Sons of the Forest multiplayer not working – how to fix

If Sons of the Forest Multiplayer isn’t working, we’re here to show you how to fix it.

While Sons of the Forest is full of exhilarating thrills and scares, players appear to be most alarmed by the unexplainable glitches that are preventing them from joining their friends’ multiplayer lobbies. This is on top of frame drops, and stuttering. Unfortunately, these are common issues to run into during a game’s Early Access period.

If you weren’t aware, Sons of Forest can be played in both single and multiplayer modes. If you want to play with your friends, simply select Multiplayer from the lobby screen, then clock on Host to create a server or Join to enter one.

The good news is that we’ve found a few ways to fix the Sons of Forest “Multiplayer not working” bug. Some of the reasons may be to do with a poor network connection, anti-virus settings, or else corrupted game files. We’ll go into a little more depth below.

How to fix Sons of the Forest “Multiplayer not working” error

Let’s go through a few of the possible solutions to fix the Sons of the Forest “Multiplayer not working” error.

Restart your PC

It’s the classic suggestion for a reason – rebooting your PC might help iron out minor glitches affecting gameplay. Hopefully, you’ll be back playing Sons of the Forest with your friends in no time.

Check your network connection

As we’re sure you might already know, an unstable or faulty network connection is a common culprit behind multiplayer errors.

Simply perform a ping test, and check if the connection is stable. Also try the steps below:

1. Restart your router and modem
2. Switch to a direct (ethernet) connection over Wi-Fi (this is more reliable)
3. If you have the option, switch to another network
4. Disconnect from VPN services.

Check Sons of the Forest and your system are up to date

Especially during the Early Access period, the game developers release patch updates to sort out bugs and glitches. Ensure you and your friends have the latest version of the game downloaded, as mismatch systems can cause performance problems.

It might also be worth your time to ensure your operating system and graphic drivers are up to date:

• AMD driver support
• Nvidia driver support

Verify Sons of the Forest game files

Corrupted game files is another potential culprit. To verify your game files, open up your Steam library, right-click on the game, then select:

Properties > Local Files tab > Verify integrity of game files

Once the process is complete, restart Steam and launch the game.

Finally, try allowing the game’s executable file through your system’s firewall or antivirus

Find the save location of the game’s executable file.

If you use Windows Defender as your primary antivirus tool, go to the Windows Security app then click on the Firewall & Network Protection side tab.

Then, click “Allow an app through firewall” option, and make sure the game’s executable is allowed through. If not, use the Browse to add the file to the list of allowed applications.

Sons of the Forest multiplayer still not working? It could be a server issue…

If none of the above suggestions have proved effective, it might an issue with the server. If this is the case, all you can do is report the problem to Steam forums and hold tight.

Having only recently launched on February 23rd with over 200,000 active players, the sheer amount of user traffic might be affecting gameplay. Fingers crossed the game developers will find a solution if the problem is a bug.

Frequently asked questions

How many players can play Sons of the Forest?

Sons of the Forest can host up to eight players via the Multiplayer lobby. It’s a great feature that lets you roam the title’s island with up to seven other individuals.