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Playing with friends? Godlike.Host runs hosted Unturned servers from 10 data-center locations, with free DDoS protection.
Yes. Unturned supports online multiplayer and co-op, as well as LAN co-op. On Steam, you can invite friends from a multiplayer server, share a 17-digit Server Code, or let them join through the Steam Friends List. Xbox and PlayStation 4 players use the console server browser or server list. The important distinction is that a normal single-player session is not itself a joinable multiplayer world: the host must start or enter a multiplayer server.
What multiplayer features does Unturned have?
Unturned has two documented co-op networking modes:
- Online co-op: friends connect over the internet to a multiplayer server.
- LAN co-op: players on the same local network can use a LAN server. LAN servers do not appear in the public internet server list, but Steam players can still join them through an invitation, the Steam Friends List, or a Server Code.
The host needs to create or enter a multiplayer server before anyone else can join. Opening an ordinary single-player world does not turn that world into a joinable session. If your goal is a private game with friends, choose a multiplayer server and then use the platform’s joining method.
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For a short co-op session, the built-in invitation and Server Code workflow is usually simpler than running a permanent dedicated server.
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1. Start a multiplayer server
- Launch Unturned on Steam.
- Start or enter a multiplayer server rather than loading a normal single-player session.
- Wait until the server is running and you can see its pause menu or server information screen.
The exact server type can be internet-based or LAN-based. A LAN server remains private to your network and is not expected to appear in the internet browser.
2. Invite a Steam friend
Open the pause menu or server information screen and select Invite Friends when that option is available. Choose the Steam friend you want to play with. The friend can accept the Steam invitation and follow it into the server.
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Steam’s documented workflow also allows a friend to join through the Steam Friends List. This matters for LAN sessions: a LAN server can be joined from the Friends List even though it is absent from the public server list.
3. Use a Server Code instead
If an invitation is inconvenient, copy the server’s Server Code and send it to your friend. The friend opens Unturned’s Connect Directly option, enters the code, and connects without needing the host to configure port forwarding for that joining action.
A Server Code is a randomly generated 17-digit numeric code. It identifies the current multiplayer server session and can be used for internet or LAN servers.
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How Unturned Server Codes work
Joining with a code
- The host starts the multiplayer server.
- The host copies the 17-digit Server Code from the server information or sharing screen.
- The host sends the complete number to the friend exactly as displayed.
- The friend opens Connect Directly, enters the number, and confirms the connection.
This method is useful when the friend is not seeing the server in a browser or when the host is running a LAN server. It does not require the joining player to set up port forwarding.
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Unless a Game Server Login Token (GSLT) is assigned, the Server Code normally changes when the server restarts. A friend who saved yesterday’s number may therefore receive an invalid or unavailable-server result after the host has closed and reopened the session. Generate and share the current code after each restart, or use a GSLT when you need the code linked across restarts.
A code is not a replacement for a running server. The host must still have the multiplayer server online when the friend attempts to connect.
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Choose the hosting method according to how long the world needs to remain available and how much networking setup you are willing to handle.
| Approach | Setup effort | Must the host stay online? | After a restart | Visibility | Networking requirements | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short Steam multiplayer session | Low; start a multiplayer server and invite friends or share the code | Yes, while friends are playing | Share the new code unless a GSLT is assigned | Private through invitations or direct connection | No port forwarding needed for a friend joining by code | A quick co-op session with a small group |
| LAN server | Low if everyone is on the same local network | Yes, while the LAN server is running | The code normally changes after a restart without a GSLT | Not listed in the public internet browser; reachable through Steam sharing methods | Players need access to the same LAN | Friends or family playing in one home or venue |
| Persistent internet server | Higher; use the Dedicated Server tool and configure Fake IP or port forwarding | The server process must remain available, but it need not be a player’s active game session | A GSLT can keep the server listed and the code linked between sessions | Can appear in the internet server list when the listing requirements are met | Fake IP or port forwarding; a GSLT is required for internet-list visibility | A continuing private community or world |
“Private” describes who you allow to join, not necessarily whether a server is technically on the internet. A LAN server is private by network location. An internet server can be kept private by sharing its details only with selected friends and controlling who receives the invitation or code.
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How to run a persistent internet server
A persistent server is the right choice when friends should be able to return to the same world without waiting for one player’s normal game session. It requires more administration than the quick Steam method.
Install the official Dedicated Server tool
Unturned’s official Dedicated Server tool is installed and updated through SteamCMD. This creates a server process separate from the ordinary game client. Keep the tool updated through SteamCMD so the server version remains compatible with the clients connecting to it.
