Short answer
Can PS5 and Switch 2 players join a Valheim dedicated server?Yes, since Valheim 1.0 on 9 September 2026. The server has to run with the -crossplay flag; console players then join with a six-digit join code instead of an IP and port.
Valheim crossplay — in short
Crossplay in Valheim means PC, Xbox, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 all play on the same server. It arrived with version 1.0 on 9 September 2026. A dedicated server has to run with the -crossplay flag for it. Console players then do not connect via IP and port but with a six-digit join code that the server issues fresh on every start.
The essentials in three sentences: Without -crossplay, consoles cannot reach the server at all. With crossplay the connection runs through PlayFab instead of Steam, and the join code replaces the address for consoles. PC players can still join the usual way via IP and port.
Requirement: start the server with crossplay
The switch lives in the server's command line. A server without it simply does not exist for consoles — there is no way to type an IP address there.
Check the start parameters
The command line needs -crossplay, for example: -nographics -batchmode -name "My Server" -port 2456 -world "Dedicated" -password "secret" -public 1 -crossplay.
Restart the server
The flag is only read at startup. A running server does not switch over on the fly.
Check the log
Shortly after the start the server writes lines such as Opened PlayFab server Session 'My Server' registered with join code 665832. If they appear, crossplay is live.
At Agrar Chaoten crossplay is on by default. There is nothing to switch: every Valheim server we host starts with -crossplay, and we show you the current join code.
Finding the join code
The code has six digits and is valid only until the next server start. After a restart, an update or an automatic idle shutdown you get a new one, so it is not worth writing down anywhere permanent.
In the customer area
Open your server in the panel. The join code sits right below the address in the overview while the server is running.
In Discord
If your server is linked to a Discord channel, !server status shows the code together with status, address and player count. Setting that up is covered in the "Controlling the server from Discord" section of the Valheim setup guide.
In the server log
If you prefer to look yourself: search the console for join code. The last hit is the current one.
How players join
The route differs per platform. Everyone needs the same game version, and a password-protected server also asks for the server password.
PlayStation 5, Switch 2 and Xbox
Choose "Join" in the game, then "Add server", and enter the six-digit code. Consoles have no field for an IP address.
PC via Steam
As usual through "Add server" with IP:port, for example 87.138.159.35:2456. The join code works on PC as well.
Game Pass and Microsoft Store
These builds behave like consoles: they use the code, not the IP.
Characters stay local. Valheim stores your viking on your own device, not on the server. On a console you therefore start with the character you have there — moving one over from PC is not supported.
When it does not work
"Invalid code": almost always an old code. Did the server restart? Then a new one applies — grab it from the panel or with !server status.
Console cannot find the server: it is running without -crossplay. Check the command line and restart it once.
Server is offline: if your server stops automatically while empty, there is no code either. Start it first, then fetch the new code.
Mods and consoles do not mix: BepInEx and Valheim Plus only run on PC. As soon as the server requires mods, console players are locked out. For mixed groups, keep the server unmodded.
Frequently asked questions
Can PS5 and Switch 2 players join a Valheim dedicated server?
Where do I find the Valheim join code?
Does the join code change?
Does Valheim crossplay work with mods?
Can PC players still join via IP?
Personal support for our customers
Rent a Valheim server with us and you get real people, not a ticket system. Sebbo and Langnesi help you personally on Discord — with setup, mods and troubleshooting. We run these servers ourselves every day, so we know the pitfalls.
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Rent Valheim ServerLast updated: 2026-09-16 · Written by the Agrar Chaoten team