If you want to adventure the Forgotten Realms with friends in Baldur’s Gate 3, you can create a party with three other players, though players have reported an error code reading “Joining Failed” that has put a hold on their adventures.
Like with many other multiplayer games, Baldur’s Gate 3 is subject to a wide assortment of issues that could hinder the multiplayer side of the campaign. If you are stuck on the Joining Failed screen in your game and want to know what you can do, here’s what you need to know.
What is the “Joining Failed” Error in BG3?
The “Joining Failed” error code denotes an issue on Larian Studio’s servers preventing you from playing online multiplayer with your friends. The reason for this server issue could be one of countless possibilities, though it likely isn’t an issue resulting from your end.
This issue is also known to impact console players more than PC players. Though PC players have occasionally reported facing a similar issue, the vast majority of cases revolving around this around code come from PlayStation users.
How to fix the “Joining Failed” error code in BG3
For console Baldur’s Gate 3 players, the issue remains entirely on Larian Studios and you unfortunately might just need to wait until the server issue is fixed. For PC players, there are some methods that you can try.
The Two-Instance Fix
The Two-Instance Fix is a recommendation from Larian Studios support that currently acts as a workaround to this issue. As the name suggests, you will need to load up another instance of BG3 to start the process. Follow the steps below to try out this fix:
- Launch BG3 in windowed mode
- Create a multiplayer lobby from the main menu
- Ensure to click the LAN Connections option
- Go to Steam and launch the game again through bg3.exe
- Whenever the second version launches, attempt to join the multiplayer session you created
- If it is successful, then close your first instance of BG3
Disable Cloud Sync
Some users have reported that Steam’s Cloud Sync has also been the source of various multiplayer issues for Baldur’s Gate 3. To remedy this, all you need to do is disable Cloud Sync, which is thankfully simple.
- Go to your Baldur’s Gate 3 tab on Steam
- Right click and select Properties
- In the General tab, turn Steam Cloud off
From here, load up multiplayer and try again. Note that while these fixes have worked for some players on PC, the issue may still reside with Larian Studios.
