Choose Steam Remote Play Together when a supported game’s local multiplayer is enough and one player can host and stream it to the group. Choose the game’s native online co-op when its own online mode better fits your group’s player limit, platforms, invites, progression, or ownership needs. There is no universal performance winner: the right option depends on the specific game and your group’s setup.
What is the difference?
Remote Play Together streams a local multiplayer session from the host’s computer. The host runs the game; Steam sends its video and audio to remote players and returns their inputs to the host. Steam describes the feature as a way to play supported local multiplayer games with Steam Friends even when the game itself does not offer online play. Steam Remote Play
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics - Nintendo Switch | $24.88 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Minecraft - Nintendo Switch | $29.82 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Gang Beasts - Nintendo Switch | $24.90 | Buy on Amazon |
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Native online co-op, by contrast, is an online mode provided by the game itself. Its player limits, platform support, invitations, progression and ownership requirements are specific to that title. Steam’s general Remote Play information does not establish how those features compare in any particular game.
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Which option fits your group?
| Choose Remote Play Together when… | Choose or compare native online co-op when… |
|---|---|
| The game’s Steam store page lists Remote Play Together, and its local co-op or multiplayer mode suits your group. Steam Support | The game has an online mode that meets your group’s requirements for player count, platforms, invitations, progression and access. |
| One player can host, and guests would rather join without owning or installing the game. Steam’s 2019 launch announcement says only the host needs to own and install it. Steam, October 21, 2019 | Each player is prepared to meet whatever ownership, account or other requirements the game’s online mode specifies; check the game’s current listing or in-game options. |
| The game’s local control setup works for remote players using their own controllers or shared keyboard and mouse. | The game’s own online mode offers a control and connection arrangement that better suits the group. Verify the details in the title rather than assuming they are standard across games. |
Steam’s launch announcement described Remote Play Together as supporting “up to four players,or even more in ideal conditions.” That is a general statement from 2019, not a guarantee for every game; check the particular title’s player limit.
#1 Best Overall
- Experience your Favorite MARVEL vs. CAPCOM classics All in One – Enjoy 7 of your favorite classic titles that helped shaped the MARVEL vs. CAPCOM universe both single player and online.
- Enjoy Enhanced Features Added to the Classic Collection – To enhance your playability experience, we incorporated the favorite added features from Capcom Fighting Collection including gallery mode, quick save, training mode for all fighting titles, and the high score challenge. Beginners and first timers into the franchise are also welcome to play through adjusted settings and execution of one-button specials!
- Play with Friends Worldwide through Online Compatibility – This collection also includes rollback net code for a smooth and enjoyable experience online. Play casually or competitively through casual, ranked, or custom matches using rules of your choosing!
Check these details before deciding
- Confirm Remote Play Together support. Look for the feature in the game’s Steam store-page details. Do not assume a game supports it just because it has local multiplayer. Steam Support
- Decide whether streamed local multiplayer is enough. Remote Play Together can make a supported local mode playable remotely; it does not turn that mode into the game’s native online mode.
- Check who must own and run the game. For Remote Play Together, the host runs the game, and Steam’s 2019 launch announcement says the host is the only player who needs to own and install it. Check the game’s requirements separately if you choose native online co-op. Steam, October 21, 2019
- Verify player capacity and controls. Check how many players the specific game supports and whether its local mode accepts the inputs your group can use. Steam says players can use their own controllers, while the host can share or limit keyboard and mouse access. Steam Remote Play
- Consider each player’s connection. Remote Play Together relies on streaming to remote players. Steam describes streaming within milliseconds using a fast internet connection but does not give a minimum speed on its overview page. Its published feature information does not provide a controlled performance comparison against native online co-op, so it cannot establish that either option is generally faster or more reliable. Steam Remote Play
- Check how invitations work for your group. Steam’s current overview describes inviting Steam Friends. A 2021 announcement described URL invitations through Steam or Steam Link and said no account was needed for that invitation flow. Treat that as a description of the flow at announcement time, and confirm what is available for your devices and current client. Steam Remote Play Steam, May 27, 2021
How to start a Remote Play Together session
- Launch the supported game on the host’s computer.
- Make sure the friend is logged in to Steam on a supported device.
- Open the Steam Overlay in the game with Shift+Tab.
- In the Friends list, select Remote Play Together and have the friend accept the invitation. Steam Support
Steam says the session streams video, audio and voice between players, and that friends see the game rather than the host’s desktop. A controller is optional: players can use their own controllers, or the host can share or limit keyboard and mouse access. If a player needs a controller, check that it works with the game and device; Steam’s feature description does not establish compatibility for every model. Steam Remote Play
Quick Recap
Rank #3
- Gang Beasts is a silly multiplayer party game set in the mean streets of Beef City with surly gelatinous characters, brutal slapstick fight sequences, and absurd hazardous environments
- Customize your characters with hundreds of colorful costumes
- Experience hilarious and gelatinous ragdoll physics
- Play locally or online with up to 8 players
- Experience Local Wireless Multiplayer, exclusively on Nintendo Switch
Rank #2
- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs
- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
- Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack; Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
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