To join a Space Engineers server, open the game, wait at the Main Screen, choose Join Game, then select the discovery method that matches your session: Servers, Games, LAN, Friends, or Direct Connect. On PC, choose the correct network with the Steam/EOS toggle. Steam listings are for PC players using Steam; EOS is the crossplay route for compatible PC, Xbox and PlayStation servers.
If a host gives you a private server address, use Direct Connect. If the world uses mods, the game downloads the required files when you join; the first download can take a long time. The sections below explain each route, platform limitation, friend-hosted world and dedicated-server choice without assuming that every server uses the same settings.
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Choose the right way to connect
Space Engineers has several multiplayer entry points because a public dedicated server, a friend’s temporary world and a console crossplay session are discovered differently. Use the route that matches what the host gave you.
| Join route | What you find | Network scope | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Servers | Public dedicated servers with inspectable details | Internet | Persistent public worlds |
| Games | Public player-hosted games in your geographic region | Internet | Shorter sessions hosted from a player’s game |
| LAN | Games advertised on your local network | Same local network | Playing with people in the same home, office or venue |
| Friends | Games that your friends have joined and made visible | Internet, subject to host settings | Joining someone from your friends list |
| Direct Connect | A private game or server when you know its IP address | Usually Internet | Unlisted sessions supplied by a host |
Before selecting an entry, identify three things: whether the host expects Steam or EOS, whether the session is player-hosted or dedicated, and whether it requires mods. Those choices determine which listing you can see and what happens after you select it.
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Standard procedure: join from the Main Screen
- Launch Space Engineers and wait until the Main Screen appears.
- Select Join Game.
- Open the tab that matches the host’s instructions: Servers, Games, LAN or Friends.
- On PC, set the Steam/EOS toggle before searching. Use Steam for a PC Steam-account session; use EOS when the server is configured for crossplay.
- Choose the session. For a public dedicated server, open Server Details first and inspect the world settings, mod list, current players and uptime.
- Start the connection and approve any required mod downloads. Let the first download finish even if it takes considerably longer than later joins.
- Wait for the world to load. If the entry disappears, the host may have closed a player session, changed its visibility or switched network backends; return to Join Game and check the host’s instructions before trying another route.
Using the Servers tab
Servers is the public-browser route for dedicated servers. It is the most useful tab when you want a world that is intended to stay online independently of one player’s client.
Inspect a listing before connecting
Select a server and open Server Details. The game exposes the information you need to make a decision: world settings, installed mods, current players and uptime. A high player count can indicate a busy world, while uptime helps distinguish a continuously running dedicated service from a recently started session. Read the mod list before joining so you know whether the initial download will be substantial.
Match the platform network
On PC, a Steam listing is limited to PC players using Steam accounts. If your friends are on Xbox, Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation, the host must provide an EOS-enabled crossplay server and you must select EOS on PC. A console player cannot join a Steam-only server simply because the server appears in someone else’s browser.
Expect a separate download on the first modded join
Required mods download automatically when you connect. The official multiplayer guidance warns that the first mod download may take a long time, so a slow initial connection is not by itself evidence that the server is broken. Do not repeatedly cancel and restart while the files are being acquired; doing so can make the process take longer.
Using the Games tab
Games lists public player-hosted sessions in your geographic region. These worlds depend on the host’s game client rather than a separate dedicated process. A host closing the game, losing its connection or changing multiplayer visibility can remove the session from the list.
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Choose a game, review any displayed information and connect. If the host says the session is cross-platform, use EOS on PC. If the host says it is a Steam PC game, use Steam instead. The same world can therefore be visible to one group of players and absent for another group using a different backend.
Using LAN
Select LAN when the host and joining players are on the same local network. LAN discovery is not a substitute for an Internet server: a friend in another home will normally need a player-hosted Internet session, an EOS-compatible server or a private address for Direct Connect.
If a LAN game is not listed, confirm that the host is actually advertising the world on the local network and that both devices are connected to the same network. If the host instead gave you an Internet address, leave the LAN tab and use Direct Connect.
Using the Friends tab
Friends shows games your friends have joined when the host’s multiplayer access settings make the session visible and the game is online. It is a discovery method, not a guarantee that every friend-hosted world will appear.
What the host must do
The host controls who can join through the world’s multiplayer access settings. On Steam, the host can also use the in-game Invite control. Ask the host to confirm that the world is online, that your account is allowed to join and that the invitation was sent to the same platform account you are using.
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If the friend’s world is missing
Ask for the session’s intended network (Steam or EOS) and have the host verify its visibility settings. On PC, switch the Steam/EOS toggle to match. If the host has supplied a private IP instead, bypass the Friends tab and use Direct Connect.
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Direct Connect is for a private game or server that does not appear in the public browser. The host must give you the correct address. The official multiplayer instructions describe the process as using Direct Connect to paste in the IP address of a private game and connect to it.
- Open the Main Screen and select Join Game.
- Choose Direct Connect.
- Paste or type the IP address supplied by the host.
- On PC, set Steam or EOS according to the host’s configuration. An address alone does not make a Steam-only server cross-platform.
- Confirm the connection and allow required mods to download.
Use the address exactly as supplied. If it fails, ask the host to confirm that the server is currently running, that the address has not changed and that the server is configured for the platform and network you selected. A public Internet server generally needs a static IP so outside players can reach it; if the host is running a temporary or home-hosted world, its reachable address can differ between sessions.
