How to play Grounded 2 with friends

In almost every situation, survival games are better with a group. Grounded 2 is no exception, as the fun of it comes from Hoops, Willow, Max, and Pete interacting with one another and reacting to the world around them.

That said, making a multiplayer server can be tough to figure out. Let’s dive into how to play Grounded 2 with friends so you can jump right into Brookhollow Park and get the insect-infested party started.

How to create a multiplayer server in Grounded 2

Below is a complete step-by-step guide to creating a multiplayer server in Grounded 2:

1. Head to the game’s main menu and select Multiplayer.
2. Choose Host Online Game
3. Pick Continue if you want to use a pre-existing save or New Game for a fresh playthrough.
4. Optionally, you can choose to require a password for your game to prevent others from joining.
5. Choose your world type and mode, depending on you and your group’s preferences.
6. Add your friends on Steam or Xbox, depending on your platforms.

Once you add your friends on Steam or Xbox, you can then invite them to your lobby through each respective app. From there, they can accept the request and choose a character. Once everyone’s ready, you, as the host, can start the game and name the world.

How to join a multiplayer server in Grounded 2

What if your friend is hosting the server, and you want to join them? You have two options for doing so:

1. Join a game through Multiplayer and Join Online Game before searching the games list.
2. Have your friend invite you and the rest of your group.

Sometimes, your friend’s game won’t appear in the list, especially at the beginning when you’re making a fresh save. In this case, they’ll need to invite you through either Steam or Xbox. You can then accept the request by entering their message box on Steam, pressing Windows + G on the PC Xbox app, or navigating to your notifications menu through Xbox.

How to enable crossplay in Grounded 2

One major issue you may encounter is attempting to join someone’s server when you’re on a different platform. To allow this, you’ll need to enable crossplay by pressing F1 on PC or the Enable Crossplay button in the bottom-right corner of your screen in the main menu.

Enabling crossplay will require you to log in to your Microsoft account. Afterwards, you’ll have access to Grounded 2’s crossplay features, letting you play the game with your friends, even if you’re on different platforms.

At the time of writing, multiplayer servers are not appearing for some players, particularly for those attempting crossplay. We’re currently investigating potential solutions that will help you bypass this issue. We’ll also update this page as Obsidian Entertainment gives more information about this.