Valheim’s full 1.0 launch on September 9, 2026 adds two new platforms to the mix — PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 — joining PC, Xbox, Mac, and Linux under one crossplay umbrella. That means a single world can now host a genuinely mixed group of friends across almost every platform Valheim ships on. Here’s exactly how it works, and where the limits are.
Which Platforms Support Valheim Crossplay
As of 1.0, Valheim supports crossplay across PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2. There’s no separate “PC-only” or “console-only” matchmaking — any combination of those platforms can join the same world, whether it’s a quick peer-to-peer session or a dedicated server.
How to Set Up a Crossplay Session
Valheim’s multiplayer works two ways, and crossplay applies to both:
- Peer-to-peer (quick play): One player starts a world with “Start Server” toggled on. Crossplay is enabled by default on this option. Once you’re in the world, a Join Code appears in the pause menu — share that code with friends on any platform and they can drop straight in.
- Dedicated server: If your group runs a always-on server, crossplay needs to be enabled in the server config. Once it is, PC, Xbox, PS5, and Switch 2 players can all connect using the same server address or join code.
Either way, there’s no extra app or account linking required beyond the platform’s own online service — Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, or a Nintendo Online account, depending on where you’re playing from.
Crossplay vs Cross-Save: Know the Difference
This is the part that trips people up. Crossplay lets you play together in the same world regardless of platform — it does not automatically mean your save file follows you everywhere. Cross-save (carrying a single-player world or character between platforms) is currently limited to Xbox and PC through the Microsoft Store version. If you’ve been playing on PS5 or Switch 2, you can join a crossplay world with PC or Xbox friends, but you can’t pull your existing solo world over to those platforms — you’ll be starting fresh there, or joining an existing shared world as a new character.
What This Means for Your Group
Practically, this is good news for any friend group split across consoles and PC — the most common reason Viking squads used to fracture. The main thing to plan around: decide on one dedicated server or one player’s peer-to-peer world as your group’s “home base” up front, since save progress won’t reconcile itself across platforms later. Performance-wise, crossplay doesn’t change anything about your own hardware requirements — PC players still want to check their rig against Valheim’s minimum and recommended specs separately.
Release Details
Valheim 1.0 launches September 9, 2026, adding the Deep North biome alongside full crossplay support and the new PS5 and Switch 2 versions. The game remains available on Steam, with PC players who bought in during Early Access carrying their progress forward automatically.
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