diff --git a/er-patcher b/er-patcher
index 7ec549c..58cfb08 100755
--- a/er-patcher
+++ b/er-patcher
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import argparse
 from pathlib import Path
 import struct
 import re
+from shutil import rmtree
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
@@ -26,8 +27,8 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     parser.add_argument("-f", "--remove-60hz-fullscreen", action='store_true', help="Remove 60hz lock in fullscreen.")
     patch = parser.parse_args(patcher_args)
 
-    exe_name = Path("eldenring.exe")
-    with open(exe_name, "rb") as f:
+    game_dir = Path(".")
+    with open(game_dir / "eldenring.exe", "rb") as f:
         exe_hex = f.read().hex()
 
     if patch.rate != 60 and patch.rate > 0:
@@ -82,19 +83,36 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
             "c745ef00000000"
         )
         
-    patched_exe_dir = Path("./er-patcher-tmp")
-    if not patched_exe_dir.is_dir():
-        patched_exe_dir.mkdir()
+    game_dir_patched = Path("er-patcher-tmp")
+    if not game_dir_patched.is_dir():
+        game_dir_patched.mkdir()
 
-    with open(patched_exe_dir / exe_name, "wb") as f:
+    with open(game_dir_patched / "eldenring.exe", "wb") as f:
         f.write(bytes.fromhex(exe_hex))
 
     del exe_hex
 
+    # recreate game directory tree in game_dir_patched
+    game_dirs = [d for d in game_dir.rglob("*") if d.is_dir()]
+    for d in game_dirs:
+        if d == game_dir_patched:
+            continue
+        if not (game_dir_patched / d).is_dir():
+             (game_dir_patched / d).mkdir(parents=True)
+
+    # hard link game files to game_dir_patched; symbolic links would be easier
+    # to handle but by default windows 10 doesn't allow them
+    game_files = [f for f in game_dir.rglob("*") if f.is_file()]
+    for f in game_files:
+        if f.name in ["eldenring.exe", "start_protected_game.exe", "er-patcher"]:
+            continue 
+        if not (game_dir_patched / f).is_file():
+             f.link_to(game_dir_patched / f)
+
     # start patched exe directly to avoid EAC
     steam_cmd = sys.argv[1 + sys.argv.index("--"):]
-    steam_cmd[-1] = Path(steam_cmd[-1]).parent.absolute() / patched_exe_dir / exe_name
-    subprocess.run(steam_cmd)
+    steam_cmd[-1] = Path(steam_cmd[-1]).parent.absolute() / game_dir_patched / "eldenring.exe"
+    subprocess.run(steam_cmd, cwd=steam_cmd[-1].parent.absolute())
 
-    os.remove(patched_exe_dir / exe_name)
-    os.rmdir(patched_exe_dir)
\ No newline at end of file
+    # cleanup
+    rmtree(game_dir_patched)
\ No newline at end of file