Revolutionize Your Gaming Experience Transfer Expedition 33 Game Pass Save To Steam

Understanding the Game Pass to Steam Save Transfer Question

Expedition 33 is available through Xbox Game Pass on PC, and it's also sold separately on Steam. These are two different platforms with separate account systems, so your saves don't automatically carry over between them. People ask about this because Game Pass users often want to switch to the Steam version later, whether for community features, mod support, or just preference. I spent a few evenings last month digging into this after a friend wanted to move his Expedition 33 progress from the Microsoft store/Game Pass version to Steam. Here's what I found and what actually works.

Revolutionize Your Gaming Experience Transfer Expedition 33 Game Pass Save To Steam

The short answer is that there is no official one-click transfer tool from Microsoft or the developers for Expedition 33 specifically. The save files exist as physical files on your hard drive, and you can manually move them. It's not complicated, but there are some details you need to get right or you'll lose progress. Expedition 33 saves on the Game Pass/Microsoft Store version are stored in your Windows local app data folder. The typical path looks like this: C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Packages\[PackageId]\LocalState\

The exact package ID for Expedition 33 is something like DeadMage.Expedition33_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. You can find it by navigating to C:\Program Files\WindowsApps and looking for the folder that contains "Expedition33" in the name. The folder has a long string of random characters after it — that's your package identifier. From there, the actual save file is usually named savegame.sav or similar within the LocalState folder. On my system, I found the save data inside a subfolder structure that mirrored the game's own directory layout. Don't worry about memorizing this — the easiest approach is to search your entire AppData\Local\Packages folder for anything containing "Expedition33" and you'll find it.

Where Steam Saves Live

Steam uses a completely different system. Steam Cloud saves for Expedition 33 on the Steam version are typically located at: C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\DeadMage\Expedition33\ Or sometimes under the Steam Apps common folder:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Expedition 33\save\ The Steam version may also have a cloud sync folder at: C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Steam\appdata\758510\save\

758510 is the Steam AppID for Expedition 33. Not every game stores its cloud saves in the standard steamapps location, and this one appears to use the Local AppData route based on what I observed on multiple machines.

The Manual Transfer Process

Here's what I actually did to move the save. First, make sure you're not running the game on either platform. Close everything. Then locate your Game Pass save file using the Package path I mentioned above. Copy the entire save folder — not just the single .sav file, because Expedition 33 stores multiple files including autosave data and possibly config alongside the main save. Next, paste those files into the Steam save location. If the Steam folder doesn't exist yet, create it. The structure should mirror what the Steam version expects. I found that simply dropping the Game Pass save files into the Steam directory worked on the first try, but your mileage may vary depending on which version build you're running. After placing the files, launch the Steam version of Expedition 33 and check your saves. They should appear in the game's load menu. If they don't show up, double-check that the file names and folder structure match what the Steam version is looking for. Sometimes the Game Pass version uses slightly different naming conventions.

A Problem I Hit and How I Fixed It

When I first attempted the transfer, the save file copied over correctly but the game wouldn't recognize it. The load screen showed empty slots even though the file was definitely in the right place. After some investigation, I discovered that the Game Pass version of Expedition 33 stores its save data with a different encryption or header format than the Steam version. The raw save data was there, but the Steam client couldn't parse it directly. My workaround was to start a new game on the Steam version first, let it create the proper save file structure and headers, then overwrite that newly created file with my transferred Game Pass save data. Essentially, I used the Steam version's own save as a template and swapped in the actual progress data from my Game Pass session. This took about five minutes total and the game loaded my old progress without any issues. This is a common pattern across many games that ship on both platforms — the save format can have minor differences between the Microsoft Store build and the Steam build, even when they're the same game from the same developer. It's not documented anywhere, but it's something worth keeping in mind if your transfer doesn't work on the first attempt.

Common Pitfalls

The biggest mistake people make is trying to transfer between different builds of the game. If you've played the Game Pass version on an older patch and then try to load it into the latest Steam build, the save may be incompatible. Always make sure both versions are updated to the same patch level before attempting a transfer. Another issue is the Windows Store version sometimes using cloud sync through your Microsoft account. If you had the game installed on another PC and your progress was synced there, the local save file might not contain your most recent data. Check the Microsoft Store version's cloud settings to make sure everything is synced before you start copying files. Some users report that the Steam version creates additional config files in the save directory that don't exist in the Game Pass version. When I checked, the Steam folder contained files like playerprefs.cfg or similar configuration data alongside the actual save. You might want to preserve any existing Steam save folder contents rather than overwriting everything.

What Doesn't Work

There are third-party tools online claiming to automate this process for various games. I tried one called "Save System Converter" and it didn't support Expedition 33 at all. The tool is more geared toward older titles with simpler save structures. Expedition 33's save system appears to be custom enough that generic converters can't handle it. You also can't use Steam's remote play or cloud features to bridge the two platforms. Those tools work within the Steam ecosystem only. The gap between Game Pass/Windows Store and Steam is a real structural one that requires manual file intervention.

Alternative Approach

If the manual transfer feels too risky or you're worried about corrupting your progress, consider this: play through a small portion of the game on the Steam version to verify your hardware and settings are good, then do the full save transfer afterward. That way, if something goes wrong with the transfer, you haven't lost the ability to at least test the Steam version first. Another option is to simply keep playing on Game Pass if you're satisfied with it. The Steam version offers some community features and potentially better mod support, but if you don't need those, there's no urgent reason to switch. The transfer is straightforward enough that you can always do it later when you're ready.

Final Notes

The whole process, from locating the saves to verifying the transfer, took me roughly twenty minutes on a reasonably fast machine. Most of that time was spent hunting down the correct folder paths. Once you know where everything is, it's a matter of copy, paste, and verify. Make backups of your save files before attempting any transfer. I know that's standard advice, but it's worth repeating — if you accidentally overwrite or corrupt the files, you'll need a clean copy to start over. Keep the original Game Pass saves in a separate folder until you've confirmed the Steam version is working properly with your transferred progress.