Valheim from Iron Gate is taking the survival genre by storm on Steam, and for many, it is best played with friends. If you prefer multiplayer co-op with friends instead of going out in the world of Valheim alone, then you need to either set up a local server or a dedicated server.

How to set up a local server in Valheim

Setting up a local server in Valheim is much easier than a dedicated server, so we will start with this option to play multiplayer co-op with friends.

Keep in mind this is for those who have a couple of friends who plan on playing together. Choose the player with the strongest gaming rig to set up the local server in Valheim.

(Picture: Iron Gate AB)

To set up a local server in Valheim, follow the simple steps below.

• Create a world and pair it with a custom or random seed.
• Choose “Start Server”.
• Enter your server’s password and simply click start.

Friends can join your local server in Valheim by clicking on the Join Game tab. They will see your server if they are Steam friends with you. Alternatively, you can join via “Community Servers”.

The most important aspect is simply to share the local server’s password with your friends, allowing for a painless experience.

Valheim Dedicated Server: How to set up

If you want your very own Valheim dedicated server, you will need to jump through several technical hoops.

While it is possible to host a dedicated server for Valheim with a powerful gaming PC and join the server with the same one, it is recommended you use a different, dedicated PC for the server.

• Read more: Valheim Raft guide: How to build, for what to use, controls, more

You will need a beefy PC (i7 or Ryzen 7) with at least 16GB of RAM for a smooth Valheim Dedicated Server experience. You will also need a solid internet connection with, for example, 100/50mbps fibre. The more players joining your dedicated server, the higher the requirements will become.

This guide also assumes you know how to do Port Forwarding on your router.