No matchmaking, by design
Slay the Spire 2 co-op does not have public matchmaking. You cannot queue for random players. Lobbies are private and limited to your Steam friends.
How to start a session
- Start a run and pick co-op.
- Open your Steam friends list.
- Invite the friends you want.
- They accept and join with their own deck.
Each player keeps a separate deck and relics. You share the route, not the cards.
The co-op rules
| Rule | How it works |
|---|---|
| Matchmaking | None. Lobbies are invite-only. |
| Who joins | People on your Steam friends list. |
| Decks | Each player keeps a separate deck and relics. |
| Shared | The map and route, not the cards. |
| Platform | Steam only; no cross-play in early access. |
What this means for you
Plan your group before you launch. Co-op works best when everyone is on voice chat and already friends on Steam.
If a friend is not on your list, add them first. The lobby will not see them otherwise.
Why no cross-play
Co-op is tied to Steam. There is no full cross-platform play in early access, so everyone in the lobby needs the Steam version.
Invite, don’t queue. That is the whole flow.
Host, then invite friends
Multiplayer runs through a hosted lobby, not open matchmaking, so start the run, set the lobby, and send invites. A coordinated crew plans the map together, which matters more than random matchmaking ever would.