Palworld runs full crossplay — Steam PC, Xbox (including PC Game Pass), PS5 and Mac — on a single dedicated server. The one fact most setup guides leave out: consoles cannot type in an IP address. Xbox and PS5 players can only join through the in-game community server browser, which means your server has to be published to that list with the -publiclobby startup flag. Get that flag and the right ports open, and everyone's on the same world.
How does each platform join a Palworld dedicated server?
| Platform | How they join | Needs the community list? |
|---|---|---|
| Steam (PC) | Direct IP or community browser | No (IP works) |
| Mac / Microsoft Store PC | Direct IP or community browser | No |
| Xbox / PC Game Pass | Community server browser only | Yes |
| PS5 | Community server browser only | Yes |
So if your group is all-PC, an IP is enough. The moment one person is on Xbox or PS5, the server must appear in the community browser — and that's what -publiclobby does.
How to set up a Palworld crossplay server, step by step
- Add the
-publiclobbyflag to the server's startup command. This publishes the server to the in-game community list so console and Game Pass players can find it. Without it, only direct-IP (PC) players can connect. - Open the ports. Forward 8211/UDP (game traffic — required) and 27015/UDP (Steam query, used for list visibility). If the game port is open but 27015 isn't, the server runs but may never appear in the list.
- Set the crossplay platforms you want to allow. On our panel this is the Crossplay Platforms field (
Steam,Xbox,PS5,Mac); on a raw server it's part of the server's platform configuration. - Give the server a searchable name. Console players find you by name in the community browser, so pick something unique — searching "world" returns hundreds of results.
- Start the server and wait 5–10 minutes. Newly-started servers take a few minutes to register on the community list. Don't rebuild in a panic if it's not instant.
- Search the in-game community server browser from each platform and join by name. PC players can alternatively use the direct IP.
Why is my Palworld server not showing up?
This is the most common crossplay complaint, and it's almost always one of these:
- Missing
-publiclobby. No flag, no community-list entry — so consoles can't see it at all. This is the number-one cause. - Port 27015/UDP closed. The game runs on 8211, but list visibility leans on the Steam query port. Open both.
- You haven't waited long enough. Registration takes up to ~10 minutes after boot.
- Version mismatch. Steam auto-updates player clients the moment a patch drops, but your server stays on the old build until it's updated. The symptom is a "connection timed out" or "incompatible version" error, not an empty list — update the server to match.
- Too generic a name to find. The browser has no favourites-by-IP for consoles; if the name is common, it's lost in the list.
On managed hosting, -publiclobby and both ports are configured for you, and updates apply on restart — so "not showing up" usually comes down to the wait time or a name that's hard to search.
Every Palworld server we host is crossplay-ready out of the box — the public-lobby flag and ports are set, and Xbox, PS5, Game Pass, Steam and Mac players share one world.
Do all platforms need the same game version?
Yes. Crossplay only works when the server and every client are on the same Palworld build. Because Steam and console stores push updates on release day, a self-hosted server that hasn't been updated yet will reject players with a version error until you update it. Managed servers update on restart, which is usually same-day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the -publiclobby flag in Palworld?
It's the startup flag that lists your dedicated server in the in-game community server browser. Console (Xbox/PS5) and Game Pass players can only join through that browser, so -publiclobby is required for console crossplay. Without it, only PC players entering an IP can connect.
Can Xbox and PS5 players join a Palworld dedicated server by IP?
No. Consoles have no way to enter an IP address — they can only join servers that appear in the community browser. That's why the server must be published with -publiclobby.
Which ports does Palworld crossplay need?
Game traffic runs on 8211/UDP (required). For community-list visibility, also open 27015/UDP (Steam query). RCON (25575) and the REST API (8212) are admin-only and should stay closed to the public.
Why can my PC friends join but not my console friends?
Because PC players can connect by direct IP even when the server isn't listed, but consoles can't. If PC works and console doesn't, your server almost certainly isn't published to the community list — add -publiclobby and open 27015/UDP.
Does Palworld have crossplay on Game Pass?
Yes. PC Game Pass and Xbox players use the same community-browser join flow as console players, sharing one dedicated server with Steam, PS5 and Mac players. See what changed on dedicated servers in 1.0.
Want crossplay that just works? Configure a Palworld server — public-lobby and ports pre-set, all 32 slots, Xbox/PS5/Steam/Mac on one world.
