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The quickest way to play Core Keeper with friends is to use a Game ID. One player starts or loads a world, opens the pause menu, copies the Game ID, and sends it to the group. Friends choose Join Game and enter that ID. The host must remain in the world during a normal host-and-play session.
If the world needs to stay available while that player is offline, install the official Core Keeper Dedicated Server, share its generated Game ID, and leave the server process running. PC storefronts can play together, but the current developer FAQ does not support cross-platform play between PC and consoles or between console families.
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Core Keeper (Nintendo Switch) | $44.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Ori The Collection (Nintendo Switch) | $39.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Before you invite anyone: check platform compatibility
Multiplayer setup only works when everyone is in a supported platform grouping. The pinned developer FAQ lists Core Keeper on Steam, Epic, GOG, Microsoft Store, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
Players on different PC storefronts can join the same game. For example, a Steam player can play with friends who own the Epic or GOG version. The August 2025 developer update also says PC players using Steam, Epic, GOG, or Microsoft Store can share dedicated servers when the server is configured according to its bundled README.
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- Uncover the mysteries of the core: descend into a vibrant world in Core Keeper on Nintendo Switch, a co-op adventure for 1-4 players. Explore a dynamically generated underground filled with secrets, resources, and legendary challenges. Mine for precious materials, create powerful tools, unlock unique abilities and build your foundation to thrive in this ever-evolving world. Will you be a master miner, a craft prodigy or a terrifying fighter? The choice is yours!
- Explore a diverse subworld: No two adventures are the same in the procedurally generated world of Core Keeper. Each biome has its own ecosystem and challenges. Navigate the living walls of the Clay Caves, brave the crystal-filled shimmering border or discover the secrets of the ancient caves. Build a sturdy boat and explore the depths of the mysterious Sunken Sea. Every corner whispers of the past - tell the story and discover the true power of the Core.
- Build your underground paradise: Unleash your creativity and make your own way in Core Keeper. Create the ultimate foundation, from a cozy cottage to a bustling mining center, with a variety of materials and decorations. Customize your character's look to your playstyle and choose from a wide range of outfits and powerful armor pieces. In creative mode, experiment with unlimited resources and push the boundaries of building bases. Expand your experience even further with a thriving community and a wealth of player-created mods.
- Adventure awaits, solo or with friends: Embark on a solo adventure at your own pace, discover hidden secrets and build your dream base. Core Keeper also shines in seamless 2-4 player co-op. Collaborate, share resources, overcome challenges and create a shared world with your friends. Celebrate the changing seasons, trade with merchants, breed cute animal lovers, make music on playable instruments - the possibilities are endless. Do you want a dedicated world for your crew? Host your own server and discover at your leisure
- Word Core Keeper: Core Keeper offers an unforgettable experience for sandbox adventurers. With limitless possibilities, engaging explorations and a vibrant online community, there's always something new to discover. Take on legendary Titans, automate tasks with ingenious machines, master a wide range of recipes and discover the secrets of this forgotten world. Take on the challenge, explore the depths and build your legacy in Core Keeper, coming soon to Nintendo Switch!
Cross-platform crossplay is different. The developer FAQ says it is not available. Do not expect a PC player to join someone on PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch, and do not assume PlayStation and Xbox players can join one another. The FAQ describes support for cross-generation play, but it does not make every console family interchangeable.
- PC storefronts: Steam, Epic, GOG, and Microsoft Store players can play together.
- Cross-generation play: listed by the developer as supported.
- PC-to-console or console-to-console-family play: not available according to the current developer FAQ.
Check this compatibility point before buying a copy or troubleshooting an invitation. Platform support can change, so consult the latest pinned developer FAQ if your group is using a newly released version.
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How to play a normal multiplayer world
The standard method is player-hosted multiplayer. The host runs the game and world, while friends connect with the host’s Game ID.
1. Start or load the world
- Launch Core Keeper.
- On the main menu, select Start Game.
- Create a new world or select an existing world to load it.
You do not create the invitation from the title screen alone. The world must be started or loaded first so the game can generate the join information.
2. Copy the Game ID
- After the world opens, pause the game. On PC, the default pause key is
Esc. - Choose Copy game ID.
- Paste the copied ID into the group chat your friends normally use.
