Enshrouded Multiplayer & Co-op (1.0): Play With Friends
Up to 16 players share one world on PC and up to 8 on PS5, everyone on the same platform. Host from your own game or run a dedicated server; in 1.0 the host sets every joining player's permission with one password, and on the Automatic enemy amount more of you nearby means more enemies.
- PC players16per world (server slotCount)
- PS5 players8PS Plus required
- CrossplayNonot at 1.0
- Enemies at 16 players×3on Automatic, vs solo
This guide is about getting a group into one world in 1.0 (released 2026-10-15): hosting, joining, who may do what, and what changes when more people play. For crossplay and platforms see Is Enshrouded crossplay?; for every server setting see the dedicated server page; for builds that suit a group see solo vs co-op builds.
Two ways to play together
Keen Games calls Enshrouded a "co-op survival Action RPG for up to 16 players". Everyone in a world must be on the same platform: Keen's launch FAQ says "Enshrouded will not be cross-platform at launch, but we know many of your friendships have survived years of console wars."
| Host from your game | Dedicated server | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs the world | The player who hosts | Keen's separate server program (Steam app 2278520) |
| Players | PC up to 16 · PS5 up to 8 | 1–16, set by slotCount |
| Permissions | One password sets the default for everyone who joins; promote or demote each character later (new in 1.0) | User groups, each with its own password; no promoting or demoting while playing |
| Finding it | Friends join the host | Listed by name in the game's Join menu server list (server readme) |
| Settings | The host's world settings | enshrouded_server.json — config generator |
New in 1.0: host permissions
"Hosts now define the default permission level for every joining player with a single password. Afterwards, each player character can be promoted or demoted individually if needed." And for servers: "On dedicated servers, the user groups with the associated passwords work as before - promoting and demoting is not possible while playing on the server." — Keen, 1.0 changelog.
Set up a co-op world
Tick each step off — the ticks stay in this browser.
Check everyone is on one platformno crossplay
PC with PC, PS5 with PS5. On PS5, online play needs PS Plus.Crossplay statusPick who hosts≤ 16 on PC
A friend's game, or a dedicated server that runs without anyone's game open. Servers take 16 players at most.Dedicated serverDecide what guests may doone password
The host's password gives joiners a default level; promote the builders, demote anyone you don't know. On a server, give each group its own password (table below).Choose the enemy amountAutomatic
The Default preset uses Automatic, which adds enemies for every player nearby (chart below).Split the rolesbuilds
Tank, damage and support builds for a group are on the solo vs co-op guide.
Who may do what
The 4 default user groups of the 1.0 dedicated server, from Keen's server readme. Each has its own password, and you can add your own groups. Keen's note on in-game hosting does not list the levels a host picks from, so we do not repeat this table for it.
| Group | Kick & ban | Open base chests | Dig the open world | Build in bases | Place & upgrade altars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Friend | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| Guest | — | — | Yes | — | — |
| Visitor | — | — | — | — | — |
Reserved slots
A group can hold reserved slots (reservedSlots), so its players get in when the server is full — useful for the friends who play every night.
More players, more enemies
On the Automatic enemy amount the world spawns more enemies for a bigger party. Keen: "When Automatic is set, the amount of enemies is scaled depending on the size of the party in a multiplayer game. As “party” counts every player actively playing in the vicinity. Players in other areas of Embervale are not counted as part of the party."
The 1.0 balancing table holds one factor per player count. It stays at ×1 up to 4 players, then climbs to ×3 at 16. Players elsewhere on the map don't count, so a group that splits up fights smaller packs.
| Preset | Enemy Amount | Simultaneous attacks |
|---|---|---|
| Relaxed | Few | Few |
| Default | Automatic | Normal |
| Hard | Many | Normal |
| Survival | Many | Normal |
Settings a group should agree on
These change how a shared session feels. Defaults and ranges are from Keen's 1.0 server readme; the world presets in the 1.0 game files use the same keys.
| Setting | Default | Range | Why it matters in co-op |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enemy Amount | Normal | Few · Normal · Automatic · Many · Extreme | Automatic scales enemies with the party |
| Modifier for simultaneous Enemy Attacks | Normal | Few · Normal · Many · Extreme | How many enemies may attack at once |
| Tombstone Mode | AddBackpackMaterials | AddBackpackMaterials · Everything · NoTombstone | What a player keeps on death |
| Shroud time duration modifier | 100% | 50–200% | Longer Shroud trips for the whole group |
| Daytime | 30 min | 2–60 minutes | Length of the day |
| Nighttime | 12 min | 2–60 minutes | Length of the night |
| Key | Default | Options |
|---|---|---|
| enableVoiceChat | false | true · false |
| voiceChatMode | Proximity | Proximity · Global |
| enableTextChat | false | true · false |
FAQ
How many players can play Enshrouded together?
Up to 16 in one world on PC — the 1.0 dedicated server takes 1 to 16 — and up to 8 on PS5, where online play needs PS Plus. Everyone has to be on the same platform.
How do I play Enshrouded with friends?
One player hosts and the others join that world, or the group joins a dedicated server listed in the Join menu. In 1.0 the host's password sets each joiner's default permission, and the host can promote or demote characters one by one.
Do enemies get harder with more players in Enshrouded?
There are more of them on the Automatic enemy amount: the factor is ×1 for 1 to 4 players nearby and rises to ×3 at 16. Only players in the vicinity count as the party.
Can my friends build in my Enshrouded world?
On a dedicated server the Admin and Friend groups can build in bases; Guests can dig the open world but not build in bases, and Visitors can do neither. When you host, the password you set gives joiners a default level, and you can promote a friend afterwards.
Can friends play in my Enshrouded world when I'm offline?
Only on a dedicated server: it is Keen's separate server program (Steam app 2278520) and holds the world itself, so nobody's game has to be running.
Is Enshrouded crossplay between PC and PS5?
No, not at 1.0. Keen's launch FAQ: "Enshrouded will not be cross-platform at launch, but we know many of your friendships have survived years of console wars." See Is Enshrouded crossplay?
Related guides
Best Build for Solo vs Co-op in Enshrouded — Decision Matrix + Loadouts
Build picks shift dramatically between solo and group play. Here's a matrix for choosing, from the 1.0 skill tree — solo builds prioritize sustain, co-op builds specialize.
Enshrouded Base Locations: 8 Spots on the 1.0 Map
8 Enshrouded base spots, one per region, picked from the 1.0 map files: plants and ore around each, enemy spawns nearby, and a link to it on the map.
Enshrouded Beginners Guide: First Steps in 1.0
Your first hours in Enshrouded 1.0 as a checklist: the Flame Altar level-up, the Blacksmith, the first Flame upgrade, Springlands' skill points and a starter build.