Locate and protect the directory
On Windows, enter %LOCALAPPDATA%/PoliceChiefSimulator/Saved in File Explorer's address bar. Close the game before copying the directory to a separate backup location. Keep the original until you have confirmed the copy exists; this guide does not provide a tested cloud-conflict recovery procedure.
Developer-provided workaround — historical
The developer repeated a cache workaround in the #6–#14 period: with the game closed and a backup made, remove only PoliceChiefSimulator_PCD3D_SM6.upipelinecache from the Saved directory, then relaunch and try loading. It targets that exact pipeline-cache file, not the save folder. If it is absent or you cannot identify it exactly, stop instead of deleting similar-looking files.
Prefer current diagnosis first
Update and retest before considering the historical cache workaround. #20 and #21 changed loading behavior, with #21 still tentative. Preserve an affected save for the developer's report workflow; the older workaround is not a guaranteed solution to every load failure.
Patch evidence
Updated . Historical demonstrations retain their original dates; a patch label is not a numeric build ID.
Frequently asked questions
What if the named pipeline-cache file is missing?
Stop rather than deleting similar files or the Saved directory. The historical workaround names one exact cache file and is not a general save-reset instruction.