Guide: Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Launch Guide: Known Issues and Fixes
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is available on Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita. But a few players might run into technical issues that mar the experience, from a PC version that simply refuses to launch, to UI elements showing up incorrectly on Steam Deck.
Konami has released an official Known Issues Notice for three issues, two of which the publisher has provided workarounds for. The key thing is that a workaround it’s not the same as a permanent fix. Tweaking a setting might allow you to keep playing, but that doesn’t mean the problem is fixed.
This guide covers which platforms the issues affect, how to perform the recommended steps from Konami, what to avoid needlessly changing, and what to do in the event everything else fails.
These are known issues that the publisher has stated, not everything that could happen to a player. If the descriptions of your problems symptoms don’t match any of these, don’t assume your problem will be solved by the same workaround.
Konami has announced it is working on a patch for the issues. The notification doesn’t specify a release date for that patch, so look out for a newer official statement before expecting the availability of a fix.
Solution 1: PC version of Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Won’t Run
The Download Record Issue at Steam An issue particularly relevant if you are running Steam or Xbox on PC versions. Konami warns that the title may not start when V-Sync is turned off and the frame rate is set to Unlimited.
This is a specific combination of settings, not “Everyone on PC will not be able to start the game.” If you just turned off V-Sync and un-capped the framerate, the official workaround is to a certain degree the best place to start.
How to Fix the PC Launch Problem
Follow Konami’s recommended steps in order.
Step 1: Open Windows display settings.
Open your Windows display settings and find the display refresh-rate option. This setting determines how often your monitor updates its image, in hertz (Hz).
Step 2: Temporarily select a refresh rate below 60 Hz.
Select a refresh rate below 60 Hz if available. This is a temporary troubleshooting measure, not a suggestion to permanently reduce your monitor’s refresh rate.
If Windows doesn’t provide a refresh rate below 60 Hz for your display, do not attempt to force an unsupported setting or install an unfamiliar program to perform this workaround. Refer to the game’s customer support for assistance.
Step 3: Launch the game.
With the temporary refresh-rate setting applied, launch Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse.
If the game launches successfully, proceed to the title screen. Only follow the remaining official steps if you have access to the necessary settings, otherwise, if it still fails to launch.
Step 4: Enable V-Sync.
From the title screen, open the game’s Settings menu. In Video Settings, enable V-Sync. After adjusting the setting, exit the game.
Step 5: Restore your original Windows refresh rate. Go back to Windows display settings and choose the refresh rate you were using before troubleshooting.
Konami says the game should now launch and play without issues.
Step 6: Test the game again.
With your original monitor refresh rate restored, launch the game.
Why Does This Workaround Matter?
V-Sync aligns the game’s frame output with the display’s refresh cycle. An uncapped frame-rate setting, on the other hand, won’t cap the frame rate with that option.
The combination of V-Sync being disabled and framerate being unlimited has been reported as a cause of the failure to start by Konami. Though it does not explain what the technical reason is. So it would be somewhat misguided to say that it is necessarily a problem that’s down to a specific graphics driver, or a single model of monitor or a piece of hardware.
The sensible thing to do is to apply the documented workaround until you are ready to make any other changes to your system.
What If the Game Still Won’t Start?
If the official instructions don’t work for you, please see if you can isolate whether the crash is the known issue before making any other changes.
Make sure that you are loading up the right version of the game.
Make a note if it crashes immediately, while loading or if it gives you an error dialog.
Write down if you had V-Sync off or an unlimited frame rate before the problem started.
See if there is a more recent alert or patch from Konami.
Contact the game’s official customer support if you have further issues. Don’t immediately go to re-install Windows and wipe your save-files or dramatically change your graphics drivers. Those are not part of the Konami suggested workaround and may cause other problems without fixing the acknowledged cause.
Fix 2: Steam Deck UI Elements Are Out of View
Konami confirms a display problem with the Steam Deck as well. Some UI pieces may be a little bit out of the visible area.
This is not the same as a failure to launch. The game may be launched, however parts of its UI may be hard to see and use as it’s not displayed properly.
Is There an Official Steam Deck Patch?
The company stated, at the time of Konami’s posted notification, that it was working on a fix. The notice does not offer a definitive solution or ETA.
This is the distinction that matters. Messing around with random display settings probably won’t fix an issue that requires a game patch.
If you want, go ahead and do the following:If you want, go ahead and do the following:
See if there’s a newer update for the game.
Restart the game after applying any official patch.
If the UI is still not fully visible, take note of which menus or UI sections are displaced.
If needed, report the issue to the official support.
You can also find out if the bug occurs all the time or in just certain menus. These will give them an idea of what we are seeing.
Should You Change Steam Deck Display Settings?
This is not the first thing you should try in response to this particular problem. Konami did not mention any specific Steam Deck display setting as the culprit in its announcement.
When you adjust several settings simultaneously, it can complicate the troubleshooting process, as you will not be able to determine which adjustment (if any) influenced the outcome. It is always best to keep your normal settings, install any official updates that are available and report the issue correctly.
In the event that a newer official notice provides a workaround, follow those instructions instead of relying on unverified community advice.
Fix 3: Game Freezes at the Title Screen after Loading Saved Game
The third known issue is the more serious of the two as it completely blocks players from continuing their game.
Konami states that users whose system languages are set to certain options (including, but presumably not limited to, Arabic) will find themselves stuck at the title screen following the save and quit back to title screen.
