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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesYes. PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 players can play Valheim together. The reliable setup is a Valheim Dedicated Server running on a PC that stays online, or on a compatible rented game-server host. Add the -crossplay startup argument, then give console players the join code shown by the server. They enter it at Join Game → Add server.
Prefer not to run the server on your own PC? Godlike.Host offers hosted Valheim servers with free DDoS protection and up to three free backups a day.
Do not try to host the persistent world from a PS5 or Switch 2. Those consoles are clients; the separate dedicated-server application runs on Windows or Linux. Crossplay mode uses a relay, so you normally do not need router port forwarding. The alternative Steam backend is different: it uses ports 2456 and 2457 and requires Internet-reachable forwarding.
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What you need to know before starting
Iron Gate’s Valheim 1.0 FAQ lists PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 as supported platforms and states that crossplay works between all supported platforms. A mixed group therefore does not need every player to use the same console family or PC storefront.
A dedicated server is a separate application from the game client. Iron Gate describes it as a way to provide “a persistent world in which you and your friends can play anytime.” The server process owns the world save and remains available when the person who created the world is not playing. Iron Gate also says it does not provide official servers or access to players’ saved worlds and characters, so you must run the application yourself or choose an independent hosting provider.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can PS5 and Switch 2 play together? | Yes. The Valheim 1.0 FAQ says crossplay works between all supported platforms, including PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2. |
| Can a console host the dedicated server? | No. The dedicated-server software runs on a Windows or Linux PC, or on a rented server. Consoles connect as clients. |
| Is port forwarding needed? | Not when the server uses -crossplay. The relay backend carries the traffic. Steam-backend hosting requires forwarding ports 2456 and 2457. |
| How do console players connect? | They open Join Game → Add server and paste the join code displayed by the server. |
| What is the expected download size? | Iron Gate’s 2026 FAQ estimates 4.3 GiB for most platforms, with platform-specific exceptions. |
Choose where the server will run
Self-hosting on a PC
Self-hosting gives you direct control over the world files, startup settings, update timing, save intervals and backups. The trade-off is that the PC and server process must stay running whenever players need access. A desktop, mini PC or spare laptop can work if it has a stable Internet connection and enough storage for the game, world saves and backups.
- Best for: groups that already have an always-on or frequently available PC and want maximum control.
- Setup work: install the dedicated-server tool from Steam, edit a startup script, configure the world and password, and keep the process running.
- Networking: use
-crossplayto avoid router port forwarding. If you deliberately use the Steam backend instead, configure forwarding for 2456 and 2457. - Maintenance: apply game updates, copy world files before major changes and verify that backups are being created.
Renting a game-server host
A rented host can keep the world online without your home PC running. Most providers expose server name, world, password, visibility, backup and crossplay settings in a control panel, although the exact labels differ. Before paying, confirm that the service supports the current Valheim 1.0 build, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, the -crossplay option and join-code connections. Iron Gate does not endorse a specific provider.
The Tool Desk
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|---|---|---|
| Always-on availability | Requires your PC and server process to remain online. | Usually remains online under the provider’s service, subject to its maintenance and outages. |
| Initial setup | Install the tool and edit a Windows or Linux startup script. | Usually select settings in a control panel; advanced access varies. |
| Crossplay networking | -crossplay uses a relay and avoids port forwarding. |
Should work the same way when the host exposes the crossplay setting. |
| Storage and backups | You control save intervals, automatic backups and copies of the world files. | Check what backup schedule, retention and download access the provider includes. |
| Compatibility responsibility | You can inspect the installed build and startup arguments directly. | Verify support for the current build and both console platforms before subscribing. |
Prepare the hosting machine
Use a machine that can remain powered on for the sessions you want to support. It needs a legal Valheim installation through Steam so the Dedicated Server tool can be installed, plus free disk space for the estimated 4.3 GiB download and additional room for world saves and backups. The 4.3 GiB figure is Iron Gate’s 2026 estimate for most platforms, not a promise that every platform or future update will have exactly that size.
