts.

What the demo included, officially

Use this as history, not as a 1.0 content checklist:

• Official launch post: summon Warriors, Archers, Mages, and other units; clear the demo; first game, solo, about eight months of work at demo launch.
• v0.4.0 opened Stage 2, Deep Cave, through Normal, added the Jester, Faction Synergy (beta), Awakening, a full item rework, official keyboard and controller support, and extra languages.
• Demo reviews on the demo store page were Very Positive (the listing showed 82% of 746 reviews when we checked on 14 November 2026, PT). Those reviews are for the demo, not for 1.0.

What 1.0 adds in official terms

• A full 1.0 release (the October plan to launch in Early Access on 10 November was superseded).
• Six campaign battlefields, Hard clears, Endless Mode, and 64 achievements — see Judgment and boss waves and achievements.
• Official macOS support and Steam Deck Verified status — see Steam Deck and Mac.
• Rapid launch hotfixes that changed difficulty and several bugs — see patch notes.

1.0 Steam threads already describe a wider unit list than most demo guides. Do not assume a demo promotion path is still the only path.

Practical advice

1. Finish or abandon your current demo run in the demo app.
2. Buy and install 4459590 from Steam if you want the campaign.
3. Update to the latest v1.0.0 hotfix before you judge the difficulty.
4. Keep the demo installed if you still want a sandbox; it is not a substitute for 1.0’s maps and achievements.