Keep the original atmosphere.
Retail models, textures, sounds, and animations are read from your game files and brought into Unreal Engine.
Asheron’s Call · Rebuilt in Unreal Engine
AC:Unreal.
Welcome back
to Dereth.
The world you remember, through a new client. Explore Asheron’s Call with its original art, familiar interface, and a modern home for your servers and accounts.
Community preview v52 · Windows 64-bit · 297.5 MB
Your own retail DAT files are required.
ORIGINAL CONCEPT ARTOriginal game dataYour retail DAT collection
Built-in server browserSaved servers & accounts
Windows desktopKeyboard & mouse
Familiar at heart
A new client.
The same Dereth.
From the first portal to the last pack of loot, built to keep the character of Asheron’s Call intact.
Find your familiar tools.
Inventory, spellbook, hotbars, chat, and vendor windows retain the game’s recognizable style, with adjustable interface scaling.
Choose where you play.
Browse community servers, save a custom address, and manage alternate accounts in the login screen. ACE and GDLE login are supported.
Choose your download
Return on Windows.
Both packages include AC:Unreal and the PC VR client. No Unreal Editor or separate launcher is needed.
Recommended · Setup EXE
Windows setup
A guided installation with the AC logo, Start menu shortcuts, and Microsoft runtime installers.
Preview v52 · 297.5 MB · September 20, 2026
Alternative · ZIP archive
Portable Windows build
Extract the full folder and run AC-Unreal.bat. Keep the ACUnreal and Engine folders together.
Preview v52 · 318.8 MB · September 20, 2026
What you’ll need
- A 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 PC with current graphics drivers.
- A DirectX 11-capable graphics card. Performance depends on your hardware and scene.
- The three required retail DAT files, plus the optional high-resolution file.
- Internet access and an account on a community server.
Before your first launch
- Allow room for the download, installed client, and several GB of game data.
- The setup includes Microsoft Visual C++ and GameInput runtime installers.
- This community preview is unsigned. Check the published SHA-256 before running it.
- Native Quest users should use the AC:VR Quest installer instead.
The world of Dereth
Bring your
game files.
The client reads the original game’s models, textures, sounds, and world from retail DAT files.
Already have an updated retail install? You can use those same files.
Get the retail files
Open the ACEmulator retail setup guide. Use its retail installer download or a listed preservation mirror, install Asheron’s Call, then apply the guide’s End of Retail Client Files update. Extract the update into your retail game folder and replace the older files.
You only need the game-data steps for AC:Unreal and AC:VR. ThwargLauncher and Decal are not required by these clients.
Save a complete copy in one folder
Keep the files together in a permanent folder. The usual retail location is:
C:\Turbine\Asheron's CallA separate folder such as D:\Games\AC-Data works too. Copy the files out of the downloaded ZIP; don’t leave your only copy in a temporary download folder.
Your DAT folder
- client_portal.dat Required
- client_cell_1.dat Required
- client_local_English.dat Required
- client_highres.dat Recommended · optional
Keep client_highres.dat with the others when available for the higher-resolution retail textures. Keep a backup of this complete, updated folder.
Point the installer or client at your files
In the client’s login screen, set the DAT folder to the folder containing these files. Select the folder itself, not a ZIP or an individual file.
Retail DAT files are not included in either download. Updating the AC client does not replace your separate game-data backup.
Install AC:Unreal
Download AC-Unreal-Setup-v52.exe and run the setup wizard. It installs the client into your user’s Programs folder and adds Start menu shortcuts. A desktop shortcut is optional.
On the final screen, install the included Microsoft Visual C++ and GameInput runtimes if this is your first install. Windows may request administrator approval for those Microsoft components.
Using the portable ZIP? Extract the entire archive, install the Microsoft Visual C++ x64 runtime if needed, then run AC-Unreal.bat.
Set your game-data folder
Open AC Unreal from the Start menu. In the login screen, choose the folder where you saved your updated retail DAT files. The files must sit directly inside that folder.
Keep this location unchanged between sessions, or update the path in the login screen when you move your files.
Choose a server and account
Open Browse servers in the login screen and add the server you want, or add a custom server using its owner’s address, port, and ACE/GDLE type. Imported servers use the port in the directory.
Add your username and password under Accounts, select the server and account, then press Launch. Choose your character and press Play. Saved accounts can be used across your server list.
Account registration depends on the server. Use its website or Discord link in the browser for account requirements and help. Choose a unique game password.
Make yourself at home
Once in the world, adjust your display and UI scaling in settings. Your accounts and preferences are stored locally; the download does not include someone else’s login.
For an update, close the game and run the newer installer into the same location. Keep your DAT backup. Do not replace your saved settings with another player’s folder.
Before you enter
A few helpful
answers.
Is this ThwargLauncher or the retail client?
AC:Unreal is a replacement game client built in Unreal Engine. It has its own server and account browser. ThwargLauncher still launches the original retail client; Decal plugins and retail launcher integrations do not automatically carry over.
Which servers work?
ACE and GDLE authentication are implemented. GDLE has been verified through character selection; full in-world GDLE compatibility still needs testing. Custom VR combat and tracked player motion require this project’s VR-enabled ACE server. Ask the server owner which client features it supports.
Where do I get the DAT files?
Use the ACEmulator retail download and update guide, then follow the game-data checklist above. The retail installer by itself may contain older files, so apply the End of Retail update too.
The game will not open. What should I check?
Finish installing the included Microsoft runtimes and update your graphics driver. For a portable install, keep every extracted folder together. Windows setup is currently unsigned; compare its SHA-256 with the published checksum if you need to verify the file.
Why does my server connection time out?
Verify the selected server’s address, listed port, and server type. Use the server’s website or Discord link for its registration and network requirements. A private LAN address only works when you can reach that network; servers may use different ports.
Can I use a headset with this download?
Yes. The Windows package also includes AC:VR for SteamVR. Follow the PC VR setup instructions. For a native installation that runs on Quest itself, download the separate Quest package.
Is the preview finished?
No. Rendering, movement, combat, and compatibility are still being refined. Stable 144 FPS on desktop and 90 FPS in VR are goals, not guaranteed results. See the release notes for the checks completed on this build and remaining playtests.
AC Unreal and VR · Discord
Join the community.
Find people to play with, get help setting up, and help improve AC:Unreal and AC:VR.
Found something that needs fixing?
Tell us in the bugs forum.
Join Discord, open bugs, and search for your issue first. Add details to an existing report, or create one post per new bug.
- Your setup: desktop, PC VR, or native Quest; build version and server.
- What happened: steps to reproduce, expected result, and actual result.
- Useful details: location, item or spell names, and a screenshot, short video, or relevant log excerpt.
Remove passwords, account details, and other private information before sharing logs.
Ready to step inside?
Bring your hands into Dereth with AC:VR for Quest and PC VR.