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Run Party Pack 12 on one supported host device connected to your TV, open a game lobby, and have each guest visit jackbox.tv in a phone or tablet browser. Enter the room code shown on the TV, choose a player name, and join; only the host needs to own the game.
What you need before you start
Party Pack 12 uses a simple host-and-players arrangement. One computer or console runs the game and sends its picture to the TV. Every participant uses a phone, tablet, or another web-enabled device as an input device. The TV shows the shared prompts, timers, room code, and results; the personal device is where each player enters answers and other responses.
- One host device: Party Pack 12 is sold for PC storefronts, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
- A TV or other shared display: Connect the host device so everyone can see the lobby and gameplay.
- Internet-connected player devices: Each player needs a phone, tablet, or other web-enabled device with a browser.
- The game installed on the host: Guests do not install or purchase the pack merely to join.
- A browser address: Players join at jackbox.tv.
Steam lists a broadband internet connection for the PC host. The browser-based join process also means the phones and tablets need working internet access, not just a display connection to the TV.
How the TV setup works
The host device is the only device that runs Party Pack 12. The TV is a shared screen rather than a controller. Use the host’s normal TV output and select the corresponding input on the television; for a computer or console this is commonly an HDMI connection, but the exact cable and input depend on your equipment.
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- Connect the host device to power and to the TV’s selected video input.
- Turn on the TV and switch to the input carrying the host device’s picture.
- Connect the host device to the internet. If you are using a PC, the Steam requirements specify broadband connectivity.
- Install Party Pack 12 from the storefront for your host platform.
- Keep the host device and the TV where everyone can see the game screen. Players need to read the room code and shared prompts throughout the session.
You do not need to connect a gamepad to every seat. Phones provide the individual controls after the lobby appears.
Step-by-step: start a game on the TV
1. Launch the pack on the host
Open Party Pack 12 on the computer or console connected to the TV. The host device should remain in control of the game for the entire round. If the application opens behind another window or on the wrong display, bring it to the screen everyone can see before inviting players.
2. Select a game
Choose the game you want from the Party Pack 12 menu. Wait for that game’s lobby screen to load. The lobby is the joining point: it displays the current room code that players must enter on their personal devices.
3. Leave the lobby visible
Do not navigate away from the lobby while people are joining. Ask guests to read the code directly from the TV, including its letters in the order shown. The code belongs to the current lobby, so a new lobby can require a new code.
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4. Let players join from their browsers
Each participant opens a browser on a phone, tablet, or another web-enabled device and goes to jackbox.tv. They enter the room code shown on the TV, enter a player name, and submit it. A successful join normally places that player in the lobby list on the shared screen.
5. Start from the host screen
When everyone who is playing appears in the lobby, use the host controls shown on the TV to start. The host, not an individual phone, advances the game. During play, the TV presents common instructions, prompts, timers, and results while each phone supplies that player’s private input.
Using a phone as a controller
A phone does not run the game itself. It acts as a browser-based controller tied to the room code on the TV. The basic sequence is:
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- Open the phone’s browser.
- Go to jackbox.tv.
- Type the room code currently displayed on the TV.
- Enter a player name.
- Join the lobby and keep the browser page open while playing.
Keep the TV in view because the shared question, countdown, or result may not be repeated on the phone. Keep the phone available because that is where the game receives your response. A tablet or another web-enabled device can follow the same process when a larger personal screen is more comfortable.
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What guests do not need
- They do not need to buy a separate copy of Party Pack 12.
- They do not need to install the pack on their phones.
- They do not need a dedicated gamepad for each player.
Jackbox Games’ official guidance says only one person needs to own and install the product. Steam and Xbox describe the same one-purchase hosting model. The host’s copy supplies the game; guests connect through their browsers.
Ownership, players, and audience capacity
One purchase can host a group. The person who owns Party Pack 12 installs it on the selected host device and runs the lobby. Everyone else joins at jackbox.tv.
| Capacity item | What is established | How to apply it |
|---|---|---|
| Active players | The official Nintendo listing states that the games support 2–8 players. | Check the selected game’s lobby and instructions before promising a particular number of seats; the practical limit is game-specific within the pack. |
| Audience | The same listing states support for up to 10,000 additional audience members. | Audience members are separate from the active-player seats. They watch and participate according to the selected game’s audience features. |
| Game ownership | Only one person needs to own and install the product. | Install and launch the pack on the device connected to the TV; guests use browsers. |
| Internet | Players join through a web page, and the Steam PC listing requires broadband internet for the host. | Ensure the host and every joining phone or tablet can reach the internet before starting. |
The 2–8 figure describes the pack listing, not a guarantee that every individual game uses all eight active seats. Read the selected game’s lobby and on-screen directions for its own player and audience behavior.
Choosing a host platform
The phone-controller workflow is the same once the lobby is visible. Choose the platform that you already own, can connect reliably to the TV, and can keep online during the session.
