Beginner guide
Getting started with Big Walk
Learn how to play Big Walk: build your group, choose a dependable host, and understand the communication rules before you set out.
Fact-checked against official sources · Updated August 4, 2026
What you need
Big Walk is an online cooperative adventure for 2–12 players. It released August 4, 2026 for Windows through Steam, Mac through Steam or the Mac App Store, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2. Crossplay lets those platforms share a session.
Before your first session
- Gather your group. You need at least two people. Smaller groups create a more focused experience; larger groups get deliberately chaotic.
- Choose a regular host. The host owns the save. That person must start the session whenever the group wants to continue the same journey.
- Pick a world version. The host chooses the 2-player, 3-player, or 4+-player version. Treat that choice as the expected minimum attendance.
- Use a microphone or text chat. Both work with the same distance and environmental restrictions. A microphone is useful, not mandatory.
How joining works
Friends on the same platform can find the host in the in-game friends menu. Everyone else can use a short Join Code generated when the host starts a session. The host can find it in the host menu before starting, or under Session Details after the session begins. Join Codes are the simplest option for mixed-platform groups and are required for the Mac App Store version, which does not support Game Center.
Your first-walk checklist
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Same game version | Helps cross-platform players connect reliably. |
| Host is available | The host starts the session and keeps the save. |
| In-game chat enabled | Communication restrictions are a core game mechanic. |
| Player mode agreed | The world adapts to 2, 3, or 4+ expected players. |
| Time to wander | The game rewards exploration rather than rushing. |
Can you play Big Walk solo?
You can start a session alone and the game does not stop you from exploring, but Big Walk has no full single-player mode: there is no campaign designed for one player, and the smallest world version still expects at least two people. Puzzles and communication challenges are built for a group.
- The 2-player world version is the smallest option the host can choose.
- Solo sessions are useful for exploring the map, taking screenshots, and learning the layout before the group joins.
- A session you host can be joined later by the group, as long as the same host starts it.
Four rules worth remembering
- Stay in the in-game chat. External voice calls bypass the intended puzzles.
- Distance changes communication. Voices and text can fade or become blocked.
- Gestures matter. Pointing, waving, and flailing are useful when words fail.
- There is an ending. The adventure is designed to be completed with a group.
Official resources
Check the Steam listing for system requirements, or read the official Big Walk FAQ for the developer’s exact answers.
Source policy: player count, platforms, date, hosting, Join Codes, chat, and matchmaking details are based on the official Big Walk FAQ and Steam listing, reviewed August 5, 2026.