Big Walk is a multiplayer game to its core: you cannot play it alone, and you are not meant to. Here is everything the official FAQ confirms about how playing together actually works.
Quick answers
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many players? | 2–12 online |
| Single-player mode? | No |
| Matchmaking? | No — you invite people you know |
| Crossplay? | Yes, full crossplay on all platforms |
| Cross-save / cross-progression? | No — progress stays with the host |
| Local / couch co-op? | No — not possible |
| How do I join friends? | Join Code or friends list |
| How does saving work? | The host's game autosaves |
How hosting works
Sessions in Big Walk are host-based. One player hosts the world, and everyone else joins that player's game.
When starting, the host picks a world version sized for the group — tuned for 2, 3, or 4+ players — and the world adapts to that size. So a duo and a full group of twelve are walking through versions of the island shaped for them.
Saving is just as simple: the host's game saves automatically. There's no manual save and nothing for guests to manage — when the group returns, you rejoin the host's world and carry on. See how to save in Big Walk for safe exits, resuming and PC backups.
Join Codes and the friends list
There are two ways in:
- Join Code — the host shares a code, and anyone with it can join the session.
- Friends list — join friends directly through your platform's friends list.
The dedicated Join Code guide shows where the host finds the current code, how passwords work and the official connection-error checklist.
There is no matchmaking with strangers, by design. Big Walk is built around talking — proximity voice chat is the heart of the game — and that works best with people you actually know.
Is Big Walk cross-platform?
Yes. Big Walk is cross-platform and has full crossplay between all platforms: Steam (PC and Mac), Mac App Store, PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2. Any mix of those can share a single session — the host's platform doesn't restrict who can join.
One platform quirk from the official FAQ: the Mac App Store version does not support Game Center, so friends will not show up in a friends list there — Mac App Store players join via Join Code instead. The Steam Mac version has the full friends-list flow.
Cross-save and online subscriptions
Big Walk has no cross-save or cross-progression. There is no shared account-based group save — progress lives with the player who hosted the game, and that same host must load the saved session when the group returns. Crossplay lets different platforms share one session, but it does not give every participant an interchangeable copy of the save. A friend who plays with a different host starts that host's world from scratch.
Two platforms also need a paid subscription for online play: PS5 requires PlayStation Plus, and Nintendo Switch 2 requires Nintendo Switch Online. Windows, Mac and Steam versions have no such requirement for the online co-op itself.
Does Big Walk have split screen or local co-op?
No couch co-op — and it's deliberate. The official FAQ explains that playing in the same room isn't possible: the game is built around proximity voice chat, so sitting side by side you would simply hear each other's real voices instead of the game's spatial audio. Each player needs their own device and copy.
Connecting another controller does not enable split screen. The official store listings back this up on every platform: Nintendo lists "Single system: 1" and "Online: 2–12" for Switch 2, the PlayStation Store separates one local player from the up-to-12 online count, and Steam lists Online Co-op with no Local Co-op feature. There is no shared-screen or local multiplayer mode anywhere.
To play with someone in the same room, the realistic setup is two devices side by side — two PCs, a PC and a laptop, or any crossplay combination — each running its own copy, connected through the host's Join Code, with each player wearing their own headphones. Because the game's distance-based audio muffles and fades with walls and distance, the official FAQ's practical suggestion for same-location players is to use separate rooms so the in-game restrictions are preserved.
Two subscription notes matter for same-room play: online play on PS5 requires PlayStation Plus, and on Switch 2 it requires Nintendo Switch Online. Share Play streaming has not been tested with Big Walk and has no official statement, so do not count on it — the reliable path is the two-device setup above.
For the limits of starting a world alone, see can you play Big Walk solo?.
Voice chat and troubleshooting
Proximity voice chat means your friends sound close when they're close and fade as you wander apart — and tools like walkie-talkies extend that range across the island. A few known issues from the official FAQ:
- Voice too quiet? Some players get quiet voice chat — it's a known issue, so check your voice settings first. A fix is rolling out in version
1.4.8. - On PS5? There's a dedicated voice-chat mute toggle on PS5.
- Performance problems? Lower the Render Scale in settings.
For larger groups, split by tower and give each team a radio operator. The multiplayer tips page has a 2–12 player role template, late-join checklist and a shared-coordinate routine. The communication guide covers proximity voice, walkie-talkies and visual signals.
Getting started
Grab the game on Steam or your platform's store, decide who hosts, share the Join Code — and start walking. If your group is wondering how much time to set aside, see how long Big Walk takes.