Saves live in %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\OPNeonGames\Card Shop Simulator (community-reported, checked 25 September 2026). Copy the whole folder somewhere safe before game updates, mod installs or save experiments, and copy it back with the game closed to restore.
The save folder (Windows)
Community Steam discussions give the save location as %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\OPNeonGames\Card Shop Simulator. Press Win+R, paste the path and press Enter. AppData is a hidden folder, so pasting into the address bar is the reliable route. This path is community-reported and was re-checked on 25 September 2026; we have not run the game on our own machines, so confirm the folder exists on your setup before relying on it.
What the files in the folder do
The same thread identifies savedGames_Release0.json as the autosave and savedGames_Release1.json as a manual save, a naming pattern reported in late 2024, so treat it as background rather than a spec. The practical check is the modified timestamp: your most recent session is the newest .json file in the folder. Because settings and other data may live outside these files, back up the whole folder rather than individual saves.
Back up before updates, mods or experiments
A backup is a copy of the folder with a date in its name, stored outside the game directory. Three moments justify one: before a game update (the 1.0 notes cover what changed), before installing BepInEx or new mods (the install guide), and before trying anything from the post-update checklist. Saves are small files. There is no reason to keep only one copy.
Restore, move, and third-party saves
Restoring is the reverse: close the game, put the copied files back, and keep the backup until the save loads in-game. Nexus Mods also hosts ready-made saves, such as high-level shop starts. Treat any third-party save as untrusted input: back up your own folder first and expect no support if a foreign save misbehaves. For a save the game itself broke, the official Steam page is the support channel; save editing is an experiment, not a fix.
Sources & scope
Official facts and editorial suggestions are identified in the text. No current-build gameplay benchmark was performed for this guide. Old video results are not treated as 1.0 measurements.
- Steam community — save file location discussion
- Official Steam listing
- Nexus Mods — TCG Card Shop Simulator hub