PEAK: How to Play Co-op on Console – Crossplay and Buddy Code Guide

A PEAK co-op party has four places: one host and up to three friends. To play together, everyone needs access to the game on their chosen platform, then joins the same online lobby. The October 22, 2026 console launch supports mixed-platform groups, so a Steam player can join friends on consoles without buying another version.

How to set up PEAK co-op on console

Install PEAK from your console’s digital storefront; PC players use the Steam version. Have everyone install the latest available update before forming the party. This matters when bringing an existing PC installation into a group with newly installed console copies.

Choose one player to host an online session, then have that player invite the other participants through the game’s available friend or invitation system. Keep the group in one lobby: friends on different platforms do not need separate hosts or platform-specific sessions.

The host counts toward the four-player limit. A full group therefore consists of the host and three guests, with each participant using their own access to PEAK. A Buddy Code can supply one friend’s copy, but an invitation alone does not provide the game.

PEAK also supports offline solo play. For a shared climb, the host needs to create an online session rather than start an offline run.

What crossplay covers at launch

Crossplay connects PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC through Steam. Any of those versions can participate in the same four-player party. Choose the host according to who is organising the session; the group does not need to match the host’s device family.

The console versions include the content updates through The Final Ascent, the August 2026 update that added Gloom and The Citadel. Existing Steam players can join console friends without those friends needing to begin with the original PC release’s content selection.

Keep multiplayer compatibility separate from purchases and save transfers. Crossplay lets supported versions share a session; it does not itself supply a license for another platform. Do not buy a second version on the assumption that saves, achievements or progression will transfer between accounts.

How the PS5 Buddy Code works

The Buddy Code provides an additional digital PS5 copy to give to a friend. It is included with the physical PS5 edition, which launches on December 9, 2026 — after the October digital release. It therefore cannot supply a friend’s copy for an October 22 launch-day session.

Give the unused code to a friend who will play on PS5. They redeem it through their PlayStation account and download their copy; after installation, they join a hosted session through the normal co-op invitation system. The code supplies the game license, while the lobby invitation connects the players.

A PS5 Buddy Code supplies a PS5 copy. Friends playing through Steam, Xbox Series X|S or Switch 2 need access to their respective versions. Before sending the voucher to someone whose PlayStation account uses a different region, check its redemption terms for account-region requirements and any expiry date.

The physical PS5 edition costs $19.99 in the US, €19.99 or £14.99, depending on region. It includes the game disc, Buddy Code and a printed Scout Passport with stickers. Those prices apply to the physical PS5 package.

If a friend cannot join the lobby

• The invitation does not appear: check that both installations are updated, restart PEAK, and review account privacy or online-multiplayer settings that could restrict invitations.
• The party already contains four players: the host occupies one place. Another guest needs a separate session or a place freed in the existing group.
• A friend redeemed a Buddy Code but is playing elsewhere: the included PS5 license does not unlock the Steam, Xbox or Switch 2 version. They need to launch their PS5 copy or obtain access on their chosen platform.

Prepare the group for the climb

PEAK uses proximity chat for in-game communication. Keep the group within speaking distance when discussing a route, particularly before someone climbs beyond the others. Ropes and climbing spikes help the players following behind, while injuries reduce stamina and can change who is able to lead the next section.

The mountain map rotates every 24 hours. Arrange a shared session if the group wants to tackle the same route together, rather than relying on instructions from the previous day’s climb.