Extract text from Diablo II save backups (MA1)
To convert MA1 backups to another format, you need Hero Editor or other Game software.
To convert other file formats to the "Game Save File" file type, you need software like Hero Editor or a similar tool.
The .MA1 file is primarily used as a character save file for the Median XL mod of Diablo II, or as a packed game data archive for older Incentive Software MagPack games. In the context of Diablo II, it stores specific player progression, custom inventory items, and altered character stats that are unique to the mod.
Users typically interact with these files using the game engine itself, or third-party editing tools like Hero Editor to modify character attributes. The format is heavily proprietary, functioning as a strict binary container designed specifically for the associated game environment.
The main disadvantage of the .MA1 format is its extreme lack of compatibility. Because it contains mod-specific data structures, it cannot be read by the vanilla Diablo II base game, which relies on the standard D2S extension. It is completely unreadable in standard text editors or web browsers, and any manual edits in a hex editor run a high risk of corrupting the save file permanently.
Traditional "conversion" to common formats like PDF or JPG is impossible, as the file contains backend game states rather than visual documents. Modders and players typically want to extract the internal data to JSON, CSV, or TXT to safely review character builds, analyze stat allocations, or backup item lists.
This file format is difficult to open or convert because its internal structure is proprietary, closed, and sometimes obfuscated to prevent cheating or data corruption. Only the original software or a dedicated community-built editor can properly read or export the data. However, just drag and drop your file onto convert.guru to identify the format, inspect the underlying binary file, and extract any readable internal text. If our analysis detects a supported embedded format, viewing or data extraction may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your MA1 file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted SSS, MA3, MA4 and MA0 files.
If you want to convert MA1 file to MP3, WAV, AAC, FLAC, OGG, WMA, M4A, AIFF, OPUS, ALAC, APE or WV, you can use Hero Editor or similar software from the "Character Save File" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert MIDI, AAC, TTA, AU, WV, DTS, MID, FLAC, RA, MP3, PCM or WAV files to MA1, try Hero Editor or another comparable tool in the "Character Save File" 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 MA1 converter.