Baldur’s Gate 3: How to Play With Friends (Co-Op Mode)

Accessing the multiplayer co-op mode in Baldur’s Gate 3 to play with friends can be tricky, mainly because the new game by Larian Studios does not operate as most modern multiplayer titles. The new RPG takes place years after the events of Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn and is heavily inspired by the tabletop game, Dungeons and Dragons. The game was actually made available in early access back in 2020 but has now been fully released.

The title is now available for PC, with the PlayStation 5 version scheduled to be released on September 6. So far, there have been no mentions of an Xbox Series version of Baldur’s Gate 3, though it is still a possibility for the future. Players can go through the RPG completely solo or team up with a group of friends for a multiplayer co-op experience. If they want to play with friends, there is a specific set of rules to follow, as it does not work like other games.

Rules For Multiplayer Co-Op Mode In Baldur’s Gate 3

A selection of multiple Baldur's Gate 3 characters on the left, with a superimposed close-up shot of a character with blonde hair and blue and leather armor to the right.

The multiplayer co-op mode works pretty much like a tabletop RPG in the sense that players do not simply create their own characters and jump into and out of co-op sessions at their own leisure. This game treats multiplayer co-op like a tabletop RPG campaign, so there is a set of rules for friends to play together. There are two options for co-op in Baldur’s Gate 3.

The first one is to start a full multiplayer campaign together. By doing this, all players can create their own characters and begin their adventures simultaneously. The co-op campaign will have a main host, but all players should be treated equally across the story. Although not obligatory, players are encouraged to treat this like a tabletop RPG and schedule sessions to play the co-op mode together. This can be done by accessing the Multiplayer option from the game’s main menu and either joining a lobby created by the host or being the host and creating the lobby in Baldur's Gate 3.

The second option for co-op play is to join another player’s already-initiated single-player campaign. By following this step, the joining player will not be able to create their character but take control of a member of the host’s party in Baldur’s Gate 3. This will prevent any joining players from controlling their unique characters, as they will be restricted to the allies the host has made so far. To do this, the host must grant access through the Session feature in the pause menu.

Session is also the feature used to continue a co-op campaign created with other players after it has been initiated. The host will load the co-op campaign and then invite the other players, assigning them to their characters.

Much like in tabletop RPG campaigns, players in Baldur’s Gate 3 can be separated from each other, and each can do their own set of tasks. This means that the co-op mode in Larian’s RPG is not too restrictive to the same activities and grants players significant leeway. One player may be exchanging goods in a city while the other is fighting foes in a faraway forest, for example. There are many approaches to the co-op mode in Baldur’s Gate 3, as long as players follow the two possible options to engage in multiplayer.