Checked on 21 October 2026 against Update 6.0 (build 0.10.0.653173), Steam app 1783560 by Channel37. Forum dates are UTC.

Short answer. The Update 6.0 notes list fixed crashes on saving and on loading a damaged save file [S1]. Players still report startup crashes and freezes after release, for example ClosetMonster on 19 October 2026 [S3] and Wanucha on 20 October 2026 [S7]. In the threads read on 21 October 2026, Channel37 has not posted a fix for them. Channel37's support page, last updated 8 September 2026, starts with driver updates, then lists shader cache and settings file resets and lowering Shadow Quality [S2].

What Update 6.0 changed for crashes and lag

These are selected crash and performance lines from the official Update 6.0 notes, posted by Channel37DevTeam on 19 October 2026 [S1]. The RC rows come from the release-candidate sections of that same post [S1].

Where in the notesOfficial lineSource
Bug fixes"Fixed several crashes, including crashes when saving and when loading a damaged save file."[S1]
Bug fixes"Fixed severe lag caused by oxygen generators and when switching control to or from a drone or vehicle."[S1]
Bug fixes"Fixed graphics settings not updating after changing graphics cards, and some graphics settings not being saved."[S1]
Other changes"Improved performance, with less stuttering while exploring and smoother gameplay around large numbers of enemies, cables and modules."[S1]
RC1"Fixed a crash that happened immediately when loading North Bastion."[S1]
RC1"Fixed a big lag spike when teleporting during combat."[S1]
RC1"Less stuttering while moving through the world."[S1]
RC2"Fixed a possible crash." (no cause or place is given)[S1]
RC3"Melting ice performs better and no longer starts before a location has finished loading."[S1]
RC3"Fog looks smoother on High graphics settings and no longer renders at the wrong quality on Low and Medium."[S1]
RC7"Fixed some distant objects showing up in bright magenta."[S1]
RC9"Fixed the gyro staying connected to a cable when teleporting, and any cable you are holding is now dropped before you teleport."[S1]

The release notes carry the build number 0.10.0.653173 [S1]. Channel37DevTeam's RC9 post of 16 October 2026, during the Update 6.0 public beta, carries the same build number [S18]. For the Transfer Gate itself, see Transfer Gate and North Bastion. For the wider bug list, see Update 6 known issues.

Official first steps from Channel37 support

The support page is dated 8 September 2026 [S2], so it predates Update 6. It lists these steps:

  • Update graphics drivers: "Outdated drivers are a common cause of visual bugs" [S2].
  • On Windows, Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) can help with a fresh GPU driver installation [S2].
  • Delete the shader cache file in %localAppData%\Voyage\Saved. The page says the file is recreated on the next load and the game may hang while it is written [S2].
  • Delete GameUserSettings.ini in %localAppData%\Voyage\Saved\Config\Windows, with the same recreate-and-hang warning [S2].
  • Try lowering Shadow Quality. The page says players reported this can improve performance on some hardware configurations [S2]. The official FAQ gives the same advice [S11].
  • If a system has integrated and dedicated graphics, the game might use the integrated one, so configure the system to use the dedicated GPU [S2].
  • Players with Intel AI Boost or an Intel NPU may see the game stall at the Channel37 splash screen. Support says to disable Intel AI Boost and related software [S2].
  • Error 0x11C7 relates to Windows Defender: update Windows or whitelist the game folder in Windows Security Settings [S2].
  • Ray tracing can be turned off in the in-game settings, which support says to do if the graphics card does not support it [S2].

If crashes continue, support asks for details of when and how they happen [S2].

The FAQ still says Update 6.0 is "planned for PC in early October 2026" [S11], although the update went live on 19 October 2026 [S1].

Launch crashes since Update 6.0: what players report

ClosetMonster (19 October 2026): "great update crashes game wont start now thanks a lot." [S3] In a later post the same player said "deleted the game reinstalled still crash" [S3].

Two things stand out in that thread, and neither has an official answer:

  • GoldDragon (19 October 2026) wrote "It's probably Windows Security." [S3] afropolak (19 October 2026) wrote "It's windows defender and smart app controll" [S3]. Fem (19 October 2026) replied that Windows Smart App Control was "already turned off" and the crash still occurs [S3]. ClosetMonster (19 October 2026) had already written "no mods installed" [S3].
  • Fem also posted an engine error, a LowLevelFatalError with "Bad name index" [S3]. Zenoshi (19 October 2026) posted a similar load crash on an asset called DA_Memory_Toy [S3]. The support page's Windows Defender entry is for error 0x11C7 [S2], and these posts show different errors.

