How to Play Palworld with Friends: Co-op vs Dedicated Server

To play Palworld with friends, either host a co-op world and share its invite code, which holds up to 4 players and only runs while the host plays, or join a dedicated server, which holds up to 32 and stays online on its own. Both support crossplay between Steam, Xbox, PlayStation 5 and Mac. For 2 to 4 friends who always play together, co-op is enough. For 5 or more, a dedicated server is the only way.

What are the ways to play Palworld together?

Every player needs their own copy of Palworld.

How do you play Palworld co-op with an invite code?

The host:

1. Start Palworld and load or create a world.
2. In the world settings, make sure multiplayer is enabled for that world.
3. Once in game, open the menu with Esc (or the options button on a controller).
4. Find the invite code on the menu screen. Click the eye icon to reveal it, then share it.

Friends:

1. From the title screen, choose Join Multiplayer Game (Invite Code).
2. Type the host's code and connect.

The code is tied to the host's session. If the host quits or restarts the game, they need to share a fresh code. Co-op is limited to the host plus 3 friends. Settings that raise the player cap only apply to dedicated servers.

What are the limits of co-op?

Co-op is fine for a small group with the same schedule. It runs into trouble when:

• The host is offline. The world only exists on the host's machine. Nobody else can play in it, and your base Pals stop working.
• A fifth friend wants in. Co-op stops at 4.
• The host's PC struggles. The host runs the game and the world for everyone. Late game bases full of working Pals are heavy, and the host's frame rate and upload speed affect the whole group.
• The world gets big. Pocketpair's own server requirements recommend 16 GB of memory for a dedicated server. A host running both the game and a big world on one PC feels that.

How do friends join a Palworld dedicated server?

On PC (Steam or Mac where the box is available):

1. Choose Join Multiplayer Game from the title screen.
2. Type the server address, including the port, for example 203.0.113.10:8211, into the box at the bottom of the server list.
3. Click Connect and enter the password if the server has one.

On Xbox and PlayStation 5, players cannot type an address. They search for the server's name in the community server list instead, so a server with console players has to be listed publicly (the -publiclobby launch option on a self hosted server). A password still keeps strangers out.

Since crossplay arrived in 2025 and carried into the 1.0 release in July 2026, Steam, Xbox, PS5 and Mac players share the same server and the same 32 slots. The server's CrossplayPlatforms setting decides which platforms may join, and it allows all four by default. Details are in Palworld dedicated server crossplay.

Is crossplay different in co-op and on servers?

The platforms are the same: Steam, Xbox (including PC Game Pass), PS5 and Mac. The difference is how people connect. In co-op everyone uses the invite code, which works on every platform. On a dedicated server, PC players can type an address but console players need the community list. If your group is mostly on console, plan for a listed server with a password.

How many players can play Palworld together?

On a dedicated server the limit is ServerPlayerMaxNum in PalWorldSettings.ini (or the -players= launch option), up to 32. Guilds have a separate cap of 20 by default (GuildPlayerMaxNum). More on sizing in how many players can join a Palworld server.

Can you move a co-op world to a dedicated server?

Yes, with some care. The world folder can be uploaded to a server, but the co-op host's character is stored differently from the guests', so the host gets a new character on the server unless you use a community save tool to move it. Guests keep their characters. Take a backup first. The full process is in how to transfer a Palworld co-op save to a dedicated server.

That means starting in co-op and moving to a server later is a real option, not a dead end.

Should you self host or rent a Palworld server?

A self hosted server is free: install PalServer through SteamCMD on a spare PC, forward UDP port 8211, and keep the machine on. Our guide to making a Palworld server covers it step by step. The trade offs:

• Memory. Pocketpair recommends 16 GB for the server alone, and memory grows the longer it runs, so scheduled restarts are standard.
• Power and uptime. The PC has to stay on for the world to stay up.
• Your home IP and router. Port forwarding is needed, and some internet providers make it impossible.

Renting skips those, at a monthly cost.

Which option fits your group?

• 2 to 4 friends, always together: co-op with an invite code.
• 2 to 4 friends on different schedules: a dedicated server, so bases keep working and anyone can log in.
• 5 to 32 players: a dedicated server is the only option.
• Mixed PC and console: either works, but on a server make sure it is listed so console players can find it.

FAQ

How many friends can play Palworld co-op?

Up to 4 players including the host, using an invite code. For more, you need a dedicated server, which holds up to 32.

Can my friends play in my Palworld world when I am offline?

Not in co-op, because the world runs in your game. On a dedicated server the world stays online and anyone can join.

Is Palworld crossplay between PC and PS5?

Yes. Steam, Xbox, PlayStation 5 and Mac players can play together in co-op and on dedicated servers.

Why can't my Xbox friend type in the server IP?

Console versions do not have an address box. Xbox and PS5 players find dedicated servers through the community server list, so the server needs to be listed publicly.

Does the Palworld invite code change?

Yes. The code belongs to the host's session, so the host shares a new one after restarting the game.

The easy option

If co-op has run out of room, our Palworld servers are always listed so console friends can find them, keep your base Pals working around the clock and restart on a schedule to handle the memory leak. Plans are sized for 8, 16 or 32 players, new customers get 50% off the first month, and friends can split the bill so each pays their own share.