One cited block, plus a fixed shader crash
Won't launch
The sentence “an application control policy has blocked this file” showed up on the Steam discussion board for this game on 16 Apr 2026, after an update. That wording is Windows Smart App Control, a Windows feature, refusing to start the executable. It is one thread. I will not call it a widespread outage.
What that player, and the Windows docs around the same sentence, point at: turn Smart App Control off, allow the install folder, or verify the game files from Steam. I am summarizing the direction of that thread, not pasting a registry edit. If the file check in Steam replaces the executable, run it again before you change a Windows security setting.
A separate crash, shader compile failures after the move to Unreal Engine 5.7, was called fixed in the Recalibration notes. If your crash text is about shaders and your build is older than 9 Apr 2026, update first. The publisher has pointed bug reports at a form linked from Steam news and at their Discord. PC specs, if the game runs but stutters, are on system requirements.
| Symptom | What it actually is | Direction | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application control policy blocked the file | Windows Smart App Control | Allow the folder, or verify files, then reconsider the Windows toggle | 1 source |
| Shader compile crash around the 5.7 upgrade | Called fixed in Recalibration | Update past 9 Apr 2026 | 1 source |
FAQ
The game won't launch after an update. Now what?
Verify files in Steam first. If the dialog quotes an application control policy, you are looking at Windows Smart App Control, documented in one April 2026 thread.
Where do I send a crash?
The publisher has linked a report form from Steam news and mentioned Discord. I am not reposting a form URL I have not reopened today.