The Game ID is the code friends need in order to find this particular multiplayer session. Send the complete value exactly as the game copied it.
3. Have each friend join
- Each friend launches Core Keeper.
- From the main menu, select Join Game.
- Enter the Game ID supplied by the host and confirm.
Every participant follows the same Join Game path. A friend does not need to choose Start Game or create a separate world to enter the host’s session.
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The host must be in the world for the session to remain playable. If the host leaves the world or closes the game, friends cannot continue using that normal host-and-play session. This is the main difference between an ordinary multiplayer game and a dedicated server.
What the Game ID does—and what it does not do
The Game ID identifies the active host session for the Join Game screen. It is not a replacement for launching the world: the host still has to start or load the world before friends can connect.
If someone receives an error or cannot see the session, first confirm that the host is currently inside the world and then copy the ID again from the pause menu. Have the friend open Join Game and enter the newly copied value rather than trying to launch the world through Start Game. These checks address the two most common setup mistakes: using an old session code and attempting to join while the host is not running the world.
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- Five unique heroes, each with their own special skills, have been called upon by the mysterious government of the Metaverse.
- Long ago, a great cataclysm shook reality and created the Metaverse and its Bastion – a vast and mysterious ship drifting across space-time. Our heroes will board the Bastion with one goal in mind: uncover the secrets behind the cataclysm, stop the Boss, and bring balance back to the Metaverse.
- Harness the power of space-time abilities - death becomes a minor setback as our heroes will return again and again until this great evil is defeated. But death has a cost; the chaotic nature of the Metaverse will change the very Bastion itself, and no two attempts will ever be the same.
- With so many weapons, enemies and environments to discover, the quest to save the Metaverse is better than ever on Nintendo Switch!
- In-game languages include English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese.
How to keep a world available with the official dedicated server
A dedicated server is the official option when a group wants its world available without relying on the usual player to stay online. The server runs separately from the game client. Anyone who has the generated Game ID can use Join Game to connect while the server process is active.
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- Open the Steam client and go to Library.
- Change the library filter to Tools.
- Find and install Core Keeper Dedicated Server.
- Launch the dedicated-server tool.
- Wait for the server to finish starting and display a generated Game ID.
- Send that Game ID to the group.
The exact startup messages and configuration options can change with updates. Read the README included with the installed server before changing settings or exposing the server to the internet.
Keep the server process running
Friends can join only while the dedicated-server process is running. Closing its window, stopping the process, or shutting down the machine hosting it makes the world unavailable until the server is started again. A dedicated server therefore removes the requirement for one player to be present, but it still requires an available computer and an active server process.
Connect to the dedicated server
- Start Core Keeper on the client device.
- Select Join Game from the main menu.
- Enter the Game ID shown by the dedicated-server process.
The August 2025 official update states that PC players on Steam, Epic, GOG, and Microsoft Store can share dedicated servers when the server follows its README configuration. That statement applies to the listed PC storefronts; it does not authorize PC-to-console crossplay.
Network settings for players outside the local network
The older official dedicated-server instructions list UDP ports 27015–27016 as the default ports. They also say that access from outside the local network requires forwarding those ports on the router and having a public IP address.
Those port numbers are historical defaults, not a guarantee that every current build uses the same values. Before editing router rules, open the README bundled with your installed server and confirm the current ports and protocol. Use the README’s values if they differ.
Typical port-forwarding checklist
- Identify the local computer running the dedicated server.
- Give that computer a stable local-network address so the forwarding rule continues pointing to it.
- In the router’s port-forwarding page, forward the server’s documented UDP ports to that computer.
- Confirm the router has a public IP address; a private or carrier-grade address can prevent unsolicited internet connections.
- Allow the dedicated-server application through the computer’s firewall when prompted.
- Test from a friend on a different network, not only from the host computer.
Do not forward ports merely because a friend on the same home network cannot join. Local-network and internet access can fail for different reasons, and the current README should be the authority for the installed server version.
Keep every player and the server on the same branch
The older official server instructions say that all players must use the same game branch. A branch mismatch can stop clients from connecting even when the Game ID and router settings are correct.
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When a branch mismatch is likely
- The server was installed or switched to a testing branch while a player is using the normal public branch.
