The quick answer
Once multiplayer is unlocked, open Mode Switch → Solo/Co-Op Mode, then use Invite Visitors or a co-op code to bring friends into your session. Private exploration supports up to five players including the host. Choose an activity that allows co-op; joining a party does not make every story step playable together.
On this page
Unlock multiplayer and choose the host
Early multiplayer guides place the unlock at character level 10. If the controls are still locked, finish the introductory story prompts and check the requirement shown in Mode Switch. A missing menu during the introduction is different from a connection failure.
Choose whose world you are visiting before sending invitations. If you are helping a friend finish a local objective, have that friend host and track it first. This makes it easier to see which world state and objective the group is working toward.
Create the session and invite your friends
- Open the main menu and choose Mode Switch.
- Select Solo/Co-Op Mode to access private co-op.
- Use Invite Visitors to invite the intended players or generate a co-op code.
- Have friends accept the invitation or enter the code through the available co-op join option.
- Confirm everyone has arrived in the same session before travelling to the activity.
The exploration session limit is five including the host; a ten-player activity uses its own group format. Do not assume a dungeon’s roster size changes the number of visitors allowed in the open-world session.
Cross-play does not require sharing an account
Players can play together across supported platforms. Each person uses their own account. Account linking is for carrying your own progress to another device, not for adding a friend to a party. Never exchange login credentials to make co-op work.
Check that you and your friends are in compatible server regions. The official Xbox FAQ describes cross-play and cross-progression within the same region; a platform difference alone is not the same issue as a region mismatch.
Check what progress the activity shares
The January update added Solo/Online synchronisation for chests, Oddities and certain puzzle or exploration activities. That makes shared exploration more useful, but it is not a blanket promise that every quest and story scene advances for every visitor.
Read the objective and any co-op restriction before starting. If a main story step requests Solo Mode, leave the shared session, complete that step and regroup afterward. If you are farming a challenge, every player should check their own reward eligibility rather than relying on the host’s allowance.
If you cannot see or join your friend
| Symptom | Check first |
|---|---|
| Invite action locked | Introductory progression and the exact Mode Switch requirement. |
| Friend joined but is elsewhere | Session membership, world location and travel options. |
| Activity will not start | Party size, each member’s unlock and whether that activity supports co-op. |
| Cross-platform invite fails | Correct code, current client version and server region. |
| Quest progress differs | Host/visitor state and the quest’s specific co-op rules. |
Try a simple exploration session before queuing for the complicated activity. If that works, the remaining problem is more likely to be the activity’s requirements than the entire multiplayer connection.
What to read next
Common questions
Can the whole main story be completed together?
Do not assume so. Main story steps can require Solo Mode; follow each quest’s actual restriction.
Do I need to link my account to my friend’s?
No. Cross-play uses separate player accounts. Linking is for accessing your own character on another platform.
Sources & verification
Source research is separate from in-game testing. Recommendations are identified as editorial advice.
- Official update: 607XBOX2
Same-region cross-play; distinct from account linking.
- Official update: JAN8
Online/Solo collectible progress synchronisation, not universal quest completion.