I booted Slay the Spire 2 for a late-night run and the menus filled with a row of WWWW instead of cards. My heart sank—you know the sting when a game you just bought for early access hiccups. You’re not alone; I fixed it once and I want you to try the same quick trick.
I’ve been testing the early access build and talking to players on Steam and the official Discord. Below I’ll walk you through the simplest workaround that’s already helped me and many others, explain what Mega Crit said on Twitter, and tell you when the permanent fix should arrive.
Observation: The UI shows strings of WWWW in place of text — here’s the immediate fix
The first time it happened, the menus read like a bad translation and the options were unreadable.
You can often stop the WWWW text by changing the game language to English in Settings. Open Settings, find Language, switch to English, then restart the game. For many players this clears the garbled labels and lets you continue playing.
This is a temporary workaround, not a final cure. The behavior is intermittent; it struck me once, then vanished after the language change, then came back only before I applied the fix again. The game became a misprinted map—mostly usable once you correct the key.
How do I fix the WWWW bug in Slay the Spire 2?
Yes—you can often fix it yourself. Steps that worked for me and others:
- Open the game’s Settings from the main menu.
- Find Language (it may be unreadable if WWWW has replaced labels; cycle through languages until you select English).
- Save or apply the change, then close and relaunch the game.
If the menu text is completely unusable, check the Steam Community or Discord for a visual guide; someone will usually paste instructions or screenshots within minutes.
Is there a permanent solution coming?
Short answer: yes. Mega Crit acknowledged the issue on Twitter and said they planned a hotfix. They listed the language display problem (the infamous WWWW bug) alongside a separate multiplayer Timeline softlock that can happen after certain runs.
We’re aware of two different issues affecting some players in Slay the Spire 2:– A language display issue (the infamous WWWW bug)– A softlock related to Timeline unlocks that occurs after ending some multiplayer runsWe plan on hotfixing both of those issues today!
— Mega Crit Slay the Spire 2 Out Now! (@MegaCrit) March 5, 2026
Observation: The multiplayer Timeline issue appears only after certain runs — single-player is mostly safe
Players reported a separate softlock that happens after finishing some multiplayer sessions.
If you’re primarily a solo player, that Timeline progression bug is unlikely to affect your runs. If you play co-op or multiplayer, be cautious: save your progress and avoid closing mid-session until Mega Crit’s hotfix lands. The WWWW problem and the multiplayer softlock will both be targeted by the hotfix.
Observation: The community has already patched together practical workarounds
Between Steam threads, Discord, and tweets, the player base moves fast.
If the language flip to English doesn’t stick, try verifying the game files on Steam or reinstalling. Some users reported that verifying files forced a settings refresh. Also check the official Mega Crit channels for the hotfix notes—developers often post a changelog when they push an update.
The WWWW text can act as a stubborn fly at a picnic—annoying, persistent, but removable with a few simple swats.
Why does the WWWW bug happen?
The root cause hasn’t been publicly detailed. It appears tied to how localized strings load at startup and how the UI renders them. That’s why switching to English often bypasses the corrupted localization table, at least until the next launch.
I recommend switching to English now if you’re blocked, following Mega Crit on Twitter for the official hotfix notice, and keeping an eye on the Steam discussion pages and the game’s Discord for fast community fixes. Are you going to try the language swap or wait for the hotfix?