PC Game Pass to Steam Crossplay: Troubleshooting & Connection Fixes (2026)
One friend is playing on PC Game Pass and the other is on Steam. You both own the game, but party invites vanish, lobbies show "Session Not Found", or matchmaking fails. Here is the authoritative, step-by-step technical blueprint to get cross-storefront multiplayer working.
Does your game belong to the "Isolated" tier?
Before you spend an hour modifying Windows network adapters, check whether the game's netcode physically supports crossplay. Titles like Deep Rock Galactic, Human: Fall Flat, and Warhammer 40,000: Vermintide 2 have zero cross-storefront matchmaking code. No software tweak will connect them.
The 5-Step Crossplay Resolution Blueprint
Follow these diagnostic procedures in sequential order to establish stable cross-storefront connections.
Verify Storefront Compatibility Tier
Rule out hard network barriers before troubleshooting software.Before trying network fixes, confirm that the game physically supports cross-storefront multiplayer. Some titles (like Deep Rock Galactic or Human Fall Flat) use isolated matchmaking SDKs where Steam and PC Game Pass literally cannot communicate. Check our 3-tier Game Pass Crossplay Hub to ensure your title is not permanently isolated.
Link Xbox Live via Xbox Game Bar (Win + G)
The standard bridge for Steam players joining PC Game Pass lobbies.Steam players do not need an active Game Pass subscription, but they DO need a free Microsoft/Xbox account. Press Win + G on your keyboard to open the Xbox Game Bar, sign into your free Microsoft account, and link your Steam profile under Settings > Accounts. Both players must add each other as Xbox Friends to send direct cross-network lobby invites.
Synchronize Third-Party Publisher Accounts
Games using Epic Online Services (EOS) or publisher friend codes.Games like Remnant 2, Dead by Daylight, and Borderlands 3 rely on third-party publisher accounts rather than Steamworks or Xbox Live. Both players must link their respective storefronts to the same publisher network (e.g. Epic Games Account or Shift Account) in the in-game options menu.
Repair Windows Teredo & NAT Blocking
Resolve "Teredo is unable to qualify" error preventing Xbox network lobbies.If your PC Game Pass app shows NAT Type: Strict or Teredo Blocked, you will be unable to host peer-to-peer multiplayer sessions. Open PowerShell as Administrator and run the repair script below to reset the Windows Teredo tunneling adapter to enterprise defaults.
netsh interface Teredo set state type=default netsh interface Teredo set state servername=win1910.ipv6.microsoft.com netsh interface Teredo show state
Expected output: Type: client and State: qualified. If state shows "disabled" or "dormant", check your router's UPnP settings.
Connect via Dedicated Server Direct IP
Bypass broken lobby matchmakers in survival games like Palworld and Valheim.For survival crafting titles, storefront friend invites often fail due to patch version desynchronization. Instead of using the in-game invite code, host or join a dedicated server and connect directly using the host’s public IP and port (e.g. 192.168.1.100:8211). Dedicated servers accept connections from both Steam and Game Pass clients simultaneously.
Game Strictly Isolated? How to Play Together Without Rebuying Full Price
When a game like Deep Rock Galactic or Human: Fall Flat simply lacks crossplay netcode, your squad has two deterministic paths:
If the Steam player also owns PC Game Pass, download the Windows Store version. Both players can then play on the Xbox Live network with zero extra purchases.
If the squad prefers Steam's superior modding and overlay, the Game Pass player can pick up a deeply discounted Steam CDKey to permanently join the Steamworks ecosystem.
Explore All Verified Game Pass Titles
Filter 40+ popular Game Pass games by Steam compatibility tier, campaign co-op modes, and squad sizes from 2 to 8 players.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Does the Steam player need to buy PC Game Pass to play with Game Pass friends?
No. A Game Pass subscription is never required for the Steam player. As long as the game natively supports cross-storeplay, the Steam player only needs a free Microsoft / Xbox Gamertag to receive party invites via the Windows Game Bar.
Q. Why does my Game Pass friend see a different patch version than my Steam version?
Steam allows developers to push game hotfixes instantly without certification. Microsoft requires an Xbox certification process that can take 24 to 72 hours. When a game gets updated on Steam first, crossplay is temporarily blocked due to "version mismatch" until Microsoft approves the Game Pass update.
Q. Can I transfer my save file from PC Game Pass to Steam?
Yes, in most Unreal Engine and Unity games. PC Game Pass saves are stored in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages, while Steam saves are stored in %USERPROFILE%\Saved Games or Steam\userdata. Tools like GPSaveConverter can automatically migrate your campaign progress between storefronts.
Q. What if a game is permanently isolated between Steam and Game Pass?
When games like Deep Rock Galactic keep their Steam and Game Pass communities completely separate, you cannot bridge them with software. One player must either download the Game Pass version, or the Game Pass player can grab a discounted Steam key on sale to play together permanently.