How To Reset A Game Quickly

To reset a game, you typically need to find the settings menu within the game itself and locate an option to start a new game or reset progress.

Ever found yourself wanting a fresh start in your favorite game? Maybe you made a bad decision early on, or simply want to experience the story from the beginning. It happens! The process of how to reset a game can sometimes be confusing, as it differs between various game titles and platforms.

We’ll walk you through the general ways games let you go back to square one. Many titles offer a ‘new game’ option, which achieves the same thing as wiping your save file.

How to Reset a Game: A Comprehensive Guide

Sometimes, you need a fresh start. Maybe you made some bad choices in a game, or perhaps you just want to experience everything again from the beginning. Whatever the reason, knowing how to reset a game is a useful skill. It’s not always as simple as pressing a single button, though. The process varies from game to game and even between different gaming systems. Let’s explore all the different ways you can get that clean slate.

Understanding the Need to Reset

Before we dive into the “how,” let’s think about the “why.” There are many reasons a player might want to reset a game. Maybe you messed up a mission really badly and don’t want to go back through all the stages to fix it. Maybe you want to try out a different character build or want to replay the story with a different strategy. Here are some common scenarios:

• Starting Over: You want to experience the beginning of the game again.
• Fixing Mistakes: You made a mistake that can’t be easily fixed.
• Trying New Strategies: You want to try a different approach to the game.
• Character Changes: You want to play with a different character or skill build.
• Sharing the Game: Someone else wants to start a new game on the same device.

Regardless of the reason, having the knowledge of how to reset is very important.

Types of Game Resets

Resets can come in a few different forms. It is not always a straightforward reset all and start from zero type of action. Understanding the kind of reset you are trying to achieve helps to choose the correct path.

In-Game Reset Options

Many games offer built-in reset options. These are usually the safest and easiest ways to restart. You might find these options within the game’s menu system.

• New Game Option: The most common type. It starts the game from scratch.
• Load Game Option: Though not a reset, this allows to replay an earlier point in the game if you’ve saved properly.
• Replay Mission or Level: Some games let you restart a specific mission or level.

Often these options keep your overall profile information and just restart the game story or a particular level. If you want to delete everything, in game options will not work.

System Level Resets

Sometimes, the game doesn’t offer a direct reset option. In these cases, you have to turn to your gaming system or the game files themselves. These are more powerful, but also carry more risk if done improperly. Let’s have a look at them.

Console Resets

Consoles like PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch often store game data on the console’s hard drive. To reset on a console, you will often have to delete save data using the settings of the console itself.

PlayStation (PS4/PS5):

• Go to “Settings”.
• Choose “Storage”.
• Select “Saved Data”.
• Pick the game.
• Select the saved data you want to remove and then delete it.

Xbox (Xbox One/Series X/S):

• Go to “My Games & Apps”.
• Highlight the game.
• Press the “Menu” button on the controller.
• Choose “Manage game & add-ons”.
• Select “Saved data”.
• Delete the data.

Nintendo Switch:

• Go to “System Settings”.
• Select “Data Management”.
• Choose “Save Data”.
• Select the game.
• Select the save data you want to remove and then delete it.

Always double-check that you have selected the correct game before deleting data. Deleting save data is not reversible. Once deleted it will be very difficult to recover.

PC Resets

PC gaming is different from consoles. Here, games save data in many different locations. Sometimes, it is inside the game’s folder, or sometimes it is saved in the cloud. There are also many places where save files are saved such as “My Documents” or “Appdata” folder. You will need to know these locations to be able to reset your game completely.

Local Save Files

Finding the save file location is the first step. Some game folders have a “save” or “saves” folder. To access these you will need to go to the folder where the game is installed.

• Open File Explorer.
• Go to the folder the game is installed in. Usually it’s under the “Program Files” folder.
• Find the save folder inside the game folder.
• Delete the contents of the save folder.

Windows Example (User folder):

• Open File Explorer.
• Type %appdata% in the address bar and press Enter.
• Open the folder named “.local” or “Local”.
• Search for the game name or the game developers name.
• Locate the folder that holds save data.
• Delete the contents.

Sometimes the save games are located inside the documents folder which also can be accessed using the file explorer.

Cloud Saves

Many games use cloud services like Steam Cloud or Epic Games Store to store save data. These saves sync automatically. Deleting local files might not be enough because the cloud service will restore the save files. You will have to disable cloud saves or delete the saved data from the cloud platform itself.

Steam:

• Open Steam.
• Right-click on the game and go to “Properties”.
• Under the “General” tab, uncheck “Keep game saves in the Steam Cloud for [game name]”.

Epic Games Store:

• Open the Epic Games Launcher.
• Go to “Settings”.
• Scroll to the “Cloud Saves” section and manage the saves from there.

After disabling cloud saves, you can delete local save files again. If you decide to enable them again, remember the platform might restore the old save data.

Mobile Game Resets

Mobile games usually have a different approach than PC or console games. They often use online accounts which stores save data. This type of save data is much harder to completely remove or reset. It is often connected to social media accounts or platform specific accounts, for example, google play games.

