Baldur's Gate 3 multiplayer supports up to 4 players, including the host, in one shared campaign, and since Patch 8 (April 15, 2025) that group can mix PC, Mac, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S through crossplay. The host owns the campaign: the person who created a multiplayer save must host every later session, and only the host can save and load. Everything else, from who you invite to how you split loot, comes down to what your group agrees on before the first session.
We checked Larian's crossplay support page, the Patch 8 coverage and the community-maintained BG3 wiki (bg3.wiki) on November 2, 2026. Where we could not confirm a rule from a reliable source, we left it out.
Quick facts
| Topic | What we found |
|---|---|
| Developer | Larian Studios |
| Players online | Up to 4 including the host (the Number of Slots setting defaults to 4) |
| Crossplay | PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S since Patch 8, April 15, 2025 |
| Crossplay setup | Link your game to a Larian account and enable crossplay in Options > Gameplay |
| Split-screen | Available on PC and consoles, not on Steam Deck, Series S added in Patch 8 |
| Saves | Host-owned: the creator of the save hosts, and only the host saves and loads |
| Mods and crossplay | Everyone in the lobby needs the same mods and mod versions |
| Difficulty | Same options as single player (Honour Mode cannot be enabled mid-playthrough) |
How a BG3 multiplayer session works
The host starts a session and invites players, who each control their own character. A connected player's character is mandatory in the party and cannot be left at camp, and other players cannot control it or talk to it in their place. Companions are different: each one is controlled by one player at a time, and you reassign them from the Session menu. Companions also keep a separate approval rating for each player.
Players can join a campaign that is already in progress, up to 4 in total. Origin characters, including the Dark Urge, can only be picked when the save is first created, and no two players can pick the same one, so anyone who joins later creates a custom character. The same applies when you open an existing single-player save to friends from the Session menu.
Hosts and saves
This is the part that surprises groups most. Multiplayer progress is not stored in each player's profile: it lives in a campaign save on the host's machine. Practical consequences, per the BG3 wiki:
- The person who created the multiplayer save has to host every additional session.
- The campaign can run with other players absent, or even as a single-player game, but not without the host.
- Only the host can save and load, although any player can trigger an autosave.
- Offline players' characters can be sent to Withers' Wardrobe of Wayward Friends through dialogue, and they rejoin the party automatically when the player returns.
So before you start, answer one question: if the host cannot play for three weeks, does the campaign stop? If that is a problem, pick the most reliable person as host, or agree to start a fresh save later.
Crossplay since Patch 8
Patch 8 was the game's final major update and brought crossplay between PC, Mac, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. According to Larian's support page, the setup is:
- Link your game to your Larian account.
- Enable crossplay under Options > Gameplay in the main menu.
- Add your friends by their Larian account name.
- The host goes to Multiplayer > Cross-Play and creates a lobby, then adds friends, who must have crossplay enabled and accept the invite.
- When everyone shows as Ready, the host clicks Launch.
To use crossplay with a save you already have, choose Enable CrossPlay from the Load Game screen, load it, then invite friends from the Multiplayer menu.
Mods deserve a warning: Larian says everyone in the lobby needs exactly the same mods and versions. If a connection fails, the first thing Larian suggests is trying to host or join without mods.
Split-screen
Two players can share one screen on PC and on consoles, and Patch 8 added Xbox Series S support. Steam Deck is not supported for split-screen according to Larian's FAQ. Split-screen is a good fit for a couple who share a couch. We did not find an official statement on mixing split-screen with online players on every platform, so test it before you plan a night around it.
Dialogue and loot etiquette
BG3 is a story game, and in a group the story is where friction starts. We could not find an official rule for how dialogue choices or loot are split, so treat the points below as table etiquette rather than game mechanics:
- Dialogue: decide whether the party speaks through one person or whether whoever's character is addressed decides. Without a rule, the fastest clicker wins, and that gets old.
- Big choices: agree that major story decisions are discussed in voice chat before anyone confirms them.
- Loot: pick one approach: whoever can use it best, whoever needs it most, or a shared pool sorted at camp. Write it down once and stop re-arguing it.
- Companions: because each companion has one controller, share the good ones rather than one player keeping the favourites.
- Pace: say up front whether you read everything or push through. Mixing both styles is where tables lose people.
Finishing a long campaign with a group
A full BG3 run is a long commitment, and groups mostly fail on scheduling, not on difficulty. A few habits that help:
- Fix a recurring slot, even if it is only one evening a week.
- Name a stopping point at the end of each session, such as a long rest at camp, so nobody ends in the middle of a fight.
- Agree difficulty first. Explorer, Balanced, Tactician and Honour Mode are available, and Honour Mode cannot be switched on in an existing playthrough.
- Have a plan for absences: the group plays on without the missing person, or waits. Both are fine if decided in advance.
- Keep the host reachable: since the save lives with them, a host who disappears blocks everyone.
Finding people to play with
BG3 has no matchmaking of its own: you invite friends or people from your Larian friends list. Real options for finding a group include the BG3 subreddit, the Larian forums, Discord servers with LFG channels (our list of the best LFG Discord servers in 2026 is a start) and the friends you already have.
GameVerse is one more option. It is a desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux (mobile coming soon) that shows players online now for the same game and region, chill or competitive, and lets you message them. A search gathers up to 8 players, and it does not match on rank, role or schedule, so the commitment, class and platform conversation happens in chat. See the Baldur's Gate 3 page or find players to start a search, and say in your text which platform you play on.
FAQ
How many players can play Baldur's Gate 3 multiplayer?
Up to 4 players, including the host, share one campaign. Two of them can share a screen with split-screen.
Does Baldur's Gate 3 have crossplay?
Yes, since Patch 8 on April 15, 2025. PC, Mac, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S players can play together after linking a Larian account and enabling crossplay in the options.
Can I play Baldur's Gate 3 co-op without the host?
No. The campaign can run with other players absent or in single player, but not without the host who created the multiplayer save.
Does Baldur's Gate 3 have split-screen?
Yes, on PC and consoles, with Xbox Series S support added in Patch 8. It is not available on Steam Deck according to Larian's FAQ.
Can someone join our campaign halfway through?
Yes, players can join at any time up to 4 in total, but a late joiner creates a custom character, since origin characters can only be picked when the save is created.
Do we all need the same mods for crossplay?
Yes. Everyone in the lobby needs the same mods and mod versions. If a connection fails, try hosting or joining without mods.