How to play The Outlast Trials co-op multiplayer

It's the best way to play.

Four players in The Outlast Trials.
Screenshot by Dot Esports

You can enjoy everything The Outlast Trials has to offer solo, but rallying some other Reagents to participate in co-op multiplayer makes the game both easier and more fun. Knowing how to use this feature to find other players is a game-changer.

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Getting a lobby together can seem tricky at first since there are a couple of important steps to follow, but once you’ve done it a few times you’ll get the hang of it. Here’s how to play co-op multiplayer in The Outlast Trials.

How to play multiplayer in The Outlast Trials

There are two different ways you can play co-op multiplayer in The Outlast Trials. The first is to use the matchmaking system to join with random players, and the other is to invite specific players into your group. Regardless of which method you want to use, start by heading to the Terminal located in the center of the Sleep Room on the first floor. After interacting with it, you are given a couple of different options.

  • Select a trial: Allows you to choose from any of the available trials. If you want to do co-op multiplayer with others only for a specific trial or program, you need to select it here.
  • Add a player to your group: Clicking the plus icon hovering over any of the shadows in your squad lets you send a quick invite to any player in the Sleep Room with you or any of your friends.
  • Group finder: Presents you with three different options. This is the main means for creating a co-op multiplayer game with anyone.
    • Any trial: This option will load you into any lobby of players who have any kind of trial selected.
    • Selected program: You will only be set up with players who are looking for the same program as you or who are matchmaking into any type of program.
    • Selected trial: You will only be paired with players who want to work on the same specific trial as you or who are open to participating in any trial.

The easiest and quickest way to get set up in a lobby with other players is to not select a specific trial and instead match into any trial. Trying to match with players for a specific program or trial usually takes a while. You can see how long the matchmaking is expected to take when you are contemplating your options.

Once you are in a lobby with other players, you either need to finalize setting up the trial if you are the group leader or wait for the group leader to do so. You can see who the leader is by interacting with the same Terminal you started at.

After all this is done, the trial will enter prepping mode for a short time. Once it’s over, you need to run to the shuttle right in front of the Terminal and head inside to embark on the trial with your co-op multiplayer lobby.

How many players can play The Outlast Trials?

Up to four players can participate in a trial together in The Outlast Trials. You can play with anywhere from one to four Reagents at any given point, so it’s up to you how many players you decide to run with.

The Outlast Trials has crossplay and is available on a wide range of platforms, which means there should be lots of Reagents you can team up with at any time. Having some allies at your side also means you can make use of a couple of the best Rigs the game has to offer, which makes navigating through trials much easier.

Author
Image of Kacee Fay
Kacee Fay
Staff Writer at Dot Esports covering new releases and a wide array of topics including Minecraft, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Phasmophobia, general gaming, streaming, and more. She has been avidly writing and gaming her whole life and now spends her time combining the two. Kacee graduated from San Diego State University in 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Certificate in Creative Editing and Publishing. She then joined Dot Esports as a Freelance Writer in 2022 before transitioning to a Staff Writer in 2023. In her spare time, she enjoys buying more books than she can read, gaming alone or with friends, drinking too much tea, attending concerts, fangirling over movies and television, listening to music, and spending time with her family, friends, and pets, who are the most important parts of her world.