Stellaris Multiplayer

Since I love the game and I am looking for even more joy playing, I began looking into the Multiplayer to see if it is even better … and I was not disappointed!

Is the Stellaris Multiplayer good?

Stepping into Multiplayer lifted the fun to a new level. Once you start playing with fellow humans, the game becomes even more immersive. Chatting with your friends or even friendly strangers located someplace on planet Earth adds a completely new element to the game.

So, let’s get some questions about the Stellaris Multiplayer out of the way.

Is Stellaris Single- and Multiplayer?

Some wonder if Stellaris is suitable for either single- or multiplayer.

Stellaris is both! Playing Stellaris in either single or multiplayer is simply your choice. It is very easy to either start a single-player or enter a multiplayer game anytime. Stellaris makes no distinction between these two game modes.

Does Stellaris have Multiplayer?

As mentioned above, Stellaris comes with both game modes – single and Multiplayer, and both are included in the vanilla game. All you need for playing Multiplayer – next to the game itself – is a good internet connection.

Can you play Stellaris Multiplayer on PC?

Stellaris Multiplayer even used to be PC only. So the answer to the question is yes,, you can play Stellaris Multiplayer on PC.

How does the Stellaris Multiplayer work?

Each player plays one empire and decides how to treat the other players/empires. You can wage war on them or build a federation together. Ultimately, though, in order to win the game, most players will be rivals sooner or later.

How many Players can join a Multiplayer Game?

Up to 32 players can play in one Multiplayer game.

How do you start a Multiplayer game in Stellaris?

Starting a Multiplayer game in Stellaris is easy.

To start a multiplayer game, first, you choose Multiplayer in the main menu.

In the appearing Game Browser, you will see a long list of available multiplayer games.

This list of available games can be sorted by:

• Open slots
• private or not
• password required or not
• Stellaris version
• Mods

a. Start a Stellaris Multiplayer game by Joining a Server

Obviously, if you are not invited by a friend to join, you will need to find a game that does not require a password. And even then, the admin might reject you. If this happens, as long as you do not have a reputation in the Stellaris community, no need to take this personally. Perhaps the host is waiting for someone or they do not want too many players.

To find such a game, check the “No Password Required” box. You can also try to sort by server tags, sometimes it helps with finding i.e. a “Fast Game” (still might take days). You can sort the list by clicking on the header.

On the right side, you see the game status, Running or Starting. You might want to join a game that is not several hours old, so try to find a “Starting” game.

When you found a game you would like to join and the admin accepts your request, you find yourself in the game lobby. Choose your species and enjoy the game!

b. (hot) “Direct Join” a Stellaris Game

If someone sent you a server name and password, you can use the “Direct Join” button to enter the server. Just enter the server name and password.

Do all players have to own the same DLCs for Stellaris Multiplayer?

If you are joining a server, It does not matter what DLCs you own, because the game host offers his DLCs for the whole server. So if the host for example owns the Utopia DLC, all players joining his server will enjoy the Utopia features during the game.

How long does a Stellaris Multiplayer game last?

Depending on the settings by the server host, a game can take a few hours in a small galaxy, up to a few days in a big galaxy.

For more detailed info, go to How long does a Stellaris game last?

Can you play Stellaris Multiplayer without DLC?

The Stellaris vanilla game (no DLC) is absolutely enough to play great Multiplayer games with other players. But adding DLCs to the mix could even enhance the game experience, and make it even more interesting. Still, the Stellaris in its vanilla version is absolutely enough.

And: As long as the server’s host owns the DLC, it is shared with all players on that server. So joining a multiplayer game can be a nice way to test the employed DLCs, if they make it on your wish list for Christmas.

Can you play Stellaris Multiplayer with Mods?

To be honest, this is also still a bit confusing to me. I read that you have to be subscribed to the same mods as the server admin. Also in the Multiplayer Game Browser, there is an extra column for the employed mods.

But in my research, I found no evidence for mods playing any role in joining and playing a Multiplayer game. Chatting with experienced Stellaris gamers on Multiplayer chats also did not produce any hints that mods are something to look at concerning Stellaris Multiplayer.

So, you can join and play any Stellaris Multiplayer game with mods.

I personally did encounter no issues with the respective mods I was subscribed to at the time of joining a Multiplayer server.

I have come to the conclusion that in the earlier Stellaris version the mod situation did play a role, hence the vacant column in the Game browser. But since at least the Stellaris Dick update (3.0) in 2021 mods are not a factor in multiplayer games anymore.

Can you cheat in Stellaris Multiplayer?

I let you on a secret: I do cheat a lot in my single-player games of Stellaris. I quickly grow tired of lacking resources and so open the console, type in the respective cheat commands, and voilà, my inventory is again full to the brim, again. Really speeds up fleet building. Nice… But that is just me cheating on my PC.

In Multiplayer, there is no option to cheat. You cannot open the necessary console, even. No mod is available to enable opening the console or cheating during a multiplayer game.

There seems to be a trick to reload a saved game and start it in Multiplayer. I do not know how this would work, and I read it’s a lot of hassle, but that’s the info I found. But, still would not help with cheating, because I also read that this method leads to server de-sync, meaning the game crashes.

So no, I did not find a way. And that’s good because cheating in multiplayer would ruin the game.

But that does not mean that some players have not found a way to cheat. Stellaris is so malleable, maybe someone found a hole.

When playing with experienced players, I learned from them that they suspected at least one player in the obviously close Stellaris Multiplayer community of cheating. The player with the Gamertag U* was immediately removed by the admin as soon as he tried to log on. All the admin said was “He is a cheater”.

So at least the Stellaris community suspects at least one Multiplayer to have found a way to cheat.

Is there a Stellaris Multiplayer Community?

Stellaris has an active and growing community of Multiplayer enthusiasts, and a very friendly one at that, too.

If you are interested in joining the Stellaris community and finding friends to play Stellaris, joining a multiplayer game is a very good way. Depending on what game the admin intends to play (for me, it is “chill” vs. “competitive”), you have some time in the game lobby to chat with the other players and befriend them on steam and Discord.

I personally am more interested in multiplayer games played for fun and to chill and chat with nice people. Sure, also to hand them their you-know-what, but in style and with fun.

I am happy to find that Stellaris attracts a great crowd of people, very fitting to this my website’s motto “for the classy gamer”.

Is there a Stellaris Local Multiplayer?

Does Stellaris offer a shared screen mode?

Stellaris does not offer a shared-screen mode. Each human player needs his/her own PC (or console).

Can you LAN Stellaris?

You cannot play Stellaris in a local network or by directly connecting two PCs with a LAN cable. All co-op and Multiplayer needs to be done via the Stellaris Multiplayer servers.

Does Stellaris have a co-op mode?

Yes. For more info, see my post Is there a Co-op in Stellaris?

FAQ

Is Stellaris multiplayer cross platform?

Stellaris is not cross platform. There is a console edition and a PC edition with each one having their own multiplayer servers and not being compatible.

Can two people play the same nation in Stellaris?

Two people can indeed play the same nation in Stellaris multiplayer, providing a unique way to play the game as you can both focus on different aspects of the game.

Do you need DLC for multiplayer?

To play multiplayer in Stellaris, you do not need any DLCs. However, if you wish to use the mechanics found in the DLC’s for Stellaris, then only the hosting player needs to have them.

How long is a multiplayer game of Stellaris?

A game of Stellaris can last as long as you want it to. There is no definitive answer as the length depends on what speed you play on, when your end game year is and if you get bored. Just like in single player when playing in multiplayer you can create a save of your game to continue another time.