Clearing App Data (Android)

• Go to “Settings”.
• Go to “Apps” or “Application Manager”.
• Find the game app.
• Choose “Storage”.
• Select “Clear Data” and “Clear Cache”.

This clears all of the local data for the game. If there are online saves, it will restore that when you restart the game.

Deleting the Game (iOS/Android)

Deleting the game application will delete all of the local game files. However, if you are linked to an online account, reinstalling the game might bring back all the data. This method does not work if game saves are not saved locally.

• Find the game app on your phone or tablet.
• Long press the game icon.
• Press “Uninstall” or “Delete app”.

For cloud saves, you may need to check the game’s settings or contact customer support for more info on how to remove cloud saves. Keep in mind that this might not be possible in some games.

Step-by-Step Guides

Let’s put all of this together with step-by-step guides.

How to Reset a Game with In-Game Option

1. Start the game.
2. Look for a “New Game,” “Start Over,” or similar option in the main menu or game settings.
3. If you have an option to load saved game, make sure it is for an early point in the game.
4. Confirm your choice to reset the game.

This method is often the easiest and safest. However, not all games have a simple “reset” option. So let’s see the console reset option.

How to Reset a Game on a Console

Below are steps for major console types. Each console has a similar process but the names of menus may be different.

PlayStation Reset

1. Close the game if it is open.
2. Go to your PlayStation “Settings” menu.
3. Choose “Storage.”
4. Select “Saved Data”.
5. Choose the game you want to reset.
6. Select the specific save data and delete it.
7. Start the game to begin from the start.

Xbox Reset

1. Close the game.
2. Go to “My Games & Apps.”
3. Highlight the game.
4. Press the “Menu” button on your controller.
5. Select “Manage game & add-ons.”
6. Go to “Saved data.”
7. Delete the game saves and start the game again.

Nintendo Switch Reset

1. Close the game.
2. Go to “System Settings.”
3. Choose “Data Management”.
4. Select “Save Data.”
5. Choose the specific game data you want to reset.
6. Delete the saved data.
7. Open the game to start from the beginning.

How to Reset a Game on PC

Resetting a game on PC is more involved because of the variety of ways the game can store save data. First make sure you close the game before making any changes.

Resetting Local Save Files

1. Close the game.
2. Open File Explorer.
3. Locate the game’s installation folder. This is often found in “Program Files.”
4. Look for a “save,” “saves,” or similar folder.
5. Delete the contents of the save folder.
6. Start the game and begin your new adventure!

Resetting App Data

1. Close the game.
2. Open the Run dialog box by pressing “Windows key + R” key together.
3. Type %appdata% and press Enter.
4. Go to the “Local” or “.local” folder.
5. Find the folder for the game.
6. Delete the folder or the contents inside the folder.
7. Start the game and begin your new adventure!

Resetting Cloud Saves

Follow these steps to reset the cloud saves.

1. Open the game platform (Steam, Epic Games, etc.).
2. Find the game in your library.
3. Go to the game’s properties.
4. Uncheck the option to store game data on the cloud.
5. Delete local save files by following steps above.
6. Start the game and start playing.

After completing these steps, you can restart your game, and the cloud data will not restore the old game files. You can enable cloud saves again, but be mindful that they might overwrite the new game.

How to Reset a Mobile Game

Android Reset Steps

1. Close the game.
2. Go to your device’s “Settings” menu.
3. Select “Apps” or “Application Manager.”
4. Find the game app.
5. Tap on “Storage.”
6. Select “Clear Data” and “Clear Cache.”
7. Start the game and start your new adventure.

iOS Reset Steps

1. Close the game.
2. Long press on the app icon.
3. Select “Delete App.”
4. Go to the app store and download the game again.
5. Start the game and begin your new journey!

Remember cloud saves might restore your progress if the game is linked to an online account. If that happens, you might have to contact the support for the game platform.

Tips and Tricks for Safe Resets

Resetting a game is not just about deleting files. There are a few ways to make sure you have a smooth experience.

• Back Up Your Saves: If you are unsure about deleting everything, you should back up your saves. You can copy the files to a USB or another folder on your computer.
• Read the Game Documentation: Check game forums, wikis or in game instructions for specific steps for resetting saves.
• Check Cloud Settings: If a game uses a cloud save feature, look into the options to disable it. It will often overwrite your new game if you don’t disable it.
• Double-Check Deletions: Carefully double-check the save files you choose to delete. Accidentally deleting the wrong file could cause problems.
• Be Patient: Allow time for the reset process. Some games might have complicated cloud save procedures and can take time to reset fully.

By following these tips, you can make the game reset process much smoother and more secure. You will also make sure you do not lose your data by accident. Having knowledge of how the games save data will help you to troubleshoot any issues you may face.

Resetting a game might seem difficult, but with these steps it will be much easier. Now you have the knowledge and tools you need to reset your game and start a new adventure. Each game is different, but the general principles remain the same.

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Final Thoughts

To reset a game, you typically find the option within the game’s settings menu. This will erase your current progress. Some games also provide cloud saves, so be mindful if you use them.

Another way is clearing app data via your device’s settings. This method effectively forces a fresh start. Remember this method will clear other game data.

Ultimately, understanding how to reset a game is essential for a fresh experience. Always consider backup if available.