Unable to exit menu/inventory

[Seraphim169]

Loaded up the latest build as of 8/9/2025 on PC (Gamepass), and while playing encountered an error that prevented me from exiting the menu. I went into the menu to equip a torch while fighting lawn mites (forgot the quick menu exists from the D-pad), and was unable to exit the menu. Died to to the mites. 

Single-player game, medium difficulty; new to the game (not the series) and first time posting in this forum; I could not immediately locate a search function in the forum, so my apologies if this is a documented bug that's been reported already.

[evilkittenofdoom]

Since you’re on PC and using a controller, try pressing a key on the keyboard and going back to the controller. My Steam Deck (which is basically a linux computer) sometimes does the same thing with Grounded 2; all control pad button inputs stop working until I press one of the rear buttons I have bound to a keyboard control for hot deposit or my hotpouch slots. Once I hit a “keyboard control” when I press any regular controller input it goes right back to normal. 
 

For some reason the game seems to get weird under these circumstances but I honestly haven’t been able to track down anything super consistent.