Required Information
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Game Version: v0.11.1, Windows Steam build 20261019.16318.W
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Platform: Steam / Windows 11
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Mods: Removed; no active mods during testing
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Hardware: Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 10; Intel Core Ultra 9-275HX; NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU; 32 GB DDR5 RAM; 2 TB NVMe SSD
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Display: Built-in 16-inch OLED, 2560 × 1600 at 165 Hz, RGB 8-bit, SDR (Windows HDR OFF)
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Issue Date: Returned immediately after the October 15, 2026 v0.11.0 update; still present after the October 20 v0.11.1 hotfix
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Error Message: None. This is a visual/color-rendering problem.
Details: I Need Help Restoring Accurate Colors Now
I’m posting here because I already submitted a detailed bug report, with hardware information and before-and-after screenshots, but I haven’t received an answer, and I can’t keep waiting for another update or hotfix just to work in Create a Zoi (CAZ). I’m hoping someone in Technical Help can help me troubleshoot this on my system.
The game rendered my Zois correctly the day before v0.11.0. Immediately after that update, their appearance changed again. The v0.11.1 hotfix did not restore it. This has become a recurring cycle for me across multiple versions: an update changes how saved colors render, a later hotfix or other corrective step often seems to restore them, then another update brings the problem back. It has happened repeatedly over the past several months.
The changes are not subtle:
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Black/dark hair looks grey, charcoal, or washed out.
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Blonde hair looks too bright or pale; red/auburn hair becomes much brighter and more orange.
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Eyebrows, eyelashes, and other character materials no longer match the colors I originally selected.
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New finding: skin tones are also affected. I’ve now downloaded other creators’ Zois to compare, and their skin colors do not render correctly on my system either, particularly lighter skin tones. This is no longer just about the appearance of Zois I’ve personally sculpted or recolored.
As someone who spends considerable time creating realistic Zois, I cannot reliably judge or choose hair and skin colors under these conditions. Recoloring everything to compensate is not a real solution, especially when the rendering may change back after another patch.
What I’ve Checked
My NVIDIA graphics driver is up to date, and I’ve tested without active mods. My Windows display screenshots confirm HDR is OFF, Night Light is OFF, and the game is being displayed in 8-bit RGB SDR, even though my OLED panel is HDR-capable. The built-in display is connected to my RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU.
During an earlier occurrence in September, the appearance returned to normal around the v0.10.3 hotfix, when I also cleared my PSO cache and updated my NVIDIA driver. I cannot say which of those actions was responsible. What I do know is that the colors were normal again before the October update, and now they are wrong again.
I suspect this may involve shader/material processing or how inZOI handles colors on certain display configurations, possibly OLED/wide-gamut panels running in SDR, but I don’t know the cause. Some friends have seen similar changes, while others haven’t.
Can Anyone Help Me Troubleshoot This Without Waiting for Another Patch?
Has anyone experienced these same hair and skin-tone changes after v0.11.0, particularly on OLED or wide-gamut displays with HDR disabled? If you found a solution, please share what actually worked.
I’d especially appreciate guidance on safe, reversible troubleshooting steps involving the PSO/shader cache, Windows ICC color profiles, NVIDIA color-output settings, or specific inZOI graphics settings. Is there a way to check whether the issue is coming from my local rendering configuration rather than the current game build? I do not want to overwrite saved character colors or risk damaging my presets while trying to fix it.
Moderators/developers: Please also confirm whether this repeated color-rendering regression is being investigated. I have reported similar problems several times, and my current report has not received a response. I would appreciate concrete troubleshooting guidance or an update rather than simply having to wait for another hotfix.
My full v0.11.1 bug report, with system screenshots and before/after comparisons:
Thank you to anyone who can help. I genuinely want to get back to creating Zois, but at the moment I can’t trust the colors I’m seeing in CAZ.
