diff --git a/DEPLOYMENT.md b/DEPLOYMENT.md
index 4913e93..5c66cfc 100644
--- a/DEPLOYMENT.md
+++ b/DEPLOYMENT.md
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ The distribution package includes:
 
 ### Development Environment
 - **CMake** 3.20+
-- **Visual Studio 2022** (or compatible C++ compiler)
+- **Visual Studio 2026 (VS 18)** with Desktop development with C++ workload
 - **vcpkg** package manager
 - **SDL3** libraries (installed via vcpkg)
 
diff --git a/build-debug-and-run.ps1 b/build-debug-and-run.ps1
index 125d423..8fbcffc 100644
--- a/build-debug-and-run.ps1
+++ b/build-debug-and-run.ps1
@@ -8,12 +8,140 @@ Set-Location $root
 
 Write-Host "Working directory: $PWD"
 
+# Require Visual Studio 18 (2026)
+function Find-VisualStudio {
+    $vswherePaths = @()
+    if ($env:ProgramFiles -ne $null) { $vswherePaths += Join-Path $env:ProgramFiles 'Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer\vswhere.exe' }
+    if (${env:ProgramFiles(x86)} -ne $null) { $vswherePaths += Join-Path ${env:ProgramFiles(x86)} 'Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer\vswhere.exe' }
+
+    foreach ($p in $vswherePaths) {
+        if (Test-Path $p) { return @{Tool=$p} }
+    }
+
+    return $null
+}
+
+function Get-VS18 {
+    $fv = Find-VisualStudio
+    $vswhere = $null
+    if ($fv -and $fv.Tool) { $vswhere = $fv.Tool }
+    if ($vswhere) {
+        try {
+            $inst18 = & $vswhere -version "[18.0,19.0)" -products * -requires Microsoft.Component.MSBuild -property installationPath 2>$null
+            if ($inst18) {
+                $candidate = 'Visual Studio 18 2026'
+                $has = & cmake --help | Select-String -Pattern $candidate -SimpleMatch -Quiet
+                if ($has) {
+                    $inst18Path = $inst18.Trim()
+                    $vcvars = Join-Path $inst18Path 'VC\\Auxiliary\\Build\\vcvarsall.bat'
+                    if (Test-Path $vcvars) { return @{Generator=$candidate; InstallPath=$inst18Path} }
+                    Write-Error "Visual Studio 18 detected at $inst18Path but C++ toolchain (vcvarsall.bat) is missing. Install the Desktop development with C++ workload."
+                }
+            }
+        } catch {
+            # fall through to path checks below
+        }
+    }
+
+    # fallback: check common install locations (allow for non-standard drive)
+    $commonPaths = @(
+        'D:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2026\Community',
+        'D:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2026\Professional',
+        'D:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2026\Enterprise',
+        'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2026\Community',
+        'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2026\Professional',
+        'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2026\Enterprise'
+    )
+    foreach ($p in $commonPaths) {
+        if (Test-Path $p) {
+            $vcvars = Join-Path $p 'VC\\Auxiliary\\Build\\vcvarsall.bat'
+            if (Test-Path $vcvars) { return @{Generator='Visual Studio 18 2026'; InstallPath=$p} }
+        }
+    }
+
+    return $null
+}
+
+# Resolve vcpkg root/toolchain (prefer env, then C:\vcpkg, then repo-local)
+$vcpkgRoot = $env:VCPKG_ROOT
+if (-not $vcpkgRoot -or -not (Test-Path $vcpkgRoot)) {
+    if (Test-Path 'C:\vcpkg') {
+        $vcpkgRoot = 'C:\vcpkg'
+        $env:VCPKG_ROOT = $vcpkgRoot
+    } elseif (Test-Path (Join-Path $root 'vcpkg')) {
+        $vcpkgRoot = Join-Path $root 'vcpkg'
+        $env:VCPKG_ROOT = $vcpkgRoot
+    }
+}
+
+$toolchainFile = $null
+if ($vcpkgRoot) {
+    $candidateToolchain = Join-Path $vcpkgRoot 'scripts\buildsystems\vcpkg.cmake'
