Yes—PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 players can play Valheim together. Run the separate Valheim Dedicated Server application on a PC or compatible rented host, add the -crossplay startup argument, and give players the join code shown by the server. Crossplay mode uses a relay, so you do not need to forward router ports.
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Can PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 players play Valheim together?
They can. Iron Gate’s Valheim 1.0 FAQ lists both PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 as supported platforms and says crossplay works between all supported platforms. A mixed group can therefore use one persistent world rather than separate console worlds.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe important distinction is between playing on a console and hosting the dedicated server. The PS5 and Switch 2 versions act as clients that connect to a server. The dedicated-server software itself runs on a PC or on a rented game-server service; neither console installs or runs that server application.
For this guide, “crossplay server” means a dedicated server started with Iron Gate’s -crossplay argument. Without that argument, the server uses the Steam backend and only Steam users can see and join it.
What you need before setting up the world
- A Valheim installation and entitlement for each player on the platform they use.
- A Windows or Linux PC that can stay powered on and connected whenever the world must be available, or a rented host that supports the current Valheim 1.0 build.
- The Valheim Dedicated Server application, installed separately from the game client.
- A server name, world name, password, and a decision about whether the server should be publicly listed.
- A way to send the join code privately to the people you want in the world.
Iron Gate says it does not provide official servers and has no access to your saved worlds or characters. You are responsible for the machine or hosting provider that stores the world files, the password, and the backups.
The 1.0 FAQ estimates a download of about 4.3 GiB for most platforms, with platform-specific exceptions. Allow additional disk space for the dedicated-server files, world saves, logs, and backups rather than treating the game download estimate as the total storage requirement.
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Choose between a PC you control and a rented host
Both approaches can provide the same crossplay connection. The practical difference is who operates the machine and network.
| Consideration | Self-hosted PC | Rented game host |
|---|---|---|
| Always-on availability | The PC and server process must remain running whenever the group needs the world. | The provider can keep the server online without your home PC running. |
| Initial setup | Install the Dedicated Server tool and edit a copied startup script. | A control panel may expose server name, world, password, visibility, and crossplay settings. |
| Router work in crossplay mode | No port forwarding, because traffic is relayed. | No port forwarding for the same relay-based crossplay mode. |
| Router work in Steam-backend mode | You must forward the selected port and the following port to the server. | Check the provider’s network instructions for Steam-backend hosting. |
| Save and backup control | You can configure the documented save-interval and automatic-backup arguments directly. | Confirm that the panel exposes equivalent save and backup settings. |
| Compatibility responsibility | You control when the server software and game build are updated. | Verify support for Valheim 1.0, PS5, Switch 2, and join-code crossplay before renting. |
Iron Gate does not endorse a specific hosting provider. If you rent, ask the provider which Valheim build it runs, whether -crossplay is enabled, how you retrieve the join code, and how world backups are restored.
Set up a crossplay server on your own PC
1. Install the Dedicated Server application
- Open Steam on the PC that will host the world.
- Open your Library and enable the Tools filter.
- Install Valheim Dedicated Server.
This is a separate tool from launching Valheim as a normal player. The host PC does not need to be the same computer used by anyone playing, but it must remain online for the world to be reachable.
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2. Copy the startup script before editing it
Use the tool’s local-files option to open its installation folder. On Windows, locate start_headless_server.bat; on Linux, locate start_server.sh. Iron Gate’s dedicated-server guide recommends editing a copy rather than the original. Steam updates can replace the original script and erase your changes.
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- Edit the duplicate with a plain-text editor.
- Keep the original untouched so you can compare it after an update or restore it if a change breaks startup.
Do not put the only copy of your world configuration in a script that an update can overwrite.
3. Set the basic server identity
Use the startup script’s existing command line and set the documented arguments for your group:
| Argument | What it controls |
|---|---|
-name |
The server name players recognize in listings or connection information. |
-world |
The world-save name the server loads or creates. |
-password |
The password required to enter the server. |
-public |
Whether the server is advertised publicly according to the value used by the script. |
-saveinterval |
How often the server saves, using the interval value you specify. |
| Backup arguments | Automatic-backup behavior documented in the official dedicated-server guide. |
-crossplay |
Selects the crossplay relay backend so players on different platforms can connect. |
Choose a world name that will remain stable. Changing it later can make the server appear to have started a different save, even when the old files still exist. Use a password that is not shared outside your group, especially if you make the server public.
4. Enable crossplay explicitly
Add -crossplay to the copied startup command. This is the setting that changes the backend from Steam-only hosting to the cross-platform relay. A server can start successfully without it and still be unusable by PS5 and Switch 2 players, so check the argument rather than relying on the server name or platform of the host PC.
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After saving the script, start the copied script instead of the untouched original. Keep the console window or service running while the server is in use and watch its output for startup errors.
5. Start the process and record the join code
- Launch the edited Windows batch file or Linux shell script.
- Wait for the server to finish starting and expose its connection information.
- Read the join code from the server or game interface.
- Send the code, along with the password, only to the players you want to invite.
The code is the normal way for console players to find a relay-backed server. It avoids asking them to type a home-network address that crossplay mode does not support.
How PS5 and Switch 2 players join
On either console, use the in-game pause menu:
- Open Join Game.
- Select Add server.
- Paste or enter the dedicated server’s join code.