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- Install current operating-system updates and graphics or network drivers where applicable.
- Use a wired connection if possible; Wi-Fi can work, but a disconnected host stops the world for everyone.
- Set the PC not to sleep, hibernate or shut down during scheduled play.
- Choose a strong server password and share it only with the intended group.
- Allow the server application through the operating system’s firewall when prompted. Do not open unrelated ports.
Install and configure the Valheim Dedicated Server
Windows installation
- Open Steam on the PC that will host the world.
- Open the Library and enable the Tools filter.
- Install Valheim Dedicated Server.
- Open the tool’s local files from Steam. Locate
start_headless_server.bat. - Make a copy of the batch file and edit the copy. Iron Gate recommends this because a Steam update can reset the original script.
- In the copied script, set the server name, world name and password. Configure visibility and save or backup settings as needed.
- Add
-crossplayto the startup arguments. Keep the existing arguments supplied by the official script unless you have a specific reason to change them. - Save the copy and launch that copied batch file when you want the server online.
Linux installation
- Install the Valheim Dedicated Server through SteamCMD or the distribution method recommended for your environment.
- Open the installed server directory and locate
start_server.sh. - Copy the script before editing it; the same Steam-update reset risk applies on Linux.
- Set the name, world, password, visibility and save or backup arguments in the copy.
- Append
-crossplayto the startup arguments. - Make the copied script executable, then run it from a terminal or a service manager that keeps it alive after you disconnect.
The official guide documents the relevant options, including -name, -world, -password, -public, -saveinterval and automatic-backup arguments. Use the spelling and values shown in the version of the guide that accompanies your installed server. A server name identifies the listing; the world name selects the save folder; the password protects entry; public visibility controls whether the server can appear in listings; and save or backup settings determine how often recovery copies are made.
Why -crossplay is the critical setting
Valheim’s dedicated server can use different connection backends. Adding -crossplay selects the crossplay, PlayFab-relay backend. That is what allows PS5, Nintendo Switch 2 and other supported platforms to connect to the same world.
If you omit the argument, the official guide says the Steam backend is used. In that mode, only Steam users can see and join the server. A server that appears to work for a PC player can therefore still be invisible to console players if the startup script lacks -crossplay.
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After changing the script, stop any already-running instance and start the edited copy. Changing a file while an old process is running does not change that process’s backend. Confirm that the console players receive the join code from the newly started crossplay instance.
Understand the networking difference
| Backend | How connections work | Port-forwarding requirement | How players should connect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crossplay relay | Traffic is carried through a relay server. | Not required according to Iron Gate’s dedicated-server guide. | Use the displayed join code, a supported server-list entry or another public connection method. |
| Steam backend | Players connect directly through the server’s Internet-reachable port. | Forward the selected port and the next port. With the default configuration, that is 2456 and 2457. | Steam users can use the normal Steam-compatible listing or connection method. |
Crossplay mode has an important limitation: connections through a local IP address or loopback address are not supported. Do not test it by entering 127.0.0.1, localhost or the host’s private LAN address on a console. Use the join code or the supported public listing instead.
If you intentionally use the Steam backend
- Find the port specified in the startup script. The default is 2456.
- Forward that port and the next port, 2457 by default, from the Internet-facing router to the hosting PC’s fixed local address.
- Permit the same traffic in the PC firewall.
- Test from outside the home network, not only from another device on the same Wi-Fi.
This extra network work is unnecessary for a mixed PS5 and Switch 2 group when -crossplay is enabled.
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Start the server and retrieve the join code
- Close any old Valheim server process.
- Launch the copied Windows batch file or Linux shell script containing
-crossplay. - Wait for the console or server interface to report that the world is loaded and accepting connections.
- Open the server’s in-game interface or pause menu and locate the displayed join code.
- Send the current code to the PS5 and Switch 2 players, along with the server password.