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- Three play modes: TV, tabletop, and handheld
- Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
- Detachable Joy-Con controllers
| Host option | When it makes sense | Known requirements and cautions |
|---|---|---|
| PC storefront | Useful when a computer is already available near the TV and can provide a stable display connection. | Party Pack 12 is sold for PC storefronts. Steam lists broadband internet for the host. The computer runs the pack while phones join in browsers. |
| PlayStation 5 | Convenient when the console is already connected to the television. | Party Pack 12 is sold for PlayStation 5. Guests still join at jackbox.tv; no separate guest copy is required. |
| Xbox Series X|S | Suitable when an Xbox Series X or Series S is the established TV device. | Party Pack 12 is sold for Xbox Series X|S. Xbox’s listing follows the one-owner hosting model. |
| Nintendo Switch | Practical for a TV party when a Switch is already available or when portability matters. | Party Pack 12 is sold for Nintendo Switch. Nintendo instructs players to visit jackbox.tv and enter the code displayed by the game. |
A Switch is not required. A supported PC, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X|S can host the pack if it is connected to the TV and online. Conversely, buying a console solely for this party game is unnecessary unless you also want that platform for other uses.
Launch price and release information
Party Pack 12 launched on October 15, 2026, at a listed launch price of $29.99 on the announced major platforms. That figure is the stated launch price; storefront pricing, taxes, currency conversion, and later promotions can vary by region and date. The joining method does not change with the host platform: one installed copy creates the lobby, and guests use browsers.
Best practice for a smooth room
Prepare the host before guests arrive
- Install and update the pack before the party rather than during the joining window.
- Test that the TV shows the host screen at a readable size and brightness.
- Confirm that the host has internet access and that the controller phones can use the same room’s internet service or another reliable connection.
- Open the game and reach its lobby so the room code is visible before asking everyone to join.
Make the shared screen easy to read
Place the TV where every participant can see the code, prompts, timer, and results. Avoid leaving the lobby for a different application while players are entering the code. If the host device offers multiple displays, verify that the game is on the TV rather than on a laptop or monitor hidden from the group.
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Ask each person to enter a distinct player name so the host can identify the correct participants. Have players confirm that their names appear on the TV before the host starts. If someone is only watching, they can remain an audience member where the selected game supports that role rather than taking an active-player seat.
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- One player can use a Joy-Con in each hand
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Protect the browser session
Players should keep the browser tab open and avoid refreshing or navigating away while a round is in progress. If a phone locks, loses its connection, or closes the page, return to jackbox.tv and use the current room code shown on the TV.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting the room code
The TV does not show a code
- Confirm that Party Pack 12 is running on the host device.
- Select a game and wait for its lobby screen, rather than remaining on the pack’s main menu.
- Make sure the game screen is actually visible on the TV and that the correct input is selected.
- Once the lobby appears, have players use the code shown there.
A phone says the code is invalid
- Have the player return to jackbox.tv in a browser.
- Read the code from the TV again and re-enter it exactly as displayed.
- Check for a mistyped character and make sure the player is entering the current code, not one from an earlier round.
- If the host backed out, restarted, or changed games, wait for the new lobby and enter its newly displayed code.
The code worked earlier but now does not
A new lobby can produce a new code. If the host backs out of the game or restarts it, have everyone leave the old room and join again with the code currently displayed on the TV. Do not keep retrying an earlier code after the host screen has changed.
One person cannot join while others can
- Check that the person is using a browser and the exact address jackbox.tv.
- Verify that the phone has internet access rather than only a connection to a local wireless network.
- Ask the player to close the join page, reopen it, and enter the current code again.
- Confirm that the selected game has not reached its active-player limit. The pack listing gives 2–8 active players, but the limit can differ by game.
No one can join
- Check the host’s internet connection first; the PC version’s Steam listing requires broadband connectivity.
- Check whether the host is still in the intended lobby and whether the TV is showing a current code.
- Test jackbox.tv from a phone browser.
- If the host or game was restarted, discard the previous code and have everyone join with the new one.
Troubleshooting the TV and phone displays
The host sees the game, but the TV is blank
Verify the TV input, the cable or wireless display path used by the host, and whether the host device is sending video to the intended screen. The game must be visible on the TV for players to read the code and shared prompts. Once the correct host output appears, return to the lobby and let players join.
The TV shows the game, but a phone shows no controls
The phone is only a browser controller after it joins the correct room. Reopen jackbox.tv, enter the room code displayed on the TV, and complete the player-name step. A phone that has merely opened a general web page has not joined the game.
The phone and TV appear out of sync
Use the TV as the authority for the current room code, prompt, timer, and results. If the phone page was left idle, refreshed, or disconnected, rejoin using the code currently shown on the host screen. If the host changed games or restarted, all players should leave the old room and join the new lobby.
What happens during a typical session
- The host launches Party Pack 12 on the device connected to the TV.
- The host selects a game and leaves its lobby visible.
- Each active player opens a browser, visits jackbox.tv, enters the displayed code, and chooses a name.
- The host confirms the intended players and starts the game.
- The TV presents shared instructions, prompts, timers, and results.
- Each player enters private responses on the phone.
- If another round or game is selected, everyone checks the TV for the new lobby code and rejoins when necessary.
This arrangement lets a group share one large screen without passing a controller around. It also separates the host’s purchase and installation from the guests’ participation: the host runs the software, while guests supply browser input.
Quick Recap
Quick pre-start checklist
- Party Pack 12 is installed on one supported host device.
- The host device is connected to the TV and the correct TV input is selected.
- The host is online; broadband is listed for the Steam PC version.
- A game has been selected and its lobby code is visible.
- Every player has a phone, tablet, or other web-enabled device with internet access.
- Every player is using a browser at jackbox.tv.
- Players have entered the current code and distinct names.
- The host has checked the selected game’s player and audience limits before starting.
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