Version-verified guide

Valheim Platform Comparison — Steam vs Xbox vs PS5 vs Switch 2 vs Mac vs Linux

Every storefront Valheim sells on, what you get, how crossplay works across them, cross-save status and whether you should buy the same game twice.

Verified Valheim 1.0 Updated 14 Sept 2026

By Valheim Field Guide Editorial Team

At 1.0, Valheim is on seven storefronts

The 1.0 release unified Valheim across seven purchase locations (with the Microsoft Store and Xbox sharing one Play Anywhere entitlement). Here is what actually matters for making your buying decision.

Storefronts at a glance

Platform	Buy	Crossplay with	Notes
Steam (Windows, Linux, Mac)	$29.99 base	All platforms (if crossplay enabled)	The modding and dedicated-server ecosystem lives here
Microsoft Store (Windows)	$29.99	All platforms	Same entitlement as Xbox (Play Anywhere)
Xbox One / Xbox Series X\|S	$29.99	All platforms	Included in Game Pass? See below
PlayStation 5	$29.99	All platforms	New at 1.0
Nintendo Switch 2	$29.99	All platforms (temporarily broken — see patch notes)	New at 1.0
Mac App Store	$29.99	All platforms	Separate from Steam Mac
Humble (Windows, Linux, Mac)	$29.99	All platforms (PC)	Sells the PC version, crossplay via Steam/Microsoft Store

Important: Every storefront is a separate purchase unless explicitly noted below. Iron Gate has not announced cross-buy. Buying Valheim on Steam does not give you the PS5 version, and a Steam copy cannot be launched through the Microsoft Store. Crossplay only governs who can sit in the same session — it does not govern your purchase history.

The one cross-buy exception

The Microsoft Store PC version and the Xbox console version are the same entitlement (Play Anywhere). Buy Valheim on one, download it on the other at no extra cost. Everything else is its own transaction.

Crossplay works, but there are two catches

Crossplay is enabled by default at 1.0 and uses PlayFab networking with a join code system rather than a friends-list lobby. You and your friends type the code into the “join code” field on the main menu and land in the same world, regardless of platform. This is how PC plays with PS5 plays with Switch 2.

Catch 1 — Mods and crossplay are mutually exclusive. Crossplay uses PlayFab networking. Mods use the Steam networking hook. You cannot have both. If you want modded servers, you need all-Steam groups. Full details in our mod ecosystem guide.

Catch 2 — Cross-save is a different question. Crossplay works, but cross-save does not work across all platforms. Your character progress and world files stay on the platform where you created them: you cannot upload a character from a Steam save to your PS5 (or Switch 2) and continue from where you left off. The one exception is Xbox ↔ PC on the Microsoft Store, where the shared Play Anywhere entitlement lets you pick up the same progression across those two. Every other pairing (Steam, PS5, Switch 2, Mac App Store, Humble) keeps its saves isolated.

Game Pass is not (currently) an option

Valheim was included on Xbox Game Pass for a period in early access, but Iron Gate confirmed it left Game Pass on September 30, 2024. That deal was not renewed for the 1.0 release, and Valheim is not currently available on Game Pass on any platform.

This can change — publishers regularly re-negotiate Game Pass deals — but as of September 2026, Game Pass subscribers must buy the game outright.

Which platform is right for you

Choose Steam if…

You want mods — the BepInEx ecosystem, Thunderstore and r2modman are Steam-first
You want to host a dedicated server — Linux SteamCMD is the standard, Windows server hosting is built around Steam
You are on a PC and do not care about console
You want the broadest player pool for community servers

Choose Xbox (or Microsoft Store PC) if…

You already have an Xbox and want the Play Anywhere cross-buy benefit
You game casually and want crossplay with friends across platforms
You already have Game Pass and hope the deal returns (no confirmed timeline)

Choose PS5 if…

You primarily game on PS5 and your friends play on console
You have no interest in mods or dedicated server hosting
You want a controller-optimized experience with crossplay to PC

Choose Switch 2 if…

You already own a Switch 2 and want crossplay with friends
You want portable play
Beware: Switch 2 crossplay was temporarily broken by the September 11 hotfix upload issue. See our week-one patch notes for current status.