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Dusk Guide

Won't launch

Dusk won’t launch

The fastest path to a fix is reading the actual error. This page tells you where to find it on each platform, then walks down a real decision tree based on what the error says.

UPDATED 2026-05-116 minIntermediate

No ROMs / no copyrighted assets

This independent guide does not host or link to game files. Use your own legally obtained copy.

First: capture the actual error

Don’t guess. The right starting point is the first line of output Dusk produces before it dies. To capture it, run from a terminal:

  • Windows: open cmd or PowerShell, then cd into your Dusk folder and run .\Dusk.exe. Errors appear in the same window.
  • macOS: open Terminal, cd /Applications/Dusk.app/Contents/MacOS, then ./Dusk. (For some bundles use open -W /Applications/Dusk.app first to surface the quarantine dialog.)
  • Linux / Steam Deck: open a terminal, cd to where you extracted Dusk, then ./Dusk.

Where the logs are

Beyond stderr, Dusk writes per-user log / config data. Locations:

  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Dusk\ (open the Run dialog with Win+R and paste that).
  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Dusk/.
  • Linux: ~/.local/share/Dusk/ or ~/.config/Dusk/ depending on your XDG setup.
  • Android: sandboxed under /sdcard/Android/data/<dusk-package>/ — accessible from a file manager.

Common stderr patterns

“Failed to find a suitable Vulkan instance / loader”

Dusk requires Vulkan (or D3D12 on Windows / Metal on macOS). On Linux this almost always means the Vulkan loader package is missing. See the Vulkan section on /linux for the per-distro install commands.

“version `GLIBC_2.XX’ not found” (Linux)

Your distribution’s libc is older than the build expects. Either upgrade the distro or run Dusk inside a current Flatpak / container. Steam Deck users on a stable channel: this should not happen — open a GitHub issue if it does.

“Could not load library / cannot open shared object”

A runtime dependency is missing. The library name in the error tells you which package to install:

  • libvulkan.so.1 → install Vulkan loader (see /linux).
  • libstdc++.so.6 → install/upgrade libstdc++ for your distro.

“Unsupported version” / “Disc image not recognized”

Not actually a launch problem — it’s your dump, not Dusk. Jump to unsupported version or disc image not recognized.

SmartScreen / Gatekeeper / Play Protect blocks

Not a Dusk error — your OS is blocking an unsigned binary. See the platform page:

GPU / Vulkan loader check

Per the official README, Dusk requires a GPU with D3D12, Vulkan, or Metal. Older Intel iGPUs are called out as having a high likelihood of incompatibility. To check your stack:

  • Windows: run dxdiag — Display tab shows driver version. Vulkan: download “Vulkan SDK tools” and run vulkaninfo.
  • macOS: Apple menu → About This Mac → System Report → Graphics/Displays. Metal is supported on every Mac running a recent macOS.
  • Linux: vulkaninfo --summary should print at least one physical device. If it errors, your loader / driver is the problem.

Reading a macOS crash report

If Dusk just bounces in the Dock and disappears:

  1. Open Console.app (Spotlight).
  2. Sidebar: Crash Reports (under your Mac’s name).
  3. Filter for “Dusk”. Newest entry is usually yours.
  4. The first few lines under Termination Reason are the most useful — paste them when asking for help.

Verify your dump first

Before blaming Dusk, confirm

  • Your dump's SHA-1 matches a build on /supported-versions.
  • The path you pass to Select Disc Image is reachable (read permission).
  • On Android: storage permission is granted in Settings → Apps → Dusk.
  • On iOS: AltStore signing hasn't expired (7-day re-sign cycle, see /ios).

Still stuck

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