A few things to preface before getting into the Guide itself:

• Full credit for this method goes to Steam User Puddin', who posted his solution to an old thread back in August 2022. Here is a link to the original thread if you'd like to access it or show Puddin' some love. Throw him some Points Rewards or something (not like there's much else to use them on): https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/app/21690/discussions/0/1474221865197544031/
  
• I should preface that I did this on Windows; if you are a Linux/Steam Deck user, you may have to do some investigation work to find the applicable folders/files, or switch to a Windows PC to do this, then enable Cloud Saves and transfer to your Linux device/Steam Deck.
  
• This method will delete *all* of your saved data for RE5, including your in-game stats, BSAA Emblems, and access to extra modes like Mercenaries, Lost in Nightmares, and Desperate Escape (you must complete the story to unlock them again).

Before you download and install RE5, make sure that Steam Cloud Saves are turned on before you install the game. We want to make sure that Steam downloads the "remote" folder and "savedata.bin" file for later in this guide.

Steam Cloud Saves are almost always enabled by default, but if you want to make sure, then Right-click on RE5, click "Properties", then in "General", make sure the "Keep games saves in the cloud for Resident Evil 5" is turned on.













Once you've verified that, download the game.

Note: Ignore the "local" folder in this screenshot, I took these screenshots after completing the entire process.

Go to the following file directory...

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\<yoursteamusernumber>\21690\

...and delete the "remotecache.vdf" file.





Then go into the "remote" folder and rename "savedata.bin" to something else, I.e. "savedataOLD.bin"

Now that the files have been removed/renamed, disable Cloud Saves for RE5 (refer to Step 1 for where to find the Cloud Saves toggle).

Disconnect your PC from the internet. Most devices (including Windows PCs) have Airplane Mode, which will be enough to disable internet access temporarily.

Now that you're disconnected from the internet (or in Airplane Mode), start RE5.

At the main menu, once you click on "START", you'll receive an in-game error message, telling you that it failed to load save data, then prompt you to either re-try loading data or continue without saving. Click "No" to continue without saving.

Start a new game and play until you reach a checkpoint. By "checkpoint", I mean play until you go through a loading zone. In this case, start Chapter 1-1, run through the initial "market" area, pick up your guns from the butcher, kill the first enemy, escape from the mob, kick the red door down, run through the small tunnel, and go through the door that requires both players and loads in a new area. At this point, you should be right outside of the big village fight.

After you've hit the checkpoint, exit to the main menu and close the game out.

After closing the game out, reconnect to the internet (or disable Airplane Mode if you used that).

Set Steam to Offline mode by clicking the "Steam" button at the top-left of the Steam client, and click "Go Offline..."

Now that you're reconnected to the internet and in Steam Offline mode, start up RE5 again. After clicking "START", you should receive another in-game message telling you that no save data exists, prompting you to create a new file. Click "Yes".

At this point, you can exit the game and re-enable Steam Cloud Saves if you wish to transfer your fresh save to another device like the Steam Deck.

On the PC/device you did this process on: Click on the "File Conflict" button next to the "Play" button and choose the "Local Save" option, not the "Cloud Save" option, otherwise all of your hard work will be erased and overwritten.

On the PC/device you want to transfer a new save to: Click on the "File Conflict" button next to "Play" and chose "Cloud Save" option to transfer the new data over.

General advice for Steam Cloud transferring at this point: Just keep track of which device you used to reset your progress (use Local Save), whether or not the new data has been uploaded, and which device you want to transfer the new data to (use Cloud Save).

Now you should be able to play RE5 from a fresh save file! Enjoy!