over the hill supports up to four players online co-op on Steam. There is no local couch co-op and no split-screen mode on any platform. Cross-play is announced but parked while Steam is the only launched platform; the planned 2027 console releases (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2) are when cross-play will go live.

On this page

Play together without losing solo progress

The four-player online ceiling is the same for every session: host up to three friends, share the same biome, and play through the same objectives together. The developer FAQ says objectives completed in single player and multiplayer transfer between modes, so progress made in co-op carries back into solo play and vice versa.

In a co-op session, help one another through a difficult section, then make sure each driver reaches the checkpoint. A teammate arriving alone does not complete the objective for everyone in the session; solo checkpoints stay solo. For a difficult group crossing, use the vehicle recovery guide.

What co-op does not include

Three platform gaps are worth flagging together:

  • No local couch co-op on PC.
  • No split-screen on any platform — both players must run their own screen and own client.
  • No active cross-play right now; the Steam release is the only launched platform and cross-play is dormant.

Cross-play is expected to switch on when the 2027 console ports (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2) ship, since that is the first time a second platform family is live. Until then, online co-op is Steam-to-Steam only.

For device availability, see Steam Deck and platforms.

Host or join a session today

  1. One player hosts the lobby from the in-game menu; up to three others join via Steam friends or invite code.
  2. Each player uses their own vehicle and Pebbles balance; shared checkpoints are per-player.
  3. If you take a portal together, the October 16 update fixed a client loading issue when camping and then leaving together in the same session — the fix is already live.

If a friend cannot connect, check Steam invite delivery first; the cooldown after a portal hop is the most common recent cause of a stuck 'joining session' prompt.

Start exploring over the hillThe first useful loop is to find a nearby cabin, choose a manageable trail, and pack a tool loadout before you drive. You start with one tool slot, so pick the tool the route can actually strand you with.Map areas, cabins and portalsLaunch areas are hand-crafted at about 4 km by 4 km. Canada has Emerald Lake, Gimli Ridge and Asgard Mountain; Algeria has Tassili n'Ajjer Desert and Aurès Mountains. Cabins are local resume points and portals move you between them without a main menu return.Pebbles, upgrade prices and repeat rewardsThe first purchasable stage of every upgrade system costs 25 Pebbles and the second costs 50. Meteorites pay 15-80 each, the first Mechanic visit in an area pays 10, and upgrades are bought on one vehicle and never transfer or refund.