Extract text from Game archives and databases (CWD)
To convert CWD Archives to another format, you need CRIWARE or other Game software.
To convert other file formats to the "Game Data Archive" file type, you need software like CRIWARE or a similar tool.
A .cwd file typically functions as either a proprietary Game Asset Archive used by developers like Capcom or a legacy Clarion Database File created by SoftVelocity Clarion. In gaming contexts, such as Spelunker HD Deluxe, it acts as a secure container that bundles 3D models, textures, and audio tracks into a single compressed package.
These closed, proprietary formats present significant disadvantages. Game asset archives lock away internal files to protect intellectual property, meaning gamers and modders cannot easily access or modify the underlying PNG, OGG, or OBJ files. Similarly, a Clarion .cwd database restricts data access to an outdated ecosystem, making it nearly impossible to open the records in modern spreadsheet software or web browsers without expensive, specialized software.
The best conversion targets depend on the file's origin. For database files, migrating the data to CSV or SQL formats is essential for modern accessibility, though proprietary index structures may be lost. For game archives, extracting the contents into a standard ZIP folder is the standard workaround to expose the raw assets.
This file format is exceptionally difficult to open or convert because it lacks public documentation and relies on application-specific engines. Often, only the original software or community-built modding scripts can properly read or export the data. Standard online converters fail to process it. However, you can use convert.guru as a pragmatic solution. Just drag and drop your file to identify the format, view its internal structure, and convert it when possible. If our analysis detects a supported underlying or embedded format, viewing or conversion may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your CWD file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted CDW, DWG, CWB, XB, SS2 and AHX files.
If you want to convert CWD file to TXT, RTF, DOC, DOCX, ODT, PAGES, TEX, LATEX, MD, MARKDOWN, LOG or NFO, you can use CRIWARE or similar software from the "Game Asset Data Archive" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert PDF, DOC, ASC, TODO, NFO, MEMO, README, DOCX, JPG, TXT, NOTE or RTF files to CWD, try CRIWARE or another comparable tool in the "Game Asset Data Archive" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our CWD converter.