Steam and EOS: the platform rule that causes most confusion
On PC, the Steam/EOS toggle chooses the server network. It is not a graphics setting and it does not convert a Steam server into a crossplay server.
| Server network | Who can join | When to select it on PC |
|---|---|---|
| Steam | PC players using Steam accounts | The host describes the session as Steam or PC Steam-only |
| EOS | Compatible PC, Xbox/Game Pass and PlayStation players | The host has enabled EOS crossplay |
PC joining an Xbox or PlayStation friend
Ask the host for an EOS or crossplay-compatible server. Select EOS on PC, then find the server through the appropriate browser or use its private address. A Steam-only listing will not accept a console player.
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Xbox or PlayStation joining a PC host
The PC host must configure the session or dedicated server for EOS crossplay. If the host created a Steam-only world, the console player needs a different session; changing a setting on the console cannot make a Steam backend available.
Two PC players seeing different lists
First compare the Steam/EOS toggle, then compare whether one player is looking in Servers and the other in Games or Friends. Discovery tabs represent different session types, so an entry can be valid but appear in another tab or under another backend.
Joining a friend-hosted world versus a dedicated server
A friend-hosted world runs from a player’s game session. Its availability depends on that host staying online and exposing the world through the selected multiplayer access settings. This route is convenient for a small group that plays at the same time.
A dedicated server lets players connect to a third-party host instead of relying on a player-hosted peer-to-peer setup. Keen Software House describes dedicated servers as suitable for long-running multiplayer because they continue running independently of an individual player’s game client. The dedicated-server software is available free to owners of Space Engineers; the operator still needs a machine or hosting service capable of running it and a network reachable by the intended players.
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| Characteristic | Friend-hosted world | Dedicated server |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Usually ends or becomes unavailable when the host stops the session | Designed to continue independently of a player’s client |
| Discovery | Games or Friends, depending on visibility | Servers browser or Direct Connect |
| Administration | Host controls multiplayer access in the game | Operator controls server configuration, access and mods |
| Crossplay | Depends on the host’s Steam or EOS choice | Depends on whether the server is configured for EOS crossplay |
| Best fit | Scheduled sessions with a small group | Persistent worlds that players can visit at different times |
Official hosting options
Keen Software House’s official host listing names GTX Gaming as the host for the PC version and Nitrado as the host for the Xbox version. Hosting terms, prices, regions and program availability can change, so verify the current offer directly before renting a server.
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When evaluating any host, confirm the edition you need, the network backend (Steam or EOS), the region available to your players, mod support and whether the service provides a reachable public address. Those details determine whether your intended PC, Xbox and PlayStation group can connect.
If you would rather rent a persistent server than rely on a friend’s session, Godlike.Host offers Space Engineers server hosting with a Pterodactyl-based game panel, free DDoS protection, up to three free backups a day and 24/7 support. Check that the network you need (Steam or EOS) is available before you order, and see the current plans for regions and terms.
Troubleshooting by symptom
The official pages document the normal connection workflow and the Steam/EOS distinction, but they do not publish one universal fix for every connection error. Use the symptom-specific checks below, and ask the host for the exact server type when the result is unclear.
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- Confirm that you are in the correct tab: a dedicated server belongs under Servers, while a public player session belongs under Games.
- On PC, compare the Steam/EOS toggle with the host’s instructions.
- Ask whether the server is online and whether its visibility or access settings changed.
- If you were given an address, use Direct Connect instead of relying on discovery.
Direct Connect cannot establish a session
- Re-enter the address exactly as supplied and ask the host to confirm that it is current.
- Check that you selected the same backend as the server: Steam-only servers require Steam, while crossplay servers require EOS on PC.
- Ask whether the server is currently running and reachable from outside the host’s local network.
- If the host is running a temporary home session, request a fresh address when the session restarts.
The first connection appears stuck while downloading mods
- Allow extra time for the initial mod download; the official guide specifically warns that it can take a long time.
- Confirm that the server’s required mod list is still the one the host expects.
- After the files finish, reconnect rather than repeatedly cancelling the download.
A console player cannot join a PC friend
- Verify that the host created an EOS/crossplay-compatible session, not a Steam-only world.
- Have the PC player switch to EOS before searching or using Direct Connect.
- Confirm that the console edition and the server are among the platforms supported by that EOS configuration.
An invitation or Friends entry is missing
- Ask the host to verify that the game is online and visible through its multiplayer access settings.
- On Steam, have the host resend the in-game Invite.
- Check that both players are using the intended account and backend.
- If visibility remains unreliable, request the server address and connect directly.
A quick decision guide
- You see a public dedicated server: open Servers, inspect Server Details, select the correct Steam/EOS network and connect.
- You see a public player session: open Games, choose a game in your region and join while the host is online.
- You are in the same building as the host: check LAN.
- A friend is hosting and the session is visible: use Friends or accept the host’s invite.
- The host sent an IP address: use Direct Connect and enter it exactly.
- Your group includes consoles: require an EOS-enabled crossplay server; Steam-only servers are PC-only.
- You need a world that remains available: choose a dedicated server rather than relying on a player-hosted session.
What to confirm with the host before you try
- Is this a dedicated server or a player-hosted game?
- Should PC players select Steam or EOS?
- Is the session intended for PC only, or for PC, Xbox and PlayStation crossplay?
- Which discovery tab should players use?
- Does the world require mods, and is the first download expected to be large?
- If the server is private, what exact IP address should be entered in Direct Connect?
- For a friend-hosted world, are multiplayer access and online visibility enabled?
With those details, the normal path is straightforward: Main Screen, Join Game, the matching tab or Direct Connect, then the correct Steam/EOS network and any required mod download.
Quick Recap
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