Is Valheim Cross-Platform? Crossplay Between PC, Xbox, PS5 and Switch 2 (2026)

Is Valheim cross-platform? Yes. Since 1.0 landed on September 9, 2026, Valheim has crossplay between every version: Steam, Mac and Linux, Microsoft Store PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2. Iron Gate's own line is that Valheim supports crossplay between all platforms.

Crossplay isn't cross-save, though, and that's where most mixed groups get surprised. Saves only sync between Xbox and the Microsoft Store version on PC. Here's how to actually get a split-platform group into one world. One more thing: Valheim is no longer on Game Pass, so don't plan around that.

Valheim crossplay: who can play with who

A world holds 1 to 10 players, same as it did in Early Access. At 1.0 the price was $29.99 with regional differences, and Early Access owners didn't have to buy it again. Prices bounce around, so check your storefront.

Is Valheim crossplay the same as cross-save?

No. Crossplay means you can be in the same world. Cross-save means your files follow you between devices. Valheim only does the second one for Xbox and the Microsoft Store PC version: launch from the Microsoft Store and your Xbox saves are there. Beyond that, Iron Gate says there's no cross-platform sync for save files.

What that means for a mixed group: don't try to move a world from a PS5 to a PC. Pick one machine to host (a PC or a dedicated server is the easy answer) and let everyone else join it.

Buying works the same way. Every platform is its own purchase. The one bright spot is that a Microsoft Store copy on PC also covers Xbox, and the other way around. A Steam copy can't be launched through the Microsoft Store, but the two can still play together.

How to join a Valheim crossplay game with a join code

This is the simplest route when a friend is hosting from inside the game.

1. The host starts the world with crossplay enabled.
2. Once they're in, they open the pause menu and find the Join code. Clicking it copies it.
3. They send you the code.
4. You go to Join Game, press Add server, and paste it.

If you can't find the crossplay option on Xbox, check your parental control settings. They can hide it.

Valheim dedicated server crossplay: the -crossplay flag

A dedicated server is the best fit when you don't want the world to vanish every time the host logs off. Iron Gate's server app has a launch argument for this: -crossplay. It runs the server on the crossplay backend, which lets players from any platform join. Leave it off and the server uses the Steam backend, which means only Steam players can see and join it.

The two backends behave differently:

• Crossplay backend: traffic goes through a relay, so you don't need to forward ports. You can join with a join code, from the server list, or with the server's public IP address and port. A local IP or loopback address won't work.
• Steam backend: you do need to forward ports, 2456-2457 by default.

To set it up, install "Valheim Dedicated Server" from the Tools section of your Steam library, then edit a copy of start_headless_server.bat (start_server.sh on Linux) and add -crossplay to the launch line. If you own the Microsoft Store version, the server lives in C:\XboxGames\Valheim\Content\Server and starts with StartHeadlessServer.bat.

Xbox can't run a dedicated server. It can join one just as normal, as long as crossplay is on for both the console and the server.

One gotcha if you use an allow list or ban list: entries are written as [Platform]_[User ID]. Iron Gate's September 11, 2026 hotfix notes say lists only work with the newer ID format (like V_123456789) even though old ones (like Steam_123456789) should work too. If somebody's blocked or missing and shouldn't be, check the ID format first.

Is Valheim crossplay on Game Pass?

Not anymore. Valheim has left the Xbox Game Pass catalogue, and it's only playable through Game Pass cloud if you own it. If you bought the Microsoft Store or Xbox version, it's the same build Game Pass used, and that's in the crossplay pool like everything else.

Mods and crossplay

Console players can't use mods. Iron Gate has said there's no official mod support at 1.0, no mod support on consoles, and no Steam Workshop. So if anybody in your group is on console, keep the server vanilla. Nothing on it should need a client-side mod to join.

When Valheim crossplay doesn't work

• Version mismatch. Launch week is the perfect example. The Switch 2 patch landed late, so for a bit not every platform could play together, until Iron Gate's September 11 hotfix post said all platforms should be compatible for crossplay again. Console builds can lag Steam after any patch. Update everyone before you blame crossplay.
• Local IP on a crossplay server. It won't connect. Use the public IP and port, the join code, or the server list.
• Server is on the Steam backend. If your console friends can't see it, check that -crossplay is actually in the launch line.
• No crossplay option on Xbox. Parental controls.
• Steam and Microsoft Store mix-ups. They're separate copies. A Steam copy won't launch from the Microsoft Store.
• Too many people. The cap is 10.

Which route for your group

• Everyone on the same platform: any route works. A join code is the least effort.
• PC plus a console friend or two: have the PC player host in-game and send a join code.
• A mixed group that plays on and off: a dedicated server started with -crossplay, so the world is there whenever anybody logs on.
• Xbox and Microsoft Store PC: the only pair that can share saves too.

If you've already played through Valheim and want something else, my roundup of games like Valheim is a good start. Games like Enshrouded and games like 7 Days to Die cover similar survival ground, and the 7 Days to Die crossplay answer is a handy comparison. For another game with a messier crossplay story, see is Terraria cross-platform.