Monster Hunter: World keeps its main Steam PC progress in SAVEDATA1000. Because the file sits under an account-specific Steam userdata tree, the account context belongs in the backup record. Copy the file outside Steam before major changes and keep multiple dated revisions rather than relying on cloud synchronization alone. A future editor must handle account/profile semantics explicitly; Phase 23 only documents where the file lives and how to preserve it safely.
Where Monster Hunter: World stores PC saves
The researched save-location boundary is Windows: <Steam-folder>userdata<user-id>582010remote | Linux / Steam Play: Steam Play: <SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/582010/pfx/. The known file or folder pattern is SAVEDATA1000. 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. The save is under Steam userdata, not the Monster Hunter: World installation directory. The numeric user folder identifies the Steam account context. 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/remote storage is part of the normal PC workflow. Manual backups are still valuable because a damaged local revision can also synchronize. 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
The Steam PC profile uses the SAVEDATA1000 file under app 582010 remote storage. The file contains account/profile progress and should be treated as user-associated data rather than an anonymous portable save. The current filename/folder evidence is SAVEDATA1000. File-extension context: No single extension is sufficient to identify every relevant save record. 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 progress is missing after a cloud conflict, preserve both the current remote/local file and any backup before trying replacement. Avoid repeatedly launching the game while deciding which copy is authoritative. 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: The Steam userdata path was reviewed against current PCGamingWiki coverage. SAVEDATA1000 naming is corroborated by long-running Steam/Nexus backup references.