How To Play Elden Ring Co-op And Multiplayer With Friends

Yes, Elden Ring has online co-op for up to 3 players: a host and two friends. Everyone sets the same multiplayer password, your friends place summon signs with the Tarnished’s Furled Finger, and the host summons them with the Furlcalling Finger Remedy or a Martyr Effigy. Co-op ends when the area boss dies, so you resummon for each new area.

FromSoftware, the team behind Elden Ring, has a pretty unique take on multiplayer in their souls-like games, which can trip up a lot of players. But Elden Ring is an awesome hardcore action RPG, and it’s super fun to play with friends! If you’re confused about how to play multiplayer in Elden Ring, check out this article, where I break down all the details.

Is Elden Ring Multiplayer?

Yes, Elden Ring has multiplayer, but it works differently than most top multiplayer games. Co-op and PvP happen live, but only in short sessions: you summon other players into your world for one area at a time. The game also has asynchronous features, like messages and bloodstains left by other players, which FromSoftware has used in almost all of its Souls games.

Because of this unusual approach, many users on Reddit have questions about how multiplayer works in Elden Ring and whether it is possible to play the game with friends from start to finish.

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How Does It Work?

In Elden Ring, co-op is set up for three players: one Host of Fingers and two Phantoms. The main goal of Elden Ring online co-op is to team up and take down a boss at a specific spot. You can run through certain areas together, but once that boss is defeated, the Phantoms head back to their own worlds. If you want them back for the next fight, you’ll need to summon them again with a golden mark. 

Note:

The game also has PvP. Players can drop a red summon sign to challenge the host. Plus, there are special PvP spots called The Colosseums, where you can enjoy various PvP encounters.

How To Unlock Co-op Multiplayer In Elden Ring

Multiplayer opens after the tutorial. Once you leave the Stranded Graveyard and reach Limgrave, the Multiplayer menu is ready to use. Martyr Effigies, the small statues near many Sites of Grace, open a summoning pool for that area. Touch one to make it easier to summon or be summoned there.

How To Play Multiplayer In Elden Ring?

Like everything else in this game, Elden Ring’s multiplayer is also very confusing. That’s why you’ll see a lot of messages on Reddit asking for a simple explanation of how to play with friends in Elden Ring.

So, here’s a quick rundown on how to team up with your buddies. 

Elden Ring’s multiplayer uses a few key items. You start with all of them except one:

• Tarnished’s Furled Finger: places your gold summon sign so you can join another player’s world. It is in your Multiplayer menu.
• Small Golden Effigy: sends your sign to several summoning pools at once.
• Furlcalling Finger Remedy: lets the host see summon signs. Craft it from Erdleaf Flowers after buying the Crafting Kit from Merchant Kale at the Church of Elleh.

How To Join Friends In Elden Ring

To play together, you and your friends need to go to the  multiplayer settings in Elden Ring and set a password so that you can see each other. Next, you need to do the following:

1. Everyone opens the multiplayer settings and enters the same password.
2. Meet in the same area. The host should not have beaten that area’s boss yet.
3. Your friends use the Tarnished’s Furled Finger to place a gold summon sign near the host.
4. The host uses a Furlcalling Finger Remedy, or touches a nearby Martyr Effigy, to see the signs.
5. The host interacts with each sign to summon up to two friends.
6. Explore together until the area boss is defeated or the host dies. Then repeat in the next area.

Being Summoned By Randoms

If you don’t have friends who play Elden Ring or you just need help from anybody with the boss, you can summon and be summoned by randoms. The most important thing is to check that there is no multiplayer password. Then, this is what you need to do to enable multiplayer in Elden Ring.

1. Make sure no multiplayer password is set.
2. Use the Tarnished’s Furled Finger to place a sign, or use the Small Golden Effigy to send your sign to several summoning pools.
3. Wait to be summoned. If you are the host, use the Furlcalling Finger Remedy to see signs from other players.

Is Elden Ring Crossplay?

No. Elden Ring does not support crossplay or cross-progression. PC players can only play with PC players. Console players can play across generations in the same family, so PS4 with PS5 and Xbox One with Xbox Series X|S. The Switch 2 version has no announced crossplay either.

Elden Ring Co-op On Switch 2

Elden Ring Tarnished Edition launched on Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28, 2026. It includes the base game, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, two new starting classes, new armor and Torrent customization. Online co-op works the same way as on other platforms, but it needs a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership. Players on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC can buy the same classes, gear and Torrent looks as the paid Tarnished Pack DLC, released August 28, 2026.

Seamless Co-op Mod (PC Only)

If you want to play the whole game with friends, PC players can use the fan-made Seamless Co-op mod. It removes the boss-by-boss limit, lets your group ride Torrent and share world progress, and supports up to 6 players in recent versions. It uses its own save files and launcher and does not connect to FromSoftware’s servers, so you cannot meet normal players. Check the mod page for the game version it supports before you update Elden Ring. It is not available on consoles.

Want More Co-op? Try Elden Ring Nightreign

Elden Ring Nightreign is a standalone co-op spinoff released on May 30, 2025. You can play solo, as a duo (added in patch 1.02 on July 31, 2025) or as a team of three. It does not support crossplay. The Forsaken Hollows DLC arrived on December 4, 2025. See our Elden Ring Nightreign crossplay guide for platform details.

Discover All The Perks Of The Game With GameTree

Need a hand from other players to tackle levels in Elden Ring, or just want to chat about the game’s awesome story? Check out the GameTree app! The GameTree app matches you with players by personality and the games you like, so you can find someone to help you with tough Elden Ring bosses. You can also join the GameTree LFG Discord, with about 28,500 members, and use the Scout bot’s /lfg command: discord.gg/6duvwHx2Q2.

Final Thoughts

Elden Ring is one of my favorite single-player PC games, and its co-op is a great way to beat a tough boss with friends. In the base game you summon friends area by area, and the session ends at each boss. Set a shared password, carry Furlcalling Finger Remedies, and touch Martyr Effigies when you see them. If you want to play the whole game together on PC, Seamless Co-op is the popular fix. If you want a game built for co-op from the start, try Nightreign.