Purr (19 October 2026) reported main-menu crashes and repairing game files 5 times with the same result [S4]. shewter1 (21 October 2026, about 350 hours, RTX 4090) wrote "With update 6 I can't run for more than 10 minutes" and lists EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION [S6]. Wanucha (20 October 2026) reports freezes at the launch site at random times [S7]. Slash (21 October 2026) on Ubuntu wrote of needing a console 'killall steam' to leave the game [S7]. Minvader99 (21 October 2026) wrote that DX11 let them leave the starting area, but the game crashed on seeing the Nav Beacon marker [S7].

Reports differ by machine. Kuzako (19 October 2026) wrote of "Not even a performance drop from U5.5 or the U6 beta" [S3]. Sid (20 October 2026, Nobara Linux, Proton Experimental) wrote "Runs better after 6.0 update." [S12]

Launch options and driver fixes players use

Steam launch options are player advice, not Channel37 advice. Izzy Wolf Girl (19 October 2026) suggested "-noraytracing" and dx11 for GPU errors [S3].

  • brown29knight (19 October 2026) wrote "-noraytracing worked for me thank you!!!!!" [S4].
  • Gide3D (20 October 2026) wrote "Unfortunately here, neither of the two options worked..." [S4].
  • Robert (20 October 2026) wrote "I had to start using -dx11 to get it to run." [S5] The same post says "Something broke for me a couple updates ago." [S5]
  • Gide3D (20 October 2026) wrote "-noraytracing and -dx11 don't work here" [S5], and yeay_me (20 October 2026) wrote "Tried the above in launch options, no dice." [S5]

Chrysonecrosis1 (14 September 2026, during Update 5.5) wrote "I had to add -noraytracing to my startup options and that fixed it for me." [S9] They added that the game looks worse and stutters [S9].

Drivers helped some players in the same thread. Dea9 (14 September 2026, during Update 5.5) wrote "updated Nvidia drivers to latest 616.92 and it fixed my crash issue" [S9]. CitrusRobin2720 (16 October 2026, during the Update 6.0 public beta) wrote "Manually updating RTX driver directly from Nvidia solved the crash" [S9].

A graphics glitch that some players saw after downloading the Update 6.0 beta is not a crash; the player reports and driver fixes for it are on Update 6 known issues.

Lag and stutter

On ray tracing, sources disagree. The Update 3 patch of 31 March 2026 added a simplified shadow system when ray tracing is disabled, "improving performance by over three times" in complex lighting such as Lazarus Complex [S8]. On the Steam forum, freakklompje (15 October 2026, during the Update 6.0 public beta) wrote "it will improve if you enable raytracing." [S13] LuckyDog (19 October 2026) wrote that "lowering quality / shadows / raytracing, etc. does little to help." [S3] JeanDeaux (1 February 2026) wrote "Turning off Ray Tracing also helps a LOT." [S14]

Other single-player reports:

  • LuckyDog (19 October 2026) reported "Massive stuttering with TLC graphics settings" [S3]. Kuzako (19 October 2026) replied "Can't say I have the same experience." [S3]
  • snooperace (15 October 2026, Update 6.0 beta, RTX 3080 Ti) reported "I am getting 4 FPS my cpu is at 5% and my 3080ti gpu is running at 19%" [S15]. The thread has no replies [S15].
  • Af22man (20 January 2026) advised loading a save that runs like a slide show, saving to a new save location, then exiting and reloading [S14]. They added that re-running the routine fixed the issue again [S14]. MegaMind (1 February 2026) wrote "None of the above ideas work at all." [S14] These are pre-Update 6 reports.
  • mookie (1 February 2026) wrote that Nvidia App power management on Prefer Maximum Performance took a 4070 Super from 25-40 FPS on Medium mode to 50-80 FPS on Epic mode [S14].

Saves after a crash

Support keeps recent auto-saves in a SaveGameBackups folder and gives restore steps [S2]; the full backup rules and steps are on Unstuck and the -ea tools. Support also warns that mods and third-party tools "Can cause crashes and save corruption" [S2].

Thiesen (21 October 2026) wrote that the auto-save time can be set to 5 minutes [S7]. In the Durandian video, the advice at [7:37] is to keep backup saves: "At least have two." [S16] The speaker links this to a patch that "seemed to have" caused random crashes, without naming the patch [S16].

Steam Deck and Linux

The official FAQ says "Yes. The Last Caretaker runs on Steam Deck." [S11]. Panos (19 October 2026) tried the demo on a Deck and reported 5 fps [S17]. Orin Doomhammer (20 October 2026) wrote "The game runs on steam deck" [S17]. Panos asked whether that was the full game or the demo, and no answer is in the thread [S17]. A ProtonDB page fetched before 21 October 2026 shows a Gold rating and a Steam Deck compatibility status of Playable [S19].

Sources and version

Checked on 2026-10-21 against Update 6.0 (build 0.10.0.653173)