- Keep the host machine and server process running while the group plays.
Join codes are tied to the running server session. If you stop and restart the server, treat the newly displayed code as authoritative rather than relying on an old message.
How PS5 and Switch 2 players join
- Launch Valheim on the console.
- Open Join Game.
- Choose Add server.
- Paste or enter the join code supplied by the host.
- Select the resulting server entry and enter the server password when prompted.
- Wait for the world to load. The first connection can take longer than later joins while the client establishes the relay session and receives world data.
Both console types use the same basic join-code path. They do not install the dedicated-server application, edit a startup script or configure router ports for a crossplay server.
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Save and backup settings
Use the documented save-interval and automatic-backup arguments rather than relying on a single copy of the world. A shorter save interval reduces the amount of progress that can be lost after a crash, while frequent backups consume more disk space. Keep enough retention to recover from accidental building or deletion, not just from a power failure.
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Periodically stop the server cleanly and copy the world files to storage separate from the hosting machine. A backup on the same disk does not protect against disk failure, theft or ransomware. Before changing startup settings or installing a major game update, make a fresh copy and note which world name the script uses.
Updates and restarts
Schedule updates when nobody is playing. Steam may replace the original startup script during an update, which is why the edited copy matters. After updating, check that the copy still contains the intended world, password, visibility settings and -crossplay argument. Start the server, verify that the world loads, and send players the current join code.
Access and security
- Use a password that is not reused for email, console or hosting accounts.
- Share the code and password through a private group rather than a public post.
- Set the server’s visibility deliberately with the documented public setting.
- Limit operating-system access to trusted administrators.
- Review logs after crashes or unexpected restarts before inviting players back.
Troubleshooting a PS5 or Switch 2 connection
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The server is visible to Steam users but not consoles. | The process is using the Steam backend. | Stop it, edit the copied script and add -crossplay, then restart. |
| The console says the code is invalid. | The code is stale, mistyped or from a different running instance. | Read the code from the current server session and enter it again under Join Game → Add server. |
| A player tries a local IP and cannot connect. | Crossplay relay does not support local-IP or loopback connections. | Use the join code or a supported public listing. |
| Players cannot connect after a host reboot. | The server process did not start, or the PC is sleeping or blocked by a firewall. | Launch the copied script, keep the machine awake and approve the application in the firewall. |
| The world opens but recent progress is missing. | The server loaded a different world name or restored an older save. | Compare the -world setting with the intended save and inspect the backup and save-interval configuration. |
| A rented server does not offer a join code. | The provider may be using a Steam-only configuration or an outdated control panel. | Ask whether the current Valheim 1.0 build supports -crossplay and console join codes before continuing. |
Limits and expectations
Iron Gate’s current material supplied for this setup does not state a player-cap figure for a mixed PS5 and Switch 2 server. Do not assume a particular maximum from another edition, an old guide or a host’s generic advertising. Confirm the limit for the exact Valheim build and hosting configuration you intend to use.
Performance depends on the host machine, its Internet connection, world activity and the number of simultaneous players. A rented host can improve availability by staying online, but it cannot correct an incompatible game build or an incorrectly configured backend. Crossplay removes the need for port forwarding; it does not remove the need to keep the server process healthy and the world files backed up.
Recommended setup for this exact group
- Use a Windows or Linux PC, or a rented host, rather than a PS5 or Switch 2 as the server.
- Install the Valheim Dedicated Server and edit a copy of the supplied startup script.
- Set a unique server name, world name and password; configure visibility, save interval and automatic backups.
- Add
-crossplayand restart the server. - Do not configure router forwarding for this relay mode.
- Give console players the current join code and direct them to Join Game → Add server.
- Keep the host online, update during a maintenance window and maintain separate backups of the world.
That arrangement matches Iron Gate’s documented crossplay workflow: the PC or rented host runs the persistent world, the relay backend handles cross-platform traffic, and PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 players join as clients with a code.
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