👥 How to Fish Multiplayer & Co-op
How to Fish supports online co-op for up to 8 players per lobby (after patch 1.0.4), with private lobbies and anti-griefer measures — plus full single-player support. No split-screen or crossplay yet; Steam PC and Steam Deck only.
Quick Answer: Multiplayer at a Glance
How to Fish is online co-op for up to 8 players per lobby after patch 1.0.4 (the Steam store page may still say 1-4). Single-player is fully supported. There is no split-screen and no crossplay — Steam PC and Steam Deck only.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Players | Up to 8 per lobby (patch 1.0.4; originally 1-4) |
| Mode | Online co-op |
| Single-player | Fully supported, playable alone |
| Local split-screen | None |
| Cross-platform | Not available (Steam PC only) |
| Steam Deck | Playable (Verified) |
| Progress | Players in a session share islands, waters and main-story progress |
| Private lobbies | Invite-only, added in patch 1.0.5 |
Why Play Co-op
- Higher income: several players fishing at once roughly doubles earnings.
- Easier boss fights: split roles — one player holds the boss while others focus damage.
- Physics chaos: crossed lines, accidental shots, seagulls stealing fish and runaway casino moments are part of the fun.
- Revival mechanic: as long as one player is alive they can run over and "slap" a fallen teammate back up.
What Is Shared in a Session
- The same islands and water areas.
- Quest progress and boss deliveries advance together.
- Money and equipment progress are shared within the session (exact economic split follows the in-game behavior).
- Task items must be delivered in person by the player carrying them.
💡 Shared physics cut both ways — teammates can interrupt your cast or accidentally hurt you, so agree on who steers the boat.
Multiplayer Patch Timeline (August 2026)
| Patch | Multiplayer changes |
|---|---|
| 1.0.4 | Lobby size raised to 8 players; fixed the black-screen join issue |
| 1.0.5 | Private invite-only lobbies; conversation type changeable in game (restart required); anti-griefer measures against random joins ending the game; fake server name fix |
| Later updates | Save improvements (Save / Main Menu / Quit + autosave every minute); balance changes (Pufferfish, Whale weakened) |
Playing Well Together
- New teams: run the main line together from Lighthouse → Forest → Desert to learn the rhythm.
- Boss battles: one player occupies the boss, the rest deal damage; keep healing items around.
- Money: simultaneous fishing plus skill kills (Killscore) is the efficient combo.
- Strangers: use a private invite-only lobby to avoid griefers.