NieR: Automata is a case where backing up only “the save slot” can miss important surrounding state. Steam exposes three SlotData files but also stores GameData and SystemData in the same Documents directory. Ending and presentation state can therefore outlive a single slot replacement. SaveEditor recommends treating the folder as one backup set, then making any slot-level experiment only on a copy. Microsoft Store is additionally separated by its WGS container, so its files should not be treated as Steam .dat files solely because the gameplay is the same.
Where NieR: Automata stores PC saves
The researched save-location boundary is Windows: Steam: %USERPROFILE%DocumentsMy GamesNieR_Automata ; Microsoft Store: %LOCALAPPDATA%Packages39EA002F.NieRAutomataPC_n746a19ndrrjgSystemAppDatawgs. The known file or folder pattern is Steam: SlotData_0.dat, SlotData_1.dat, SlotData_2.dat plus GameData.dat and SystemData.dat.. This is the practical starting point because launcher, profile, and storefront context can change which copy is active even when two folders look similar.
Storefront and profile differences
Documented launchers or storefronts: Steam, Microsoft Store. Steam and Microsoft Store use different containers; cross-store transfers may require renaming and account/ID-aware handling rather than a raw overwrite. When looking for a missing save, identify the executable/storefront you actually launched and the user/profile that created the progress before copying anything between directories.
Cloud synchronization
Steam Cloud and Xbox Cloud can restore saves for their storefronts. A cloud service should be treated as another copy of the save, not as proof that the local folder is disposable. Before a manual restore, let synchronization finish, make an offline backup, and avoid starting the game while files are being replaced.
What the files represent
Steam stores three slot files alongside broader game/system data. Microsoft Store wraps saves in WGS containers. A slot file alone does not necessarily represent every piece of progression or presentation state. The current filename/folder evidence is Steam: SlotData_0.dat, SlotData_1.dat, SlotData_2.dat plus GameData.dat and SystemData.dat.. File-extension context: .dat A location guide does not claim that every file in the directory is safe to edit or that files from another storefront are automatically interchangeable.
If the save is not where expected
If a slot vanishes or fails to load, verify the exact SlotData index, Steam account, cloud-conflict choice, and whether broader GameData/SystemData came from the same backup set. Also check redirected Documents folders, Steam Play prefixes, account IDs, and launcher-specific containers where applicable. Preserve every candidate copy before testing a restore so troubleshooting does not destroy the only surviving version.
Verification context: Reviewed against current PCGamingWiki NieR: Automata save paths and slot-transfer notes plus current community descriptions of SlotData/GameData/SystemData.