The notice mentions these affected platforms:
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X|S
- Steam
- Xbox On PC
Nintendo Switch is not included in this specific statement. That is not to say the platform is immune to such a thing happening as it’s just this report that doesn’t have Switch as an offender.
How to Skip the Title Screen
Konami suggests a workaround, which is to temporarily switch the console language to another supported one, such as English.
The rundown is:
Step 1: Exit the game.
Leave Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse at the system language prior to switching. This prevents changing settings while the game is active.
Step 2: Go to your platform’s system settings.
Access the language settings on your console or Windows machine. The exact wording differs depending on the platform and operating system version.
Step 3: Change to another support language.
Pick a language with support that is different from the problematic one. They mention specifically English as an example.
Step 4: Close the game.
Launch the game and see if you can get past the title screen and load your existing save.
Step 5: Make Sure Your Progress Is Safe.
Ensure the game has access to your current save file before continuing. The workaround is to allow players to continue playing through from their current save, not have to begin a new game.
Konami doesn’t suggest players should delete their save data, or start a new one to bypass this problem. Do not delete your progress as a troubleshooting test.
Can You Switch Back to Your Original Language?
The official notice recommends changing the system language to another supported language in order to keep playing. It doesn’t guarantee that changing back to the original language will be free of the bug.
If the bug is gone after changing languages, you might want to stick with your working language until Konami announces a permanent fix. If you do choose to switch back, be aware that the problem is documented to return.
According to the game’s official product information, the supported text languages are English, Japanese, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese and Korean. Language availability may vary by platform and/or region/storefront, so always check your specific version before attempting to make changes.
Will Changing the Language Erase Your Save?
Konami’s suggested workaround involves changing the system language, not deleting saved data. The notice explicitly mentions continuing from existing save data.
However, it is always a good idea to refrain from deleting, overwriting or moving saves while you are troubleshooting. In case your platform has an official save-backup feature, you should read the instructions of the feature before you start changing important data.
You are trying to get access to your current progress again while you wait for the publisher to fix the issue.
Things Players Ought To Steer Clear Of While It’s Troubleshoot
When a game won’t launch, or freezes on loading, we often want to try every fix posted on the internet. It could make a trivial issue harder to identify.
For the issues included in konami’s statement, apply the following precautions.
Don’t delete your save to resolve a problem at the title screen
The workaround with regards to the language is meant to allow you to keep playing on existing save data.
Deleting your save may just take away your progress without fixing the problem.
Don’t assume a reinstallation will solve all your problems.
Konami’s recommended work-around for the failed PC release is related to refresh-rate and V-Sync settings. The Steam Deck problem is being looked into, and a language workaround is available for the title-screen error.
None of these three problems mention doing a total reinstall as an official fix. Attempt the relevant steps first.
Do not install any unofficial fixes before you vet them.
Be very wary of downloads that say they “fix” the game by replacing an exe file, modifying system files or turning off security protections. An unofficial patch may also bring viruses, or in other technical issues stick to official game updates, platform tools and publisher support guidance. A Temporary Workaround is not a Patch.
A workaround is a modification in the way you use the game or your system to circumvent a known problem. A patch is something that changes the game.
For instance enabling v-sync might assist a PC gamer to get into the game, but it doesn’t mean that konami has now fixed this problem for everyone.
How to Determine if a Permanent Fix is Available
Konami has said that a patch for the reported bugs is in the works. However, a patch should not be considered released until the publisher or relevant platform confirms its release.
Before repeating a workaround, follow this checklist:
Review the official Known Issues Notice. See if the wording has changed, if there is a new update announcement, or a statement that the bug has been fixed.
Look for game updates. Install any available updates through your platform’s normal update process.
See the notes of the update. Ensure that the notes specifically address your issue, rather than assuming that any new version fixes it.
Retest the original issue. Once you have updated, play the game as you normally would and see if the issue still occurs.
Contact support if necessary. If the problem persists, you will need to provide your platform, game version, system language or relevant graphics settings, and a detailed description of the symptoms.
An update can resolve some issues but leave others untouched. A fix for the PC launch, for instance, does not necessarily mean that the Steam Deck interface bug has also been fixed.
FAQ: Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Bugs
Why won’t Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse run on my PC?
Konami has acknowledged a launch bug on Steam and Xbox on PC if V-Sync is disabled and the frame rate is set to Unlimited. The official workaround is to temporarily reduce the Windows display refresh rate, turn on V-Sync in the game’s Video Settings, and then change the refresh rate back to normal.
How do you solve the Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse title-screen problem?
In the event that you are experiencing the documented system-language bug, exit the game and make a temporary switch of your system language to another supported language, for example English. After that, start the game and attempt to load from your current save.
Is the Steam Deck interface bug fixed?
Konami’s publication of the Known Issues Notice indicates that they are working on a fix. Before assuming the issue is fixed, look for a newer official update.
Should I delete my save data if the game is stuck?
No. Konami’s recommended workaround for the title-screen issue is a temporary system-language change. It is not part of the published solution to delete your save.
Is the famous language bug also present on Nintendo Switch?
Konami’s notice does not include Nintendo Switch among the platforms affected by this issue. This does not guarantee that the same issue will not appear on Switch, only that it is not part of the published report.
When will Konami release the fixes?
The Known Issues Notice states that a patch is in development but does not provide a target release date.