To join friends in Big Walk, use their active game in your platform friends list or enter the host's Join Code. The host must start the session and load their character into the world first. For a cross-platform group, a Join Code is the simplest method.
Every host session generates a short, unique code. The host can see it in a corner of the host menu before starting, or open Session Details from the in-game menu after loading. Share the current code privately with the intended players.
How to host a Big Walk game
- Choose the person who will keep the group's save.
- Select Host Game and load an existing journey or create a new one.
- Choose the 2-player, 3-player or 4+ version for the minimum group expected.
- Set a password if the session should be private.
- Start the game and wait until the host character is fully in the world.
- Share the active Join Code, password and platform version with the group.
Choosing the host is more than a networking decision. House House says the host is the keeper of all shared progress, must start first and must host again when the group wants to continue. Read the save guide before a long campaign so everyone understands who owns the journey.
The world-size choice is not the maximum lobby size. The official FAQ says to treat it as the minimum expected number of players, because some parts of the world adapt to 2, 3 or 4+ participants. If half the group may leave early, choose the lower reliable number.
Where to find the Join Code
Before the host starts, look in the corner of the host menu. Once the character is already in the world, open the in-game menu and choose Session Details. That screen shows the active Join Code and also lets the host change the password without closing the game.
Use the newly displayed code for every session. House House describes it as unique and generated each time the host starts, so a screenshot from the previous night may be stale. If a friend repeatedly returns to the menu, ask the host to read the current code from Session Details rather than from an old message.
Protect the code. Anyone who knows the Join Code can attempt to join, and the session is also visible to friends and friends of other players. House House recommends a password when you want to control who enters, and warns streamers not to expose either the code or password on screen.
How to join with a code
- Wait for the host to confirm that their character has loaded into the world.
- Open the join-game flow from Big Walk's main menu.
- Enter the current Join Code exactly as the host displays it.
- Enter the session password if one is set.
- Let the connection finish before repeatedly backing out or submitting again.
Join Codes work when players are not connected through the same platform friends service, making them the normal route for crossplay. The official FAQ specifically notes that the Mac App Store edition does not support Game Center, so its players must use a code. Steam on Mac still uses Steam's own friend features.
A guest does not have to be there from the start. You can join an already-running session with the host's current Join Code or via the friends list, and players can drop in and out as needed (IGN's review notes it is easy to pop into the adventure for a bit). The catch is that the group's progress still belongs to the host — see how saving works before relying on a friend to carry on without them.
Big Walk supports crossplay between its listed versions on Steam for Windows or Mac, the Mac App Store, PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2. Players do not need the same storefront account, and the host's platform does not limit which supported platform can join. Each person still needs their own device and access to the game because there is no split-screen mode.
Join through the friends list
If both players are friends on Steam, PlayStation or Nintendo's online service, an active host game should appear in the menu of friend games. Select that entry after the host is loaded. This avoids typing a code, but it does not change who owns the save.
If the host does not appear, first confirm that both accounts are actually friends on the service being used. The Mac App Store version will not show a Game Center friends list, so switch to a Join Code there. A code is also a clean diagnostic step when a same-platform friend entry refuses to refresh.
Do not confuse the lack of public matchmaking with a broken friends menu. Big Walk deliberately does not match strangers into a campaign. If the group still needs players, organize them first through the find-players guide and share live credentials privately.
Big Walk crossplay version rules
A Big Walk version contains three numbers, such as 1.2.3. According to the official FAQ, only the first two numbers need to match for players to connect; the third number may differ. A group on 1.4.8 and 1.4.7 therefore meets the published compatibility rule, while 1.3.x and 1.4.x do not.
Check the version before spending time on router changes or reinstalling. Console certification and storefront rollout can cause one system to receive an update later than another. If the first two components do not match, wait for the missing platform update rather than treating the Join Code as invalid.
Fix a Join Code that does not work
Follow the official checks in this order:
- Confirm that the host has started the world and their character is fully loaded.
- Ask the host to check any connection warning in the lower-left corner.
- Verify that every device has a working internet connection.
- Make sure the device's date, time and time zone are accurate.
- Compare the first two components of every player's game version.
- Fully close Big Walk for both host and guest, reopen it and try a fresh session code.
An inaccurate system clock can prevent a device from joining or hosting any game at all. This is an official troubleshooting point and is easy to miss because other online apps may still appear normal. Enable automatic date and time, then restart Big Walk after the clock corrects itself.
If only guests lag or jump around after joining, inspect the host's network and frame rate. The official FAQ says a struggling host can create network trouble for everyone, so closing bandwidth-heavy apps, moving nearer the router, using Ethernet and lowering the host's graphics quality are all relevant tests. For error-specific steps, use the connection troubleshooting guide.
Session safety checklist
- Use a password for private or family sessions.
- Do not display the Join Code or password while streaming.
- Share a fresh code only after the host is in the world.
- Choose a host who can attend future sessions.
- Record the first two version numbers when reporting a failed connection.
- Close the host session normally so guests disconnect cleanly.
These steps solve the two most common sources of confusion: treating a session code as permanent and forgetting that the host owns the continuing world. Once the connection is stable, the multiplayer guide covers voice chat, local co-op limits and group-size planning.
Sources
- Official Big Walk FAQ: connect to a friend's game
- Official Big Walk FAQ: find a Join Code
- Official Big Walk FAQ: who can join
- Official Big Walk FAQ: version compatibility
- Official Big Walk FAQ: connection troubleshooting
Version, clock and Mac App Store checks
If a friend cannot join, the official FAQ says only the first two version components must match; a significantly inaccurate device clock can block both joining and hosting. The Mac App Store build does not show friends’ games through Game Center, so use a fresh Join Code there.
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