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.
Identify the exact save you intend to edit
The researched NieR: Automata PC save location is Windows: Steam: %USERPROFILE%DocumentsMy GamesNieR_Automata ; Microsoft Store: %LOCALAPPDATA%Packages39EA002F.NieRAutomataPC_n746a19ndrrjgSystemAppDatawgs. Known file/folder pattern: Steam: SlotData_0.dat, SlotData_1.dat, SlotData_2.dat plus GameData.dat and SystemData.dat.. Storefront context: 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. Do not edit a similarly named file from a different profile, edition, or cloud cache.
Make an untouched backup first
Back up the complete NieR_Automata folder on Steam, including SlotData, GameData, and SystemData, before replacing one slot. Preserve the full WGS tree on Microsoft Store. Keep that copy outside the live save directory and do not overwrite it with later experiments. Cloud context: Steam Cloud and Xbox Cloud can restore saves for their storefronts. If a launcher can synchronize the save, prevent it from silently replacing either the original or edited copy while testing.
Understand the format boundary
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. File-extension context: .dat Compatibility note: Ending-related and global progression can involve GameData in addition to SlotData. Do not assume one slot file is the only state worth preserving. These facts help identify the save but do not automatically reveal every field, checksum, encryption rule, or version-specific structure inside it.
Use only a Tool whose claim matches the file
Generic viewers and diff tools can inspect bytes without claiming game-specific semantics. A game-specific editor should be used only when its Tool page explicitly lists NieR: Automata, a matching supported version/container, and a Verified operational runtime. A planned URL or Game Hub is not evidence that an editor exists.
Test the edited copy safely
Write to a new output file when the Tool supports it, keep the original backup, restore the edited copy into the correct profile/storefront location, and launch the game only after the file operation finishes. If the game rejects it, 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. Return to the untouched backup before trying another change.
Verification context: Reviewed against current PCGamingWiki NieR: Automata save paths and slot-transfer notes plus current community descriptions of SlotData/GameData/SystemData.