- The server updated but a client did not, or a client is running a different branch selected in its platform settings.
- Some players can connect while another receives a version or connection error immediately.
Return the server and every client to the same intended branch, then restart the server and have everyone join with the newly displayed Game ID. Because branch names and update behavior can change, use the current server README and platform launcher settings rather than relying on an old tutorial.
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Troubleshooting host-and-play sessions
A friend enters the ID but cannot join
- Verify that the host actually selected Start Game and is inside the world.
- Copy the Game ID again from the pause menu and send the fresh value.
- Make sure the friend is using Join Game, not Start Game.
- Check that both players are in a supported platform grouping. A PC-to-console attempt will not work under the current crossplay rules.
The host left, and everyone was disconnected
That behavior is expected for a normal player-hosted session. The host must remain in the world. If the group needs access while that player is away, move the world to the official dedicated-server setup instead of trying to keep the ordinary session alive.
One storefront works while another does not
Steam, Epic, GOG, and Microsoft Store PC versions are listed as compatible with one another. Confirm that the affected player is fully updated and using the same supported branch as the host. If the other player is on a console, the failure is caused by the lack of cross-platform crossplay rather than by the PC storefront.
Troubleshooting a dedicated server
The server does not show a Game ID
Wait for the dedicated-server process to finish starting. If it never displays an ID, stop and restart the tool, then read its bundled README for the required launch or configuration steps. Do not distribute an ID until the server reports that it is ready.
Friends on the internet cannot connect
- Confirm the server process is still running.
- Check the current README for the required UDP ports.
- Verify that those ports are forwarded to the correct computer on the router.
- Confirm the host network has a public IP address.
- Check the operating-system firewall and any security software for a blocked server application.
- Have a friend retry from outside the host’s local network.
The older instructions’ 27015–27016 values should be treated as version-sensitive. Recheck them after an update instead of assuming the defaults remain unchanged.
Clients report a version or branch problem
Put the server and every player on the same game branch. Restart the server after changing the branch and distribute the newly generated Game ID if the startup process provides a different one.
The server worked previously but stopped after an update
Read the newly installed README, compare its documented settings with the router and server configuration, and check whether the update changed branch or port requirements. Platform support and networking behavior can change, so an older guide may no longer match the installed build.
Choosing the right setup
| Situation | Recommended setup | What must be true |
|---|---|---|
| One player is available to host every session | Normal Start Game and Join Game | The host starts or loads the world, shares the Game ID, and stays in the world. |
| Friends use different PC storefronts | Normal host-and-play or a dedicated server | Everyone uses a supported PC storefront: Steam, Epic, GOG, or Microsoft Store. |
| The usual host may be offline | Official Core Keeper Dedicated Server | The server tool is installed, its process remains running, and players use its generated Game ID. |
| Players are on PC and console | No supported cross-platform session under the current FAQ | Do not purchase or configure a setup assuming PC-to-console crossplay. |
| Friends connect from outside the host’s home network | Dedicated server with internet access configured | Use the current README, public IP access, and documented UDP port forwarding. |
Limits and details the official guidance does not establish
The cited official multiplayer guidance does not publish a player-limit figure. Do not rely on a third-party number when planning a group; verify any current capacity information in an updated official source.
The same guidance explains the Game ID join flow and dedicated-server requirements, but it does not establish local split-screen support. This article therefore covers online multiplayer through Start Game, Join Game, and the dedicated server only.
A complete pre-session checklist
- Everyone owns a supported version of Core Keeper.
- PC players have confirmed their storefronts are Steam, Epic, GOG, or Microsoft Store when mixing storefronts.
- No one is depending on unsupported PC-to-console or console-family crossplay.
- The host has created or loaded the world before copying the Game ID.
- Friends know to select Join Game and enter the complete ID.
- The host understands that a normal session ends for others when the host leaves the world.
- If using a dedicated server, the server process is running and its Game ID is ready.
- The dedicated server and all clients use the same branch.
- For internet access, the current README’s UDP ports, router forwarding, public IP, and firewall rules have been checked.
For most groups, the first method is all that is required: Start Game, load the world, copy the Game ID, and have friends join. Use the dedicated server only when the world needs to remain available without the usual host online, and treat its README as the authority for ports and version-specific settings.
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