- Submit the code and enter the server password when prompted.
Give players a newly generated code whenever you restart or recreate the server if the interface displays a different one. The code, not a local IP address, is the supported connection path for the crossplay relay.
Each player still needs the appropriate console version and current game update. If one platform is running an incompatible build, update that client and verify the server host is running the current Valheim 1.0-compatible server software before changing network settings.
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Crossplay backend: no forwarding
Iron Gate’s guide says crossplay traffic goes through a relay server. In this mode, you do not forward ports on your home router. This applies whether the dedicated server runs on your own PC or on a rented machine.
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Crossplay connections through a local IP or loopback address are not supported. Do not troubleshoot a failed join by substituting 127.0.0.1, a private address such as 192.168.x.x, or another address that only works inside the host’s network. Use the join code, the supported server list, or another public connection method provided by the game.
Steam backend: ports 2456–2457
If you omit -crossplay, the official guide says the Steam backend is used and only Steam users can see and join the server. For that backend, the default port range is 2456–2457: the server uses the selected port and the next port. Iron Gate says both must be forwarded to the server and reachable from the Internet.
Port forwarding is therefore a choice tied to the backend, not a universal Valheim requirement. For a PS5/Switch 2 group, enabling -crossplay is the simpler route and avoids exposing a home router rule that the console players do not need.
Keep the world persistent and recoverable
A dedicated server’s main advantage is persistence. Iron Gate describes it as “a great way to provide a persistent world in which you and your friends can play anytime.” That benefit only exists while the server process and its storage are available.
- Leave the host PC powered on and connected, or keep the rented instance running.
- Do not close the server window after the last player disconnects if you want the world ready for the next session.
- Configure
-saveintervalrather than relying solely on a manual shutdown save. - Enable the automatic-backup arguments documented by Iron Gate and periodically verify that backup files are actually being created.
- Copy important world saves to storage separate from the server machine so a disk failure or mistaken deletion does not remove every copy.
Before updating the Dedicated Server tool, stop it cleanly and preserve the copied startup script. After the update, compare the vendor’s new original script with your copy so newly required options are not missed while your custom world, password, visibility, save, backup, and crossplay settings remain intact.
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Troubleshoot the failures that affect console groups
The PS5 or Switch 2 player cannot find the server
- Confirm that the startup command contains
-crossplay, then restart the server after changing the script. - Have the player use Join Game → Add server and the current join code instead of searching only the Steam server list.
- Check that the server process is still running and that the host PC has not gone to sleep.
- Verify the console and server are on compatible current builds.
The host asks you to forward ports
First identify the backend. Crossplay relay hosting does not require router forwarding. Port 2456 and port 2457 matter when you intentionally use the Steam backend, which cannot accept PS5 or Switch 2 clients.
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A local address works for the PC host but not for a console
That behavior is expected when testing the wrong connection path. Local IP and loopback connections are not supported for the crossplay backend. Test with the displayed join code from a console account instead.
The world appears reset or missing
- Check that the
-worldvalue has not changed. - Confirm the copied script is the one being launched after an update.
- Stop the server before replacing files from a backup.
- Verify that the backup belongs to the same world name and server installation.
Players are rejected after entering the code
Recheck the password exactly as configured in the startup script or host panel. If the password is correct, confirm that the server is running the crossplay backend and that the provider or host has not updated to a build incompatible with the clients.
If you rent the server instead
A rented host can remove the need to keep a home computer online, but it does not remove the configuration decisions. In the control panel, look for fields corresponding to the server name, world name, password, public visibility, save interval, backups, and crossplay. Some panels hide the actual startup command; ask support where the -crossplay option is enabled.
- Choose a plan that explicitly lists Valheim 1.0 support.
- Confirm PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 crossplay, not only PC crossplay.
- Ask how the join code is displayed and whether it changes after a restart.
- Check the backup schedule, retention, and restore procedure before creating an important world.
- Verify that you can download your world files if you leave the service.
Iron Gate’s position that it provides no official servers means a provider’s compatibility claims are its own responsibility. Treat “crossplay” as incomplete unless the provider confirms the relay backend and join-code workflow used by console clients.
What the official information does not establish
Iron Gate’s available 1.0 information does not state a current player-cap figure specifically for a mixed PS5 and Switch 2 dedicated server. Do not promise your group a particular maximum based on a number from an older edition, a different backend, or a third-party host. Plan around the server’s documented requirements and test your intended group before committing to a long-running world.
Likewise, a faster internet connection or a gaming PC is not itself the crossplay solution. The decisive settings are the Dedicated Server application, the copied startup script, and the -crossplay argument; the relay removes the port-forwarding step for this mode.
Recommended setup for a PS5/Switch 2 group
- Install Valheim Dedicated Server on an always-on Windows or Linux PC, or select a host that confirms Valheim 1.0 console crossplay.
- Copy
start_headless_server.batorstart_server.shbefore editing. - Set
-name,-world,-password,-public, save, and backup options for your group. - Add
-crossplayand launch the copied script. - Record the join code shown by the server or game interface.
- Have each console player use Join Game → Add server and enter the code and password.
- Keep the host process running, monitor saves and backups, and preserve the script through future updates.
That arrangement gives PS5 and Switch 2 players a shared, persistent Valheim world without requiring either console to host server software or requiring the home router to forward ports.
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