PEAK Late Join Guide: How to Join Mid Game with Friends
PEAK allows mid-game or late-game joining without mods, but it only works under specific conditions. If your friend cannot join during a session, it’s likely due to lobby settings, privacy configuration, or a known bug.
This guide explains exactly how mid-game joining works and how to fix it when it doesn’t.
How Mid-Game Joining Works
Friends can join your game after it starts as long as they are on your Steam friends list and your lobby is set to Invite Only or Friends Only. They will spawn at the campfire in your current zone.
You don’t need to return to the lobby. You can:
Invite them from the pause menu
Or they can right-click your name on Steam and select Join Game
They must be at the main menu, not in another game or lobby.
What To Check If It’s Not Working
They’re not in a game
Your friend must leave their current lobby or run. Joining only works from the main menu.Your lobby must be set to Invite Only
This is the new default. Go to your pause menu and check the lobby privacy setting. If it’s set to something stricter, no one can join unless invited.Steam privacy settings
Go to View My Profile > Edit Profile > Privacy Settings
Set Game Details to Friends Only or Private to stop unwanted joins, or loosen it if invites aren’t working.Try joining through Steam directly
Invites from the in-game menu may silently fail. Right-click your friend in Steam and choose Join Game instead.Bugged session
If everything looks right and it still fails, your session may be glitched. Restart the game and try again. This has been reported and partly patched, but it still happens.
Join Behavior and Edge Cases
Players who join mid-session will load into the current section’s campfire
If they join during a fog area or unstable map zone, they might spawn incorrectly
Reaching the next campfire usually fixes any weird join bugs
You cannot join someone mid-run if they are in a cutscene, loading event, or unstable combat state
Fixes From the Developers
As of June 24, the devs pushed updates to:
Make Invite Only the default lobby setting
Fix Steam profile joins bypassing lobby rules
Improve reliability of mid-game invites
They’re still monitoring reports, so joining may not be perfect every time.
Final PEAK Words
Mid-game joining works in Peak, but it depends on Steam settings, lobby status, and timing. Make sure your friend is at the main menu, your lobby is set to Invite Only, and you send an invite from the pause screen.
If it still fails, restart the session and try again.
FAQ
Can friends join my Peak session mid-game?
Yes. They’ll spawn at the current campfire if the lobby is open to invites.
Do I need mods to enable this?
No. Mid-game joining works natively through Steam.
Why can’t my friend join with my invite?
They might be in another lobby, or the invite bugged. Try Steam’s Join Game option.
Where do late joiners spawn?
They appear at the nearest active campfire.
Why are they stuck in fog or terrain?
This can happen if they join mid-transition. Progressing to the next campfire often fixes it.
How do I change lobby privacy?
Open the pause menu. Look for lobby settings and change it to Invite Only or Friends Only.
What if randoms keep joining me?
Go to your Steam Privacy Settings and set Game Details to Friends Only.
Is mid-game joining fully stable now?
Mostly. The devs pushed fixes, but issues still pop up occasionally.
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