How to Play Avorion Multiplayer With Friends (Co-op Options)

There are three ways to play Avorion with friends. One player can open their own galaxy to others from the game, friends can join it by IP or through Steam, and the galaxy only runs while that player plays. Or you run a dedicated server, the free Avorion server program, so the galaxy is always up and anyone can play on their own schedule. For two or three friends who always play together, hosting from the game is fine. For a group on different schedules, or anyone who wants their stations to keep producing, a dedicated server is the better choice.

Option 1: host the galaxy from your game

Avorion's client runs a server in the background when you play, so a single player galaxy can be opened to others. In the galaxy's multiplayer settings you choose whether it is listed publicly or private, and set a password if you want one. Friends then join you.

What this means in practice:

• No extra cost or setup. It is part of the game.
• The galaxy exists only while you play. When you quit, everyone is disconnected and nothing progresses. Stations stop producing, and nobody can log in to work on their ship.
• Your PC does double duty. It runs your game and the whole galaxy. As the group explores, the load grows, and your own frame rate pays for it.
• Your connection carries everyone. Upload speed and router setup matter. If friends cannot connect by IP, you may need to forward ports on your router.

This suits a couple of friends who only ever play at the same time.

Option 2: join by IP or through the browser

However the galaxy is hosted, joining works the same way:

1. Launch Avorion and click Multiplayer.
2. Choose Join via IP and enter the address with its port, or use Add Server to save it.
3. If the galaxy is listed publicly, Browse Servers and search for its name.
4. Create or pick your character and start.

Join via IP needs the full address with the port, not just the IP. A missing port is the most common reason a join attempt goes nowhere.

Option 3: a dedicated server

The Avorion dedicated server is a free download (SteamCMD app 565060) that runs the galaxy without anyone playing on that machine. Everyone, including the person who set it up, joins as a player.

What you gain:

• The galaxy never closes. Anyone logs in when they like.
• Stations keep working while players are away, and the galaxy keeps saving.
• The host's PC is free to just play the game.
• Admin control with your SteamID64 as admin: kicking, banning and server rules.
• Room to grow. Ten players or more, Workshop mods sent to players automatically, and settings for difficulty, collision damage and start sectors.

What it costs: a machine that stays on, or a rented server. The full self hosting walkthrough is in how to host an Avorion server, and if your group already has a galaxy, moving an Avorion galaxy to a dedicated server keeps all of it.

Which one fits your group

Settings that shape co-op

Whichever way you host, a few galaxy settings decide how co-op feels:

• Same start sector. With it on, everyone starts in the same sector and can team up immediately. With it off, each new player gets their own empty home sector on the outer rim. For friends, keep it on.
• Difficulty. From -3 to 3. Groups that split up to explore often drop it a step, since fights balanced for one player in one sector are harder when your friends are far away.
• Collision damage. A multiplier from 0 to 1. Lowering it saves new pilots from wrecking each other while learning to dock.
• Player to player damage. In server.ini on a dedicated server. Off for a pure co-op galaxy.

Alliances: sharing a fleet

Avorion's alliances let a group share ships, stations and money. Instead of each player building their own economy, the alliance owns stations together, and members fly alliance ships with permissions set by rank. For a friend group that wants to build a trade empire, an alliance is the point of multiplayer. Founding one has a cost, so plan it once the group has a little income.

Alliances shine on a dedicated server, because alliance stations produce and trade while members are offline. On a galaxy hosted from someone's game, they stop whenever that player logs off.

Mods in multiplayer

On a dedicated server, Workshop mods listed in the galaxy's modconfig.lua are sent to players when they connect, so friends do not have to hunt them down. After the server's mod list changes, players need to restart Avorion before they can join again.

Running a dedicated server without the chores

If the dedicated option fits your group but nobody wants to keep a PC on, an Avorion server with GamezServers runs the galaxy for you. Galaxy name, server name, your Steam ID as admin, difficulty, collision damage, same start sector, save interval, threads, public listing and the beta branch are all settings in the control panel. It is live within about a minute of ordering, and the group can split the bill with up to 10 friends each paying their share. As the galaxy grows, our Avorion lag guide covers keeping it smooth.

FAQ

Can I play Avorion co-op without a dedicated server?

Yes. Open your galaxy to friends from the game and they join you. The galaxy only runs while you are playing.

How do friends join my Avorion game?

Through Multiplayer, Join via IP with your address and port, or Browse Servers if the galaxy is listed publicly.

Do my stations keep working when I log off in Avorion?

Only on a dedicated server, which keeps the galaxy running and saving while players are away.

How many players can play Avorion together?

A dedicated server starts at 10 slots and can go higher. Practical limits depend on how widely players spread out, since each active sector adds load.