For the 2022 Steam version of Construction Simulator (App ID 1273400), start with Windows and driver updates, then verify the game files in Steam. If you use a wheel or joystick, test with Steam Input disabled. A freeze specifically at “Press any key” may involve a damaged UserData.wb; back it up before repairing or recreating it. Don’t delete your profile folders as a first step.
Make sure you have the right game
These steps are for the 2022 Windows/Steam release of Construction Simulator, released September 20, 2022, App ID 1273400. They are not a substitute for guidance for Construction Simulator 2015, Construction Simulator 3, Construction Simulator 4, or the mobile games. The listed PC requirements specify 64-bit Windows 10; the official listing does not establish Windows 11 compatibility. Steam’s game page identifies the release and its requirements.
Identify where startup fails
- Closes immediately after clicking Play: begin with updates and Steam file verification.
- Closes during the splash screen or loading: damaged installation files, drivers, overlays, or configuration data are possibilities; no single cause is established for every crash.
- Freezes at “Press any key”: Astragon specifically documents corrupted or incomplete UserData as a possible cause.
- Fails after selecting a profile or company: preserve profile and company data; note whether the issue affects one profile or all of them.
- Fails only when a controller, wheel, or joystick is connected: test the input-device and Steam Input steps below.
- Opens but has high GPU use or temperature: that is a performance/thermal problem, not the same as a startup crash.
Check the PC requirements
Steam lists these requirements for the 2022 PC release. They are a baseline, not a guarantee that every driver, laptop configuration, or setup will launch correctly.
| Specification | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | 64-bit Windows 10 | 64-bit Windows 10 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-4460 3.2 GHz or AMD FX-8350 | Intel i5-10400F or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | Nvidia GTX 960 4 GB or AMD Radeon Pro 570 4 GB | Nvidia GTX 1660 6 GB or AMD Radeon RX 5700 8 GB |
| DirectX | Version 11 | Version 11 |
| Storage | 10 GB | 10 GB; SSD recommended |
| Other | Broadband internet | Broadband internet |
Source: Steam system requirements.
Try the low-risk fixes first
- Restart Windows and Steam. Close the game and Steam, restart the PC, then open Steam and try again.
- Install pending Windows updates. Restart Windows after updates finish.
- Update the graphics driver. Identify the exact GPU and use its manufacturer’s official driver channel: NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel. Astragon also recommends updating drivers and configuration software for input devices.
- Check input-device software. Update the software for your controller, wheel, or joystick if relevant. For a quick comparison, disconnect unusual peripherals and try launching once without them.
- Verify the installation in Steam. Open Library, right-click Construction Simulator, choose Properties, and open Installed Files (older Steam wording: Local Files). Select Verify integrity of game files and let the check finish. Steam may reacquire damaged or missing files. Then restart Steam and test the game.
Steam may report that all files were validated. That only means the check did not find an installation-file problem; it does not rule out driver, input, Windows, or user-data issues. Astragon’s documented verification route uses the older “Local Files” label; Steam’s interface may vary. See the Astragon FAQ and Steam technical support page.
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Test Steam Input if a peripheral may be involved
Astragon notes that Steam Input can interfere with special input devices such as steering wheels and joysticks. Treat this as a targeted test, especially if the crash began after connecting or configuring a device—not as a setting every player needs to change.
- In Steam Library, right-click Construction Simulator and choose Properties.
- Open Controller.
- Set the game-specific override to Disable Steam Input for the game.
- Close the properties window and try launching again.
If the game still fails, restore the previous setting and test once with the peripheral disconnected so you can tell whether the device or its configuration is relevant. Astragon’s instructions are in its official FAQ.
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Repair a freeze at “Press any key”
Astragon says the game loads UserData.wb at startup and that an incomplete or corrupted file can leave the game stuck at “Press any key.” UserData stores settings, statistics, achievement information, last-session details, screen scaling, radio-channel and sound-device settings, blocked users, and read-news information. Astragon says it does not contain the core profile or company progress.
The folder is C:Users%USERNAME%AppDataLocalLowweltenbauer-seConSimUserData. To open it, press Win+R, enter %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowweltenbauer-seConSimUserData, and press Enter. Close the game and Steam, then copy the entire UserData folder somewhere safe before changing anything.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
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Restore a backup first
- Look for a recent backup in the UserData folder. Use its modification date to identify a candidate.
- Keep a copy of the current folder outside the game directory.
- Rename the selected backup file, for example
backup_3_UserData.wb, toUserData.wb, then place it in the UserData folder. - Launch the game and check whether it passes the screen. Astragon’s PC save-backup instructions explain how to use backups.
Recreate UserData only if restoring a backup fails
Astragon’s FAQ says that since Patch 14, dated November 20, 2024, the game can offer to recreate damaged UserData automatically. Follow that prompt if shown. Deleting or recreating UserData makes the game create a new file; settings may reset, and statistics or achievement-related information may be lost. Back up first even though this file is separate from core profile and company progress. Do not delete the whole Profiles directory.
Protect profiles and company progress
Profiles are in C:Users%USERNAME%AppDataLocalLowweltenbauer-seConSimProfiles, with folders such as Profile0, Profile1, and Profile2. Profile data is stored in Profile.wb; company data includes Company.wb and CompanyMeta.wb. Before troubleshooting a crash after profile selection, copy the entire Profiles folder to a safe location.
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Note whether every profile fails or only one. If only one profile or company triggers the crash, preserve that folder and give it to Astragon for diagnosis rather than deleting it. The FAQ also describes periodic backups and Steam Cloud, but cloud synchronization should not be your only backup; retain your own copy before replacing or restoring data. Details are in the official FAQ.
Settings are separately stored at C:Users%USERNAME%AppDataLocalLowweltenbauer-seConSimSettingsSettings.wb. Avoid changing several files at once: make one change, test, and record the result.
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Use the frame-rate option only for GPU load
If the game launches but causes unusually high GPU usage or temperature, Astragon documents a 60 FPS cap. In Steam Library, right-click Construction Simulator, choose Properties, open General, and enter -targetframerate=60 in Starting Options. This is a performance/thermal workaround, not a general fix for a game that closes before launch.
Collect logs and contact Astragon if it still crashes
Copy these files and folders; don’t move or delete the originals before sending them:
- Player logs:
C:Users%USERNAME%AppDataLocalLowweltenbauer-seConSimPlayer.logandPlayer-prev.log. - Crash dumps:
C:Users%USERNAME%AppDataLocalTempweltenbauer-seConSimCrashesandC:Users%USERNAME%AppDataLocalLowweltenbauer-seConSimCrashes. - The relevant profile and company folder, if the crash occurs after selecting one.
In your message, include the game version (shown in the start menu’s lower-right corner when accessible), whether the EU or US map is involved, vehicle or equipment, contract, what happened immediately beforehand, and whether the session was single-player or multiplayer. For multiplayer, say how many players were present and who hosted. Add relevant screenshots, DXDIAG.txt, MSINFO.txt, your CPU, GPU, RAM, Windows and driver versions, connected peripherals, and whether Steam verification reacquired files. Contact Astragon at [email protected]; its support page and FAQ list support guidance and requested diagnostics.
If the game is not the 2022 Steam release, or you are using Steam Deck/Proton or a non-Steam edition, these Windows paths and procedures are not established as applicable unchanged. Astragon provides separate support sections for some other series entries on its support page.
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