+    if (Test-Path $candidateToolchain) { $toolchainFile = $candidateToolchain }
+}
+
+# Determine VS18 generator and reconfigure build-msvc if needed
+$preferred = Get-VS18
+if ($preferred) {
+    Write-Host "Detected Visual Studio: $($preferred.Generator) at $($preferred.InstallPath)"
+} else {
+    Write-Error "Visual Studio 18 (2026) with Desktop development with C++ workload not found. Install VS 2026 and retry."
+    exit 1
+}
+
+if (-not $toolchainFile) {
+    Write-Error "vcpkg toolchain not found. Set VCPKG_ROOT or install vcpkg (expected scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake)."
+    exit 1
+}
+
+# If build-msvc exists, check CMakeCache generator
+$cacheFile = Join-Path $root 'build-msvc\CMakeCache.txt'
+$reconfigured = $false
+if (-not (Test-Path $cacheFile)) {
+    Write-Host "Configuring build-msvc with generator $($preferred.Generator) and vcpkg toolchain $toolchainFile"
+    & cmake -S . -B build-msvc -G "$($preferred.Generator)" -A x64 -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE="$toolchainFile" -DVCPKG_TARGET_TRIPLET=x64-windows
+    $cfgExit = $LASTEXITCODE
+    if ($cfgExit -ne 0) { Write-Error "CMake configure failed with exit code $cfgExit"; exit $cfgExit }
+    $reconfigured = $true
+} else {
+    $genLine = Get-Content $cacheFile | Select-String -Pattern 'CMAKE_GENERATOR:INTERNAL=' -SimpleMatch
+    $toolLine = Get-Content $cacheFile | Select-String -Pattern 'CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE:FILEPATH=' -SimpleMatch
+    $currentGen = $null
+    $currentTool = $null
+    if ($genLine) { $currentGen = $genLine -replace '.*CMAKE_GENERATOR:INTERNAL=(.*)','$1' }
+    if ($toolLine) { $currentTool = $toolLine -replace '.*CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE:FILEPATH=(.*)','$1' }
+    $needsReconfigure = $false
+    if ($currentGen -ne $preferred.Generator) { $needsReconfigure = $true }
+    if (-not $currentTool -or ($currentTool -ne $toolchainFile)) { $needsReconfigure = $true }
+
+    if ($needsReconfigure) {
+        Write-Host "Generator or toolchain changed; cleaning build-msvc directory for fresh configure."
+        Remove-Item -Path (Join-Path $root 'build-msvc') -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+        Write-Host "Configuring build-msvc with generator $($preferred.Generator) and toolchain $toolchainFile"
+        & cmake -S . -B build-msvc -G "$($preferred.Generator)" -A x64 -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE="$toolchainFile" -DVCPKG_TARGET_TRIPLET=x64-windows
+        $cfgExit = $LASTEXITCODE
+        if ($cfgExit -ne 0) { Write-Error "CMake configure failed with exit code $cfgExit"; exit $cfgExit }
+        $reconfigured = $true
+    } else {
+        Write-Host "CMake cache matches required generator and toolchain."
+    }
+}
+
 # Build Debug configuration
 Write-Host "Running: cmake --build build-msvc --config Debug"
-$proc = Start-Process -FilePath cmake -ArgumentList '--build','build-msvc','--config','Debug' -NoNewWindow -Wait -PassThru
-if ($proc.ExitCode -ne 0) {
-    Write-Error "Build failed with exit code $($proc.ExitCode)"
-    exit $proc.ExitCode
+& cmake --build build-msvc --config Debug
+$buildExit = $LASTEXITCODE
+if ($buildExit -ne 0) {
+    Write-Error "Build failed with exit code $buildExit"
+    $vcpkgLog = Join-Path $root 'build-msvc\vcpkg-manifest-install.log'
+    if (Test-Path $vcpkgLog) {
+        $log = Get-Content $vcpkgLog -Raw
+        if ($log -match 'Unable to find a valid Visual Studio instance') {
+            Write-Error "vcpkg could not locate a valid Visual Studio 18 toolchain. Install VS 2026 with Desktop development with C++ workload and retry."
+        }
+    }
+
+    exit $buildExit
 }
 
 if ($NoRun) {