Permafrost supports solo play and co-op sessions of up to 4 players. That shapes everything about how you plan a run. A solo player does every job. A full team of four splits the survival workload and pushes further into the frozen ruins. Some multiplayer details are still being confirmed by players, so this guide covers what is known and marks the rest honestly.

Decide your team size before you pick a mode. Story mode suits a first co-op run together. Survival mode with four players is a coordination test, not a casual evening.

Who can join a session

Co-op is confirmed for 1 to 4 players. You can play entirely alone or bring up to three companions into the eternal winter. The dog companion travels with the team as well, adding its early-warning nose and carrying capacity to the group.

One important note about invites. During the October 2026 playtest, each participant received 3 invite codes for friends, and sessions ran in one-hour windows. That was playtest-era information. Whether Early Access uses invite codes, a friend list system or open sessions is UNVERIFIED as of October 9, 2026. Do not assume the playtest mechanism carried over.

Cross-platform play status is UNVERIFIED as of October 9, 2026. Permafrost launches into Early Access on Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store on the same day, but whether players on different stores can join one session has not been confirmed.

Roles that split the survival work

Four players and four jobs is a clean fit. These are general co-op survival suggestions, not confirmed Permafrost mechanics. They work because the core loop divides naturally: exploration and gathering on one side, crafting and shelter-building on the other.

The scout moves first and reads the terrain, ideally with the dog at their side for early warnings. The gatherer follows the scout's route and hauls materials back, using the dog's carrying capacity to extend each trip. The crafter stays near the shelter and converts raw materials into cold-weather gear. The builder extends the shelter network outward so the team keeps a warm fallback.

With two players, split into scout-gatherer and crafter-builder. With three, drop the dedicated builder and extend shelters as a team between trips. The principle stays the same: nobody should be idle, and nobody should be doing a job alone that the cold makes dangerous.

Coordination is a survival resource. In Survival mode, resources are scarcer and conditions harsher, so a team that wanders in four directions will burn through supplies faster than a solo player. Agree on roles before you leave the shelter.

Planning a session from day one

Start together in Story mode for your first run. The guided tutorial structure gives the team a shared baseline, and the forgiving start area is ideal for practicing roles. Once everyone knows their job, move outward shelter by shelter.

Time-box your sessions while the game is fresh. Short, focused sessions with a clear goal beat long unstructured wanders. A good first goal is gearing the whole team for cold weather. A good second goal is a second shelter, which doubles your gathering radius.

Session persistence and host migration are UNVERIFIED as of October 9, 2026. So is what happens to progress when a player disconnects. Treat every session as fragile until players confirm how the game handles dropouts.

Frequently asked questions

How many players can play Permafrost together?

Solo or co-op with up to 4 players. The dog companion joins the team as well.

How do I invite friends in Early Access?

The invite mechanism for Early Access is UNVERIFIED as of October 9, 2026. During the playtest, each player received 3 invite codes for friends, but that was playtest-era information and may not apply to Early Access.

Is there cross-platform co-op?

UNVERIFIED as of October 9, 2026. The game launches the same day on Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store, but cross-store multiplayer has not been confirmed.

Which mode is best for co-op beginners?

Story mode. It blends exploration and building with a guided tutorial structure, which gives a new team a shared baseline before they try the harsher Survival mode or tune their own Custom mode.

Does progress carry over if a player leaves?

UNVERIFIED as of October 9, 2026. Session persistence and host migration behavior have not been confirmed yet.

Sources

  • Official Steam store page: solo or co-op with up to 4 players
  • Playtest period October 2 to 6, 2026 (14:00 CEST): Steam applications, one-hour sessions, 3 invite codes per player, equipment system focus
  • fixgamingchannel.com hands-on review (~30 hours): Story, Survival and Custom mode structure
  • SteamDB: Early Access launch October 9, 2026, 12:00 UTC