SDV Almanac

Verified for game version 1.6.x

Stardew Valley was designed as a solo farm sim, but co-op is where many players find their favourite version of the game. Up to eight people can share one farm on PC (the default is 7 farmhands plus the host = 8 players); most consoles cap at four. split the chores, and argue over who gets the basement. This guide covers how Stardew Valley multiplayer works, how to connect, and the rules that keep a shared save from turning into a shared headache.

How a co-op farm works

One player hosts the world; the others join it. The host’s save file is the canonical one — if the host is offline, the farm does not exist for guests. Everyone shares the same money pool, the same farm map, and the same community progress. Each player gets their own character, inventory, and skills, and can marry either an NPC or another player.

The host builds cabins (from Robin) to house guests. A cabin holds one player and can be upgraded like the main house. You need one cabin per guest, so a full farm means one cabin per guest (up to seven on PC, three on most consoles by default) plus the farmhouse.

Split-screen (one machine, two controllers)

On PC and some consoles, split-screen lets two people play on one device with two gamepads (or one pad plus keyboard-and-mouse). Open the menu, choose “Split Screen”, and a second view opens. This is the easiest way to play with someone next to you and needs no network. A third and fourth player can still join the same session online while two are on the couch.

Online multiplayer (invite codes)

Online play uses invite codes. The host opens the co-op menu and generates a code; guests enter it from the join screen. Codes are per-session and expire, so you share them over Discord or chat rather than posting them publicly. There is no official dedicated server you rent — the host’s machine is the server, so the host needs a stable connection and should keep the game open while others play.

Steam and GOG handle friend invites automatically if you are friends on those platforms. Cross-platform online play works only between PC versions (Windows, macOS, Linux) through invite codes. Mobile (iOS/Android) does not cross-play with any other platform, and console players (Switch, PlayStation, Xbox) can only play with others on the same console family — more on that in the platforms guide.

Cabin rules and permissions

A cabin can be set to “locked” (only the assigned player enters) or open. The host controls cabin placement and upgrades. Guests can do almost everything a host can: farm, fish, mine, and gift NPCs. What they cannot do alone is change global settings or kick other players — those are host privileges.

A practical tip: agree on chore splits early. One player handles crops, another animals, a third mining. The shared gold means specialization pays off for everyone, and nobody burns out watering 400 tiles alone.

Profit sharing

All money is pooled by default. When one player sells a crop, the gold lands in the single shared wallet. This removes the “who paid for the barn” arguments but means a forgetful teammate spending 10,000g on decor hurts everyone. Some groups use chests as “personal” storage and just trust each other; if you want strict separation, choose separate wallets when creating the game (changeable later at the Town Ledger in the Mayor’s Manor).

Marriage between players

Two player-characters can marry using the same pendant ritual as NPC marriage. The wedding cuts the farm in half with a fence, and the spouse can move into the other’s cabin. It is purely cosmetic and does not split finances — gold stays shared.

Mods in multiplayer

The rule is strict: every player must run the identical mod set. Automate, Chests Anywhere, and Lookup Anything are fine for a group as long as all players have them. A mismatch — host has Automate, guest does not — can desync machines and corrupt the save. Cosmetic mods (new outfits, recolors) are usually safe to run solo, but when in doubt, match the host. See the mods guide for a safe starter loadout.

Performance and stability

More players means more things happening each tick, and very large modded farms can chug on older hardware. Keep the host machine reasonably strong, avoid spawning hundreds of automated machines in one spot, and save often. If a guest lags badly, dropping split-screen or reducing visual mods usually helps.

What breaks co-op

A good first session

Host starts a Standard farm, builds two cabins, and invites friends via invite code. Assign roles, set a shared goal (finish the Community Center together — see the community center guide), and let the seasonal loop do the rest. Co-op shines most in year one when there is always more work than hands.

Host migration and cabins

The host owns the save, so if the host quits permanently, the farm effectively ends unless they transfer the file. On PC, the host can hand the save folder to another player, who becomes the new host. Cabins can be added mid-save by the host at Robin’s, but removing a cabin that a player is actively using kicks them, so coordinate before demolishing. Plan your cabin count when you start rather than rebuilding repeatedly.

Communication tools

There is no in-game voice or text chat; players use emotes (the ! menu) and external voice chat (Discord, etc.). Agree on signals: a mailbox drop, a chest color, or a meeting spot. Simple conventions prevent the classic co-op fights over who sold the rare item or spent the joint gold on decor.

Split-screen plus online

A neat trick: two players on one machine via split-screen can be joined by a third and fourth online. The local pair shares one IP; the remote pair connects by invite code. This is the most flexible setup for a mixed in-person-and-remote group, though it demands a capable host machine.

Next

Pair co-op with the getting-started guide for the early-game loop, and the mods guide if you want to mod a shared farm safely.

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