Choose Fake IP or port forwarding
An internet server needs a way for outside players to reach it. The documented options are Fake IP or port forwarding. Fake IP avoids configuring your home router in the usual way, while port forwarding exposes the required server traffic through your router to the computer running the server. The correct choice depends on your network and how much router administration you can perform.
Port forwarding is not required merely because a friend joins a running server by Server Code. It becomes relevant when you are independently hosting a persistent internet server and need incoming connections to reach it.
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A Game Server Login Token (GSLT) is required for an internet server to appear in Unturned’s server list. It can also keep the Server Code linked between sessions, which is useful when you want friends to use a consistent server identity after restarts.
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Without a GSLT, a persistent server may still be reachable through its available connection method, but it will not satisfy the documented requirement for appearing in the public server list, and its code normally changes after a restart.
Plan for administration
- Keep the dedicated-server computer or host service running whenever friends need access.
- Apply server updates through SteamCMD and check that connecting clients are on a compatible game version.
- Record the server name and current connection details for your group.
- Decide whether you want public-list visibility or a less discoverable private arrangement.
Joining on Xbox
On Xbox, open the server list and search for the friend’s server name. 505 Games advises using the same server location, such as Frankfurt, when searching. You can also join directly from the friends list when that option is offered by the console interface.
- Ask the host for the exact server name and location.
- Open Unturned’s server list on Xbox.
- Search for the name and select the matching server.
- If the server does not appear, try the same location as the host or use the friends-list join option.
The Xbox instructions use the console’s server list and friends interface rather than Steam’s Server Code workflow.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Joining on PlayStation 4
On PlayStation 4, open the server browser and find the friend’s server name. Ask the host for the exact spelling before searching, then select the matching result.
- Start Unturned and open the server browser.
- Search for the friend’s server name.
- Select the server when it appears and connect.
The documented PlayStation 4 process does not use Steam invitations or Steam Connect Directly. Available platform instructions also do not establish cross-play between Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation 4, so do not assume that players on different platforms can join the same server without explicit compatibility information for the specific release and server.
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Which method should you choose?
Choose a Steam session when
- You want to start playing quickly.
- The same person can host whenever the group plays.
- You are comfortable sending a fresh Server Code after a restart.
Choose LAN when
- Everyone is physically connected to the same local network.
- You do not need the server to appear in the internet browser.
- You want local play without exposing a server to the wider internet.
Choose a dedicated internet server when
- The world should remain available beyond one player’s active game session.
- Friends connect from different homes or networks.
- You are prepared to manage SteamCMD, networking, updates, and a GSLT.
Troubleshooting friend connections
The friend cannot find the server
First confirm that the host started a multiplayer server, not a normal single-player world. For Steam, try the invitation or Friends List instead of relying on the public browser. If it is a LAN server, remember that it is not expected to appear in the internet list; send the Server Code or use the Steam invitation.
The Server Code is rejected
Check every digit and ask the host to copy the code again from the currently running server. A restart without a GSLT normally creates a different code, so an older saved number may no longer identify the active session.
The internet server does not appear in the list
For a persistent internet server, verify that the Dedicated Server tool is running, that Fake IP or port forwarding has been configured, and that a GSLT is assigned. The GSLT is the documented requirement for appearing in the internet server list.
The console search returns no result
On Xbox, confirm the server name and try the host’s server location, such as Frankfurt, or join from the friends list. On PlayStation 4, check the spelling in the server browser and ask the host to confirm the exact name.
The host closed the game
A short session is available only while its host server is running. If friends need access at different times, move the world to a persistent dedicated-server arrangement rather than relying on a player’s temporary session.
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Practical checklist before inviting friends
- Confirm that the host selected multiplayer.
- Decide whether the group is using Steam, Xbox, or PlayStation 4; use that platform’s joining workflow.
- For Steam, prepare either an invitation or the current 17-digit Server Code.
- For LAN, verify that every player is on the same local network.
- For a persistent internet server, prepare the Dedicated Server tool, Fake IP or port forwarding, and a GSLT if list visibility and a stable code are needed.
- Tell friends whether the host will remain online for the whole session.
Bottom line for playing Unturned with friends
Unturned is multiplayer. Steam players can start a multiplayer server and invite friends through Steam, share a 17-digit Server Code through Connect Directly, or use those same sharing methods for a LAN server. Xbox and PlayStation 4 players find a friend’s server through the console server list or browser. For a world that must stay available after the host leaves, use the Dedicated Server tool and configure the required networking and GSLT settings; a normal single-player world is not a direct multiplayer join target.
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