BG3 Co-op Guide: Multiplayer, Split-Screen and Cross-Play

Baldur's Gate 3 supports co-op for up to four players. You can play online, over LAN or in local split-screen, and since Patch 8 in April 2025, cross-play lets friends on PC, Mac, PlayStation 5 and Xbox share one campaign. One player hosts. The campaign lives in the host's save, and every player brings their own character into the same party of four.

Co-op in BG3 works differently from most online games, so it helps to know the rules before you start. This guide covers how to host, join and keep a co-op campaign going.

Last checked: November 9, 2026.

How BG3 co-op works

Your characters belong to the campaign save, not to your account. Think of the save as the table your group meets at. The host loads it, invites everyone back, and each player takes over their character again.

A few rules shape every session:

• Up to four players. Each player controls their own character, and companions fill any free slots.
• Players act independently. You can split up and explore different parts of the map, and one player can be in a turn-based fight while another is shopping.
• Whoever starts a conversation makes the choices. Other players can watch and suggest replies, but only the player in the dialogue picks.
• Companions answer to one player. The host assigns each companion in the party to a player from the Session menu, and only that player can control them or talk to them.
• The host saves. Only the host can save and load, and the campaign cannot be continued without the host's save.

How to start a new co-op campaign

1. Choose Multiplayer on the main menu.
2. Select Create to set up a lobby.
3. Set who can see and join it. You can invite friends, allow LAN connections from your home network, or generate a direct connection code to share.
4. Wait for everyone to join, then launch the game.
5. Every connected player goes to character creation and starts the story together.

Starting together has one big advantage: it is the only time players other than the host can choose an origin character such as Astarion or Karlach. Anyone who joins later has to make a custom character.

How to join a friend or add players later

To join a game, open Multiplayer and pick the session from the list, or use the LAN tab if you are on the same network. The host can also invite you directly.

You can turn a single-player game into a co-op one as well. Open the pause menu, go to Session, and change the visibility so friends can join. New players will be asked to create a custom character, who then joins the party. If the party is already full, a companion is sent back to camp to make room.

How to continue a co-op campaign

1. The host loads the most recent save of the campaign.
2. The host invites the other players, from the pause menu's Session screen.
3. Once everyone is in, the host reassigns characters if needed.

If someone cannot make it, the group can still play. Another player can take control of the missing player's character, or the host can send that character to camp. Absent players' characters can be stored in Withers' Wardrobe of Wayward Friends at camp, which frees their party slot for a companion. When that player comes back, their character returns to the party.

Cross-play: PC, Mac, PS5 and Xbox

Patch 8, released on April 15, 2025, added cross-play and cross-platform progression between PC, Mac, Xbox and PlayStation 5. It runs through the Larian Network, so every player needs a Larian Account.

How to set up cross-play

1. Link your platform account (Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and so on) to a Larian Account. Every player in the group needs to do this.
2. In the game, open Options from the main menu. Under the Gameplay tab, tick Allow Cross-Play.
3. Log in with the Larian Account button on the main menu, open Manage Account and then Friends List, and add your friends by their Larian Account username.
4. To start a new campaign, choose Multiplayer, then the Cross-Play tab, then Create. Invite your friends, set your options and launch.
5. To join someone, choose Multiplayer, open the Cross-Play tab and join their lobby.

Using an existing save with cross-play

A save has to be marked for cross-play before friends on other platforms can join it. Go to Load Game, select the save, tick the Cross-Play checkbox and load it. Then invite your friends from the Multiplayer menu as usual.

Cross-play and mods

Mods work in cross-play, but every player needs the same mods at the same versions. When you join, a Mod Verification window lists anything you need to install, remove or update. If a PC host wants console or Mac players to join, the save cannot use more than 100 mods, and every mod has to be one that is available on console and Mac. The in-game mod browser has a filter for that. Third-party mods from outside the in-game browser cannot be used on consoles.

Split-screen co-op

Split-screen lets two players share one screen, each with their own controller. It works on PC, Mac, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Xbox Series S was the exception at launch, and Patch 8 added split-screen there too.

Split-screen is demanding. Larian's own Steam requirements warn that a Mac at the minimum spec will not run split-screen at an acceptable level of performance, so expect to lower graphics settings on weaker hardware.

Romance and private scenes in co-op

Players cannot romance each other. Romance is only possible with companions and other characters, and that works in co-op just like in single player. Companions in your party can only be talked to by the player who controls them, while companions waiting at camp can be approached by anyone.

By default, romance scenes are hidden from the other players, and you can hide other conversations too. The romance guide explains how each romance starts.

Is BG3 better in co-op or solo?

Neither is clearly better, and it depends on your group:

• Co-op splits the work. Running four characters alone is a lot to manage. With friends, each person focuses on one build and one turn per round.
• Solo keeps the story yours. Friends can make choices that change the campaign in ways you don't want, and they can wander through your dramatic conversations.
• Co-op takes longer. BG3 is a long game, and every session depends on the host being available.

If it is your first time through, consider a solo run first so you can make every story choice yourself. The companion guide helps you fill out a party in either mode.

Frequently asked questions

How many players can play BG3 co-op?

Up to four players can play together online or over LAN, each with their own character. Local split-screen is for two players on one screen.

Does Baldur's Gate 3 have cross-play?

Yes. Since Patch 8 in April 2025, players on PC, Mac, PlayStation 5 and Xbox can play together. Everyone needs a Larian Account linked to their platform and the Allow Cross-Play option turned on.

Can you play BG3 split-screen?

Yes, two players can share one screen, each with a controller. Split-screen is available on PC, Mac, PS5 and Xbox Series X, and Patch 8 added it to Xbox Series S.

Can you continue a co-op game without the host?

No. Only the host can save and load the campaign, so the host has to be present to continue it. If another player is missing, the group can still play and someone else can control that player's character.

Can players romance each other in BG3?

No. Romance is only possible with companions and other characters, not between players. Each player can still pursue their own romance, and romance scenes are hidden from the others by default.

Can a friend join my single-player game?

Yes. Open the Session menu from the pause screen and change who can join. Your friend will create a new custom character, since origin characters can only be picked when a multiplayer campaign is first created.