How to fix preparing shaders error in The First Descendant

The “preparing shaders” error is one of the most common in The First Descendant, and there are solutions to try and dismiss this destructive devil.

We all know the pain of wanting to play a game only to be denied by a technical glitch or error code. The black screen error and Launch Error Easy Anti-Cheat is not installed error are two examples of this, and issues with The First Descendant‘s shaders is another.

If you’re stuck in a circle going round and round while The First Descendant loads shaders, here are some workarounds verified by the community.

How to fix The First Descendant preparing shaders error

You can try updating your Graphics Driver, verifying game files, restarting the install process, and more options when it comes The First Descendant‘s shaders problem. The solutions come courtesy of The First Descendant’s Discord and Reddit, with countless users reporting the same problem.

Check for updates

From the Steam menu, go to your library, find The First Descendant, and check if you can update anything. Games can still work, even if they’re not up-to-date. But I recommend ensuring everything about The First Descendant is fresh before installing.

Update Graphics Driver

If you meet the system requirements for The First Descendant, it’s well worth ensuring your Graphics Driver is updated to the latest version. Your system should automatically have an app connected to the graphics, for example, NVIDIA, Intel, etc.

Open it up using a quick search from the computer search bar. I access the GeForce Experience, choose Drivers, and Check for updates.

Verify game files

Not everything runs as smoothly as it should. This is why I suggest verifying The First Descendant‘s game files on Steam.

To do this:

1. Open Steam.
2. Go to your Library.
3. Click on The First Descendant.
4. Choose the Manage feature from its game page.
5. Select Properties.
6. Press on Installed Files.
7. Now choose “Verify Integrity of game files.“
8. A check begins immediately. Once it’s done, this completes the process.

Delete The First Descendant and redownload

It’s a pain, especially if you’re short on time, want to play, or your internet connection isn’t the best, but one option is to delete the software, redownload it, and hope the second download goes smoothly. Sometimes, these methods work, and we can’t exactly pinpoint why, but it’s well worth a shot!

Check socials

If all else fails, keep returning to this guide as we try to find new ways to get over the shader issue. Developer Nexon Games is also likely aware of the problem and will address the problem directly through a social media message, or the issue will be listed as part of a hotfix for The First Descendant.

So keep checking back for the latest updates on the shader issue as the situation develops.

For more on The First Descendant, check out how to change your name in The First Descendant and who the best starting character is.