Multiplayer

Overview

Solarpunk supports online co-op multiplayer for up to 4 players. Players can work together to build bases, manage farms, explore islands, and set up automation chains as a team. The multiplayer closed beta launched on January 28, 2026, providing the first broad public test of the co-op experience.

Networking

Solarpunk uses a peer-to-peer networking model. There are no dedicated servers. One player hosts the session, and other players connect to that host. This means the host player's internet connection quality directly affects the experience for all connected players. When the host disconnects, the session ends for everyone.

Cross-play between platforms is not currently planned. Players on Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch 2 will play within their own platform ecosystems.

Ping system

A ping system was added to help players communicate and coordinate. Players can mark locations in the world to draw attention to specific spots, such as a resource deposit, a point of interest on an island, or a meeting location. Pings appear as visible markers for all players in the session.

Shared research

The Research Table in multiplayer has the potential for shared unlocks. This feature, still being developed, would allow one player's research progress to benefit the entire group. For example, when one player unlocks a new recipe at the Research Table, all players in the session would gain access to that recipe. This encourages specialization, where one player focuses on research while others focus on gathering, building, or farming.

Co-op gameplay

In multiplayer, all players share the same island world and base infrastructure. Common strategies include:

• One player manages farming and cooking, supplying the group with food and temporary bonuses

• One player focuses on building and base expansion

• One player handles automation setup and energy management

• One player explores new islands by airship and gathers distant resources

The signage and labeling systems in the building system help multiplayer groups organize shared bases by marking rooms and storage areas.

Steam features

Several Steam platform features are planned for Solarpunk:

Controller support was introduced during the September 2025 alpha playtest for Kickstarter backers and is expected to be available at launch across all platforms.