The Saints Row reboot was released under the same name on August 23, 2022, and offers a lot of open-world action with a nostalgia factor. Real Saints Row fans don’t have to explore Santo Ileso alone, they can also wreak havoc in the open game world in co-op mode.
In our short guide, we’ll explain how Saints Row’s co-op mode works and what the sandbox game’s multiplayer has to offer.
Saints Row Multiplayer – Everything you need to know
How does Saints Row multiplayer work? Saints Row features multiplayer, but only as a co-op version of the game’s campaign. This means that you can play all missions from the campaign together with another player. However, there is no separate online mode for more than two players like in GTA Online.
How do I start a co-op session? If you want to play Saints Row with a second player in co-op mode, you need to click on the “Coop-Campaign” option in the game’s start menu. You can then choose from the following four options to start a co-op game:
- Host Game: You can invite another player to an existing save game.
- Play with a friend: You join a game that a friend invited you to.
- Host new game: You are hosting a completely new save game.
- Matchmaking: You are looking for a co-op game in an online matchmaking list.
Note when hosting a co-op session: By default, your session is marked as open, allowing any player to join via matchmaking. Activate the corresponding option in the pause menu of the co-op mode to decide for yourself who can play with you.
Furthermore, you’ll have to keep a few requirements in mind if you want to play Saints Row in co-op mode:
- The host of the co-op session must have already fully completed the campaign tutorial. However, this does not apply to other players who join the session.
- No player may currently be in an active mission.
- All players must be using the same version of Saints Row.
How does game progression work in co-op? You can always take over an existing single-player save for a co-op session. Any progress you earn in that session carries over. This also applies to games in which you are not the host. Where in the game you start or which missions are available determines the progress in the host’s game.
If you have not progressed as far in the story as the host of the co-op session, you will still count missions as completed. So you get all experience points and rewards of the respective mission credited and do not have to complete them again later.
Is there PvP? Saints Row’s multiplayer is co-op only, so there’s no real PvP. However, if both players explicitly allow it in the settings, they can play pranks on each other. If you and your game partner complete different tasks and master challenges, the so-called prank meter fills up. When the bar is full, you can turn your buddy into an immovable object with the push of a button.
You also have the option of activating friendly fire in co-op mode. By default, friendly fire is off, but you can toggle it to reduced or full damage. To do this, go to the settings in the co-op menu. Both players can change the settings, but only in relation to how much damage their own character takes.
Is there a cross-play option? Saints Row does not offer any cross-play options at release, apart from cross-gen. So you can only gamble with other players within an ecosystem. PS4 can cooperate with PS5 and Xbox One with Xbox Series X/S. Xbox and PlayStation players can’t be together in Santo Ileso any more than console and PC players.
Is there crossplay between the Epic Games and Steam versions of Saints Row? If you want to play Saints Row on PC in co-op mode, you can be happy: Steam and Epic Games support crossplay between both platforms. However, you’ll first need to connect your Epic Games account to your Steam account if you wish to host a co-op session from Steam.
Here’s how it works:
- Open the game and select “Co-op Campaign” → “Crossplay” from the main menu.
- Click “Log in to Epic Games” and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Start the crossplay session.
If you want to host a co-op session with your Epic Games account and play together with a Steam user, you must first connect your Epic Games account to your Steam account:
- Open the Epic Games Launcher and navigate to your account settings.
- Select the “Apps and Accounts” option and click “Connect” in the “Accounts” tab on Steam.
- Log in with your Steam account.
You should now be able to see your friends list from Steam in Epic Launcher and start the co-op session – assuming your teammate has connected their Steam account to an Epic Games account (see above).
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