Stardew Valley has one of the most beloved features in all video games, local co-op multiplayer. This local co-op play will allow you to finally farm with friends with just a few prerequisites. You will require some setup in your town to get things started, or you can start a new game entirely and begin playing with friends.

Jumping into local co-op is a pretty painless experience, but there are a handful of factors you’ll have to keep in mind before you can play with your friends. Here, you can find everything you need to know about local co-op.

Updated March 4, 2024 by Jacqueline Zalace: The 1.6 update of Stardew Valley is soon to be a reality. We've added some information about multiplayer based on this new update to the game.

How To Start A New Multiplayer Game

If you know you want to start a co-op multiplayer game right away, then you are in luck, because the process is quite simple.

From the title menu, all you need to do is select 'Co-op'. This will give you the option to choose a farm layout and add cabins for other players. Now, your farm is set up for others to join!

How To Turn A Save Into Multiplayer

If you already have a save file that you want to play on, don't worry! You will be able to construct new cabins here with the help of Robin.

Robin is the town’s carpenter, and she will be able to build cabins for you at a price. Each friend you wish to jump into your game will require their own cabin.

If you want a full four-player game of Stardew Valley, you’ll need to build at least three cabins, with each one costing 100g.

How To Join A Multiplayer Game

With a farm all ready to go, you just need to join in. Local co-op typically means playing together with others from the same screen. Because of this, you won't have to connect your own device to the same network.

Instead, the host player of the farm just needs to head to the Options tab and select "Start Local Co-op". This will enable couch co-op, and new players will be added as controllers are paired.

Change Settings For A Comfortable Co-op Experience

Once your cabins are built, and controllers are connected, it’s time to change a few things up for comfort. If you want to view the UI comfortably with friends, you should adjust it for your monitor size.

Check the options tab in the game menu, and you can change the Zoom Level of the game, and the Zoom Level of the UI, allowing you to change things up to suit your own needs.

What You Need To Play Local Multiplayer On Console And PC

Local multiplayer requirements are slightly different depending on what platform you're playing on. It makes a difference to how many players you can have playing simultaneously and what controllers you'll need to get started. Here are the essentials you need to know.

Once the 1.6 update launches for Stardew Valley, the game will support up to eight people. The PC update is set to launch first, so those who play on console may have to wait a bit longer to join seven other friends in the valley.

PS4 And Xbox One

The PS4 and Xbox One versions are the gold standard for Stardew Valley multiplayer on console, with very few specific requirements to throw you out of the experience. You need as many controllers as there are players (four maximum), and that's it.

One thing that will disappoint some, though, is that you will not be able to enjoy crossplay between consoles, such as between PS4 and Xbox, nor will you be able to join in with PC and Mac players.

You cannot have a local guest play with you in addition to an online guest; you will have to choose one or the other.

Nintendo Switch

Unfortunately, the game's Nintendo Switch port is a little different. For one, you can only play local co-op with up to two players – yourself and one friend, essentially. In addition to that, each player requires a full controller.

No splitting the JoyCon here; you will both need either a Pro Controller or a twin set of JoyCon.

This makes local multiplayer on Nintendo Switch a bit more lackluster than the other console versions of the game, but it's perfect if you want to grow your farm with a partner.

PC And Mac

PC and Mac players can also enjoy local multiplayer in the same way as PS4 and Xbox players; just plug in an extra keyboard or controller, and you should be good to go.

There is one advantage to playing on PC and Mac though, being that you can play cross-play multiplayer between the two systems if you're willing to take things online.

Multiplayer Mods

If you are able to download mods, you may be wondering if there are any couch co-op mods out there. Thankfully, many popular mods will still work! The content will stay the same, however, you may experience some lag.

Before downloading a mod, be sure to check out the description and requirements to confirm local co-op support.

If you are looking for a popular mod that adds more content, we suggest checking out Stardew Valley Expanded. This mod adds new NPCs, locations, and resources for you to collect.