Is RimWorld Multiplayer?

Wonder whether or RimWorld is multiplayer? We've got you covered.

RimWorld is an acclaimed sci-fi colony sim that invites players to manage and simulate their own colonies throughout space. What makes the game unique is that it uses an AI storyteller to procedurally analyze and create unique events for the player to encounter during their playthrough. RimWorld debuted on PC in early access in 2013 before being released in full in 2018. It recently came to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on July 29, 2022.

As such, with the game continuing to pick up steam with new expansions as well, it's perhaps no surprise that many are wondering whether or not the game can be played with others. Here's a breakdown of whether or not RimWorld is multiplayer.

Is RimWorld Multiplayer?

Since its full release, RimWorld has received two major patches and a premium expansion called "Royalty," but no official multiplayer support. The game is designed to be a single-player experience.

However, Ludeon has long made it so that modding the game is especially easy, and, to this day, the RimWorld mods community does feature multiplayer experiences for those who desire it on PC.

The main RimWorld third-party multiplayer supplier, Rimworld Multiplayer, is an open-source, community-driven mod that has its own official website, and can be downloaded from Steam Workshop, GitHub and the official Ludeon forums.

How to Play RimWorld Multiplayer

Here are the directions for playing RimWorld Multiplayer, per the mod's website:

1. Create a single-player world, choose what colonists and landing place you want and wait until your colonists get out of their pods.
2. Save the game, then press escape and click the Host button on your menu.
3. Configure your desired settings on the Host window, and click host.
4. When hosting through Steam, users can just connect through your Steam friends list. With the "direct" option, users should port forward 30502 through UDP.

For more on RimWorld, feel free to check out:

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• RimWorld Biotech Pregnancies Explained
• RimWorld Biotech Genes Explained