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Yes, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader supports multiplayer, but it is online co-op, not local split-screen or couch play. Owlcat Games added console co-op in patch 1.3.0.47, and the Xbox store listing gives a 2–6 player range for online co-op. What the official sources do not settle is whether every platform pairing can play together, so check that before you plan a session.
Is Rogue Trader multiplayer online only?
Yes. The Steam listing labels the game Online Co-op, and the Xbox listing calls out Online co-op (2–6). Nothing in the official material describes a shared-screen mode, so treat the game as online-only co-op when you set expectations with friends.
Console co-op is a relatively recent addition. Owlcat’s patch notes for version 1.3.0.47, dated December 10, 2024, state: “Co-op mode is now available on consoles!” Before that patch, co-op was a PC feature.
How many players can join a campaign?
The Xbox store listing says online co-op supports 2 to 6 players. Steam’s feature list confirms that co-op is available but does not give a player count, so use the Xbox range as the only published figure and confirm the current number on the store page for your platform.
#1 Best Overall
Starting a co-op game from the Prologue
Owlcat’s version 1.2.0.25 notes, dated June 26, 2024, describe a way to bring other players in from the very beginning of the Prologue rather than waiting until later in the story. The patch notes say that while in co-op, you can talk to an NPC in the first room and hire one or two additional characters to join as bodyguards.
Several points follow from that and from the later patch notes:
- The early-game hire is documented for the Prologue’s first room. The notes do not describe a separate lobby or invite screen, so the exact menu path for inviting friends is not documented in the sources reviewed here.
- Patch 1.3 added a tutorial for creating a mercenary in that same starting room. If a friend is new to the game, that tutorial is the closest official guidance on building the extra character.
- Version 1.2.0.25 also introduced custom portraits in co-op. The patch notes say: “You can now use custom portraits in co-op;”
Platform requirements and differences
The table below compares what the current store listings and patch notes state. Where a platform’s listing is silent, the cell says so rather than assuming a value.
| Item | Xbox store listing | Steam store listing |
|---|---|---|
| Online co-op | Yes, listed as Online co-op (2–6) | Yes, listed as Online Co-op |
| Player count | 2–6 players | Not stated in the feature list |
| Subscription needed for online play | Yes, on console: Xbox Game Pass Essential, Premium, or Ultimate, sold separately | Not stated in the feature list |
| Cross-platform multiplayer | Not stated | Listed as Cross-Platform Multiplayer; the listing does not say which platform pairs this covers |
| Play options listed | Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and handheld | Not stated in the feature list |
The Game Pass requirement applies to console online multiplayer as Xbox describes it. It is not a general statement about PC or other platforms.
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This is the question the official material answers least clearly. Steam’s feature list includes Cross-Platform Multiplayer, but it does not identify which storefront or platform combinations the label covers. A community thread reproduces an Owlcat-attributed reply saying crossplay was not supported at the time it was written. That reply is an older, secondary report, and it does not establish current status.
Until the developer or the storefront for your platform confirms a specific pairing, assume that cross-platform play is not guaranteed. Before starting a campaign, have every player confirm that their exact platform and store version can join the same session.
Rank #3
- The new Rulebook focuses on the Gilead System, allowing you to tell your own stories in a society beset by daemonic invasion and internal corruption
- Character Creation has been streamlined, with a focus on Frameworks. With so many choices of who and what you can play, you’ll want to decide the focus of your game early
- The Factions Chapter is a primer on life in the 41st Millennium, detailing each of the organisations vying for supremacy in the Warp-torn Gilead System
- English Version | 2+ Players | Ages 14+ | 60 to 90 Minute Playing Time
Reliability of co-op sessions
Owlcat’s patch notes for 1.2 list co-op desynchronization fixes, and patch 1.3 adds more. Desync is the problem where players’ game states drift apart. These fixes show the developer treated it as a real issue, but they do not measure how often sessions run into it now. Keep the latest patch installed on every player’s copy so that all sides have the same fixes.
What is not yet confirmed
Three things are not settled by the official material available as of October 2026:
- A current crossplay compatibility list for each platform pair.
- A step-by-step invite, lobby, and role-assignment process for each platform.
- Platform availability and pricing outside the regions covered by the store listings reviewed.
For those points, check the official Owlcat Games patch notes and your platform’s store page before you buy or schedule a session.
Quick Recap
Practical checklist before you start
- Confirm that every player’s platform allows online multiplayer, and that console players have an eligible Game Pass tier if they are on Xbox.
- Install the same patch version on every copy. Version 1.3.0.47 is the console co-op release named in the patch notes.
- Agree on a group size of two to six, and check the store page for your platform in case that number differs.
- If you start in the Prologue, plan to hire one or two extra characters in the first room, and allow time for the mercenary tutorial.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
