Oruvai JournalAnalysis

REANIMAL Friend's Pass: Crossplay and One-Copy Co-op

REANIMAL can be played together with one owned copy, but Friend's Pass, crossplay and Switch 2 GameShare have different requirements. Check your setup.

Oruvai EditorialReviewed by Kerim AkgülPublished September 17, 20263 min read

Two small figures stand outside a lit doorway in heavy rain in REANIMAL.

01 / One copy can be enough, but choose the right route

One copy can be enough, but choose the right route

REANIMAL supports single-player, local co-op and online co-op. Its Friend's Pass lets a guest join an owner without buying another full copy. Nintendo Switch 2 uses GameShare instead, so the guest's download and connection method depend on the platform.

The important caution is crossplay. The Friend's Pass guide in the game's Steam hub specifies same-platform play and says crossplay with the pass is not officially supported. That is a narrower statement than saying REANIMAL has no crossplay: the game's own patch notices discuss crossplay and matching game versions.

02 / Match the invitation to your devices

Match the invitation to your devices

Two Steam players

Owner plus the Steam Friend's Pass.

The publisher's Steam announcement documents the owner hosting a lobby and the guest joining through Steam Friends.

An Xbox owner and a same-platform guest

Use the dedicated Friend's Pass listing.

THQ Nordic's Xbox product description confirms one full-game owner is sufficient. Do not turn an Xbox capability badge into a promise about Steam or PlayStation guests.

A same-platform console pair

Check the guest version in that platform's store.

The Steam-hub guide describes the same-platform requirement. Choose the actual Friend's Pass, not an unrelated demo or another game's trial.

Nintendo Switch 2 host

Use the supported GameShare route.

Nintendo lists local GameShare and GameShare via GameChat for REANIMAL. These are Nintendo sharing features, not a downloadable Steam pass.

A full-game owner and a pass guest on different platforms

Do not plan around guaranteed compatibility.

A report that a particular pair connected does not establish ongoing supported Friend's Pass crossplay.

03 / Start a Steam Friend's Pass session

Start a Steam Friend's Pass session

The owner launches the full gameHave the owner create the online co-op lobby. The free guest version does not replace the requirement for a full-game owner.
The guest installs the Friend's PassUse the REANIMAL Steam store page. If the pass is not visible, the publisher's announcement recommends exiting and relaunching Steam.
Send the guest invitationJoin through Steam Friends as described by the publisher. The hub guide also documents the host's room-code route through Co-op, Online and Join.
Check versions if the connection failsREANIMAL's patch 1.6 notice explicitly warns that crossplay fails between different versions. Complete updates and avoid putting only one participant on a development branch.

04 / GameShare is not an extra permanent copy

GameShare is not an extra permanent copy

For Nintendo sharing, start with a Switch 2 host and the modes REANIMAL actually supports. Nintendo's general GameShare instructions allow nearby guests on Switch or Switch 2; internet participation uses Switch 2. The game's Nintendo listing identifies its local and GameChat sharing support.

Decide whether you are sharing from the same room or over the internet before arranging the evening. Check the online membership and account requirements for the latter. A free guest session does not mean every surrounding online service is free, and an expired introductory GameChat offer should not be treated as a current entitlement.

For two people using one device, local co-op is a separate option. REANIMAL uses a shared, directed camera; it is not a promise of two independently controlled viewpoints.

05 / Verify the pair before buying a second copy

Verify the pair before buying a second copy

Choose the owner, guest platform and intended mode first. For a supported one-copy setup, try the free guest route before assuming both people need to purchase the full game. If you are relying on a mixed-platform pass connection, the documented support boundary is reason to pause, not evidence that buying a second copy will fix every problem.

This guide covers access to the base-game co-op arrangement. Treat DLC access, guest achievements and transferable progression as separate questions; the existence of Friend's Pass does not answer all three.