The Blood of Dawnwalker Known Issues & Workarounds (PC, Hotfix 1.0.3)
Updated 2026-09-07
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Quick Answer
Developer-published 2026-09-07, build 1.0.3
After PC Hotfix 1.0.3 (September 4), two major issues remain open, with developer-published workarounds only: stuttering in Windowed / Borderless mode (workaround: launch in Full Screen) and crashes while compiling shaders (workaround: update your BIOS). A longer list of smaller issues — flickering lights, screen tearing, a full-screen menu bug, and more — is acknowledged but undated. Every entry below is sourced from the developer's announcements and press coverage of them; nothing on this page is our own testing.
Open Issues With a Published Workaround
1. Stuttering in Windowed / Borderless mode
- Status: listed by the developer as under investigation.
- Workaround (developer-published): launch the game in Full Screen.
- Why try it first: it costs nothing and takes seconds — and Windowed/Borderless is the default many players never change. This is the single change most often cited as improving reported performance.
2. Crashing while compiling shaders
- Status: under investigation.
- Workaround (developer-published): check that your BIOS is up to date; the announcement links further information.
- Note: this addresses crash-on-compile, not the separate runtime shader-compilation stutter — that has its own shader cache stutter page with community-reported steps.
Acknowledged but Unfixed (No Dated Fix)
Rebel Wolves' September 3 announcement lists these as issues they are currently looking into. We state them as listed — no fix date has been published for any of them:
- Flickering lights.
- UI font size being too small.
- Sprinting/running suddenly stopping when at an angle.
- PC cursor issues when playing with a controller.
- Screen tearing.
- A bug when switching to full screen mode: the menus become uninteractable (including dialogue menus).
- Performance and crashing issues affecting consoles and PC.
Recently Resolved by Hotfixes
- PS5 gamepad button mapping missing — listed as a known issue on September 3; Hotfix 1.0.3 (September 4) added DualSense support on Steam and GOG. See the patch notes page for the full changelog.
- Quest bugs around Farkas, Lunka's tutorial leading, and the Uriashi holy-sword recipe — fixed in Hotfix 1.0.2.
What a Workaround Is — and Is Not
A workaround reduces the impact of an open issue; it is not a fix, and the developer does not claim it is one. Until Rebel Wolves lists these issues as resolved in a future announcement, treat the stutter and the shader crash as the game's real, unsolved technical problems — and check the patch notes page for new changelog entries before re-troubleshooting.
Sources
- Steam — Hotfix 1.0.2 announcement with known-issues list and workarounds (Sep 3, 2026)
- Steam — Hotfix 1.0.3 announcement (Sep 4, 2026)
- MP1st — Hotfix 1.0.3 coverage with full open-issues list (Sep 4, 2026)
- GamerFuzion — Hotfix 1.0.2/1.0.3 notes and developer workarounds (Sep 2026)
- Shader cache stutter — companion guide for runtime stutter
Snapshot-dated September 7, 2026, against developer-published notes and press coverage of them. When a future patch resolves any entry above, this page will move it to the resolved list and stamp a new date.
Frequently asked questions
Related Guides
The Blood of Dawnwalker Patch Notes: Hotfix 1.0.2 and 1.0.3 (PC)
Developer-published changelog for PC Hotfix 1.0.2 (September 3) and Hotfix 1.0.3 (September 4): quest fixes, controller input, and DualSense support, quoted against the Steam announcements.
Shader Compilation Stutter in The Blood of Dawnwalker — Causes and Fixes
Short freezes when new areas or effects first appear? Community sources point to runtime shader compilation — here is the reported fix order, with sources dated.
Stutter During Transformations and the Day-Night Switch — The Blood of Dawnwalker
Frame drops when Coen turns or when night falls? Community sources point to a fresh night-time shader set and VRAM pressure — the reported fixes, with source strength labeled.