Follow the cross-play path in order
Larian's support flow uses a Larian account and a Cross-Play lobby. A friend being online in Steam, Xbox or PlayStation does not substitute for being present in the Larian Friends List. Check both sides of the invite: a host setting alone is not enough.
- On each player's game, open Options > Gameplay and enable Allow Cross-Play. Confirm the game is linked to that player's Larian account.
- Add the other player through the Larian Friends List using the correct Larian account name; check spelling and account identity before trying the invite again.
- From the main menu, open Multiplayer and choose the Cross-Play tab. The host selects Create; the joining player selects the listed lobby or accepts a cross-play invite.
- If you are using an existing campaign, return to Load Game, select that save and choose Enable CrossPlay before loading it. Then invite from the in-game Multiplayer menu.
- Have every invited player accept and verify they appear as In Party or Ready before launching. Record the exact platform/build and the first step that fails.
References: Larian Studios: Cross-play — Hosting or Joining a Game
Choose the next check from the symptom
Use this table to avoid treating a missing invite, absent lobby and mod mismatch as one problem. It routes checks; it cannot identify an account or server fault.
| What you see | Next check | Keep separate |
|---|---|---|
| Friend is missing from list | Both link Larian accounts and add by Larian account name | Platform-friends list versus Larian Friends List |
| Invite opens no lobby / lobby not listed | Both enable Allow Cross-Play; use Multiplayer > Cross-Play | Cross-Play tab versus regular Multiplayer tab |
| New campaign works, old save does not | Enable CrossPlay on that save from Load Game, then reload | Existing-save toggle versus global setting |
| Lobby appears but modded launch fails | Use the mod/version parity checks in the separate mod guide; try no mods | Invite discovery versus content mismatch |
| All documented steps match but connection fails | Record build, platforms, host/join role and exact message for support | A source checklist versus a tested network diagnosis |
References: Larian Studios: Cross-play — Hosting or Joining a Game · Larian Studios: Official Mod Support
When mods are involved
Larian says all players in a modded cross-play lobby need the exact same mods and mod versions—no more and no less. A clean unmodded host/join attempt is a useful isolation step, not proof that any individual mod is safe or compatible. See the companion guide before removing files or changing a long-running save.
References: Larian Studios: Official Mod Support · Larian Studios: Mod Issues
Scope and safe escalation
The support article lists PC, Xbox, PS5, Mac and GOG references, but does not guarantee identical menus, network conditions or patch timing for every storefront. If the invite still fails, keep the platform, installed build, host/join role, existing/new-save status, mods and exact message together. Do not post account email, authentication codes, save files or private profile paths in a public forum.
References: Larian Studios: Cross-play — Hosting or Joining a Game · Larian Studios Forums
Before you play
- Both players linked Larian accounts and enabled cross-play.
- The friend was added by Larian account name.
- Both used Multiplayer > Cross-Play, not only the platform-friends menu.
- For an existing campaign, cross-play was enabled on the selected save.
- I recorded which step failed and kept account secrets private.
Frequently asked questions
Can I invite a friend through the platform list only?
Larian's documented cross-play procedure uses the Larian Friends List and Larian account names. Use that path for the cross-play lobby.
Does enabling Allow Cross-Play change every old save?
The support article separately instructs players to select an existing save from Load Game and choose Enable CrossPlay. Check the intended save rather than assuming a global toggle changed it.
Will this checklist tell me whether Larian's servers are down?
No. It displays steps from a support article and cannot test accounts, invites, network connectivity or server status.
Sources & revision notes
Editorial revision: November 5, 2026; not a gameplay test date. The reference notes identify source limits and version differences.
- Larian Studios: Cross-play — Hosting or Joining a Game (Official)
Developer support instructions checked November 5, 2026. They describe linking a Larian account, enabling cross-play, adding Larian-account friends, opening Multiplayer > Cross-Play, and enabling cross-play on an existing save. The article lists PC, Xbox, PS5, Mac and GOG platform references. No invite, lobby, account or multiplayer session was tested.
- Larian Studios: Official Mod Support (Official)
Developer support reference checked November 5, 2026. For modded multiplayer it requires the same mods and versions for each player and points to the in-game Mod Manager's Installed tab for updates. Toolkit availability and cross-save version notes are not treated here as current rollout guarantees.
- Larian Studios: Mod Issues (Official)
Developer support reference checked November 5, 2026. It suggests disabling supported mods to isolate an issue and gives PC-specific steps for third-party-mod/data-mismatch cases. File cleanup is potentially destructive; the guide adds a backup-first caution and does not claim to inspect or repair a reader's files.
- Larian Studios Forums (Official)
Publisher-hosted community forum. Posts are user-submitted and are not verified by GamerWin; match platform, game build and mod state, and redact account or save identifiers before sharing.
November 5, 2026: added a step-ordered cross-play invite path and browser-local checklist from Larian's support article. No account, lobby, network or save was tested.
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