2 to 8 players: the four setups
The store lists four multiplayer categories. They answer different questions, and the answers differ by platform.
Local and online both run 2 to 8 players. Online supports crossplay, and up to 7 local players can join online from a single PC. On PS5 the listing says 1 to 4 local and up to 8 online with PS Plus. Switch states 2 to 8 either way.
Eight players is the number on the box. What that actually means depends on which of four setups you are running, and the four are not interchangeable.
The Steam page lists four separate multiplayer categories: Multi-player, Co-op, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, and separately Cross-Platform Multiplayer. Those are tags, not a manual. Read alongside the store description, the PlayStation listing and the Nintendo listings, they do add up to a usable picture.
Four setups
| Setup | Players | Where it runs | Store evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Same room, one screen | 2-8 | One PC or console | Shared/Split Screen Co-op tag; Nintendo: single system 2-8 |
| Same room, split screen | 2-8 | One PC or console | Shared/Split Screen tag |
| Online private lobby | 2-8 | Crossplay across platforms | Online Co-op + Cross-Platform Multiplayer tags |
| Hybrid: room joins online | up to 7 local + remote | One PC with one connection | Store text: 7 local players can join online from a single PC |
That last row is the one people miss. Seven people in one room can join an online session through a single PC. It is the setup for a party where half the group is on the sofa and half is somewhere else.
How many controllers
The Steam page carries Full controller support, DualShock Controller Support, DualSense Controller Support and Steam Input API Support. Four tags, one meaning: the game expects controllers, and modern PlayStation pads work.
The number of pads you need equals the number of local players. An eight-player local session wants eight inputs, and a single keyboard is not going to carry that. On console the calculation is simpler: one controller per person, and the platform's own controller pairing limit applies.
Online, per storefront
| Platform | Local | Online | Subscription note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam (Windows/macOS) | 2-8 | 2-8 with crossplay | None stated | |
| Nintendo Switch | 2-8 single system | 2-8 | Nintendo Switch Online listed | |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | 2-8 single system | 2-8 | Nintendo Switch Online listed; GameShare on selected stages | |
| PlayStation 5 | 1-4 | Up to 8 with PS Plus | PS Plus required for online play | |
| Xbox Series X | S / One | Not separately stated | Listed as online co-op | Not stated on the page checked |
Two things stand out. The PS5 listing says 1 to 4 local players and up to 8 online, which is the only place a local number below eight appears. And the Switch 2 version adds GameShare for selected stages, which lets a player without the game join those stages locally or online; GameChat is required for the online version of that feature.
Pick a setup for your group
Four people, one sofa, one TV. Local split screen on console is the cheapest route. Everyone buys one copy between them, and the PS5 listing's 1-4 local range is the one to read before you plan a fifth controller.
Eight people, one room, one PC. Buy one copy on Steam, run local, and use the seven-local-players-online line if the eighth person is remote. This is the configuration the store description goes out of its way to mention, and it is the reason the PC version is worth considering even if you own a console.
Friends in three cities. Crossplay is confirmed on Steam and tagged on the Nintendo listings. Which platform hosts the lobby, and whether an account is needed, is not documented on any store page, so plan to test it before you schedule a session.
Mixed group, some online some not. The hybrid row above. The host machine needs to be the one with the game installed and the best connection, because it is carrying seven local inputs and the outgoing session.
Unpublished: lobby flow and invites
There is no published lobby size beyond "2 to 8". No crossplay toggle location, no friend-invite flow, no host migration policy and no statement about whether a player without a copy can join via Remote Play Together, even though the Steam page carries that tag.
Those are the questions a launch-week multiplayer page would normally answer. They are also questions that get answered by patch notes and community testing in the first fortnight. The FAQ page lists what the store can settle; everything else needs a session to prove.
If you are still deciding which storefront to buy on, the platforms page has the seven releases lined up with what each listing says. And if the party-size question is settled and you want to know what you are actually doing on screen, how to play covers the goal plate rule.
