To join someone in Sons of the Forest for cooperative gameplay, the host must have initially created their game session as a multiplayer game. You connect to a host's game that was specifically set up for multiple players from the start.
Joining a friend allows you to explore the mysterious island, build bases, gather resources, and survive together against the dangers of the forest.
Important Requirements for Joining a Game
Based on information regarding game save types and multiplayer functionality:
- Multiplayer Start is Essential: The most crucial requirement is that the host must have started the game save file as a multiplayer campaign. This is the only type of save file that allows others to join.
- No Single-Player Conversion: You cannot convert a save file that was originally started in a single-player campaign into a co-op or multiplayer file later on. This means if your friend began their game alone, you won't be able to join that specific save file.
- Adding Friends Later: If a host starts a game in multiplayer, they can add friends later on to that existing multiplayer session. You don't need to join exactly when the game is first created, as long as it was initiated as multiplayer.
In summary, successfully joining a friend's game in Sons of the Forest hinges entirely on whether the host chose the multiplayer option when creating their save file. If they did, you can connect to their session; if they started in single-player, that specific save remains solo.