DragonSword: Awakening Co-op and Multiplayer
Quick answer
DragonSword: Awakening co-op covers 2-player Hunts and 3-player Raids only. The main story and open world are single-player. There is no matchmaking, so you must arrange partners manually — this is why so many players think co-op is broken when it is working as designed. There is no PvP.
Updated · Verified on Patch 1.0.x · Sources: in-game testing, Steam store page, Hound13 announcements
More people search for "DragonSword Awakening multiplayer not working" than for how to use it, and in almost every case nothing is broken.
What co-op actually covers
| Mode | Players | Co-op? |
|---|---|---|
| Main story | 1 | No |
| Open world / exploration | 1 | No — planned post-launch |
| Towns | 1 | No — planned post-launch |
| Hunts | 2 | Yes |
| Raids | 3 | Yes |
| Tower of Trials | 1 | No — solo content |
| PvP | — | Does not exist |
Each player brings a full team of three heroes into Hunts and Raids. A 3-player Raid therefore has nine heroes on the field.
The thing that confuses everyone: there is no matchmaking
DragonSword: Awakening has no matchmaking system for Hunts or Raids. There is no queue, no "find group" button, and no automatic pairing.
You have to find someone manually and arrange to play at the same time. That is the intended design, not a bug and not a server problem.
This single fact explains nearly every "co-op is broken" report:
- "I click the Hunt and nothing happens" — there is nobody to match you with, because matching does not exist.
- "My friend can't join my story" — the story is single-player. Co-op does not apply to it.
- "There are no players online" — you cannot see other players outside a Hunt or Raid you arranged.
How to actually play with friends
- Both players need DragonSword: Awakening on Steam PC — it is the only platform, so there is no cross-platform question.
- Progress far enough to unlock Hunts and Raids; they are endgame content.
- Arrange a time directly — Steam friends, Discord, or the Steam discussions for this game.
- Invite through Steam.
- Each of you brings your own full team of three.
Co-op changes team building
This is the part most groups miss. With three players each fielding three heroes, you should assign roles across players, not just within them.
Three balanced teams all doing setup, break and burst independently is far weaker than one setup-heavy team, one break-heavy team and one burst-heavy team working the same target.
Setup heroes gain the most value in co-op. One Cerese Freeze can open windows for two other players' teams simultaneously. Likewise Sion and Eileen climb in Raids because Shock and the attack banner benefit everyone.
Theresia is weaker in Raids than her tier suggests — with three players applying ailments independently, the enemy state changes faster than a precise detonator can plan around. See the tier list for the by-content breakdown.
Since you are already talking to your partners to arrange the session, agree roles at the same time.
Everything is completable solo
Worth stating plainly, because it affects whether the lack of matchmaking should influence your purchase: Hunts, Raids, world bosses and the Tower of Trials are all completable solo. Co-op is optional throughout. Nothing is locked behind having friends.
If co-op is your main reason for buying, though, be realistic about the scope — see is it worth it.
What is planned
Hound13 has stated it plans to add co-op support for towns and world exploration after launch. That is a meaningful expansion of scope if it ships, but it is not in DragonSword: Awakening today. Nothing has been said publicly about adding matchmaking. Track it on the roadmap.
A performance note for Raids
Three players each fielding three heroes means far more simultaneous combat VFX than solo play, and DragonSword: Awakening is GPU-bound at most settings. If your frame rate is comfortable solo but drops in Raids, lower Volumetric Shadows and Shadow Quality rather than Effects Quality — the effects are what carry your Signal Skill prompts. See best settings and FPS fixes.
FAQ
Does DragonSword: Awakening have co-op?
Yes, but limited. Co-op covers 2-player Hunts and 3-player Raids. The main story and open world are single-player.
Can you play the DragonSword: Awakening story in co-op?
No. Story Mode is single-player. Hound13 has said co-op for towns and world exploration is planned after launch.
Why can't I join a Hunt or Raid?
Because there is no matchmaking. You must arrange a partner manually through Steam friends or the game's discussion forums.
Does DragonSword: Awakening have PvP?
No. There is no PvP in DragonSword: Awakening.
How many players in DragonSword: Awakening co-op?
Two for Hunts and three for Raids. Each player brings a full team of three heroes.