Is There Co-Op in Sons of the Forest?

Sons of the Forest, the latest title from Endnight Games, has definitely made a name for itself ever since the release of its early access version, especially among horror game aficionados. The game has been a hot topic in the gaming community for its impressive design and engaging gameplay. Given that the best way to enjoy a horror game is to play with your friends, many fans are wondering whether there is co-op in Sons of the Forest or not.

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Co-Op in Sons of the Forest

With the release date of Sons of the Forest v1.0 fast approaching, it is natural for fans to wonder whether there will be co-op in Sons of the Forest. This is because horror survival games are one of the best games to play with your friends for an enhanced and immersive gameplay experience. The thrill you feel when exploring a terrifying environment, solving puzzles, and facing unforeseen dangers is often best enjoyed when you’re playing with your buddies.

Those players are looking forward to playing Sons of the Forest with their friends, they’ll be delighted to hear that there will be co-op in Sons of the Forest. You’ll be able to navigate all the challenges and dangers presented in the game with your friends present beside you to have your back. Apart from the friends you invite to your game, don’t forget you will have 2 NPCs to support you in the game: Virginia and Kelvin. The presence of these NPCs is a major indicator of the importance of teamwork in this game.

With cooperative gameplay being such a major part of Sons of the Forest, it does leave many wondering how many people they can invite in a single lobby. In Sons of the Forest, it is confirmed that you can invite up to seven friends to play alongside you. If you have a big friend group, you’ll definitely be pleased to hear this news. The availability of a co-op in Sons of the Forest is definitely a major selling point for this game. This shared experience can transform gameplay, making it more dynamic and unpredictable as players bring their individual skills and perspectives to the game.

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How to Setup Co-Op in Sons of the Forest

Since we know there is co-op in Sons of the Forest, and it is a major feature of the game, how do you actually set it up? To set up co-op in Sons of the Forest, simply head to the Main Menu and click on Multiplayer. Next, you’ll be asked whether you want to host a lobby or join a session hosted by someone else. If you choose to host a lobby, you’ll be presented with the option to set the max lobby size and whether it’s open to the public or just for friends.

Hey Everyone, Sons Of The Forest v1.0 will release Feb 22, 2024 with Shawn Ashmore voicing Timmy as we expand his role in the game and story. We thank everyone who has joined us in Early Access and are super excited for what we have in store for v1.0 and beyond.

— Endnight Games (@EndNightGame) November 29, 2023

Once you select your preferred settings, you can invite your friends into your world. You don’t have to worry about starting the game with all your friends present, as you can have any friends join in later.

That said, if you’re not planning to host a lobby, you have two options. You can choose to wait for your friends to invite you to their lobbies, or you can use the Multiplayer menu to browse for public lobbies to join.

Related: Is Sons of the Forest Cross-Platform?

What You Should Know About Co-Op in Sons of the Forest

While it is great news that Sons of the Forest does support co-op, there are some factors that you should keep in mind when playing this game in multiplayer. The most important factor to consider is how the progression is handled in the game. Essentially, whatever progression you make in a multiplayer lobby says in the lobby, and it doesn’t translate in your solo games. 

Since the host holds the lobby, the progression stays with the host. That said, you don’t have to worry about losing the progression you made in your co-op lobbies since the game will save your individual progress if the host remembers to save the game before leaving the lobby. This means that everyone will pick up where they left off when they rejoin the lobby. 

Other than that, if you add a new player into your lobby after making significant progress, they will experience the initial cutscene and will start from scratch at the spot where the helicopter crashed.

Another point to remember is that being a host doesn’t give you any sort of advantage in a lobby. All players in the co-op lobby will have the same abilities and can even command Kelvin. While the game doesn’t have any difficulty setting, the number of players in a lobby will certainly have an impact on how many cannibals you’ll run into.  

Final Thoughts

With multiplayer games on the rise in the gaming world, there is little to no reason for there to be no co-op in Sons of the Forest. The horror survival nature of the game provides the perfect opportunity for co-op-centred gameplay as it not only adds an element of camaraderie but also introduces unique dynamics in gameplay, strategy, and problem-solving. On top of that, you can’t deny co-op mode often leads to memorable gaming moments that enhance the overall enjoyment of the game.