Elden Ring Multiplayer Not Working [Tested Methods]

Is Elden Ring multiplayer not working for you because of the “Unable to summon Cooperator” Error or the “failed to initialize game” error? You’re definitely not alone in this ordeal. Read on as we explore why the issue at hand potentially originates and what measures you can take to hop back into playing online. Elden Ring has had its fair share of launch issues, bugs, and other problems.

Some of the most significant ones to surface include the Connection Error When Summoned and the Anti-Cheat Error, both of which have obstructed gamers from enjoying the title at full flight. The error is likely caused by unoptimized network settings in-game, but it can also be caused by the servers being down.

Confirm Whether Elden Ring’s Multiplayer Servers Are Online 

I mentioned earlier that the temporary downtime of Elden Ring’s multiplayer servers could be something to blame if you cannot hop online in the Lands Between.

Now, this is a big “can,” and news like this is typically posted online beforehand. This is why it’s a good idea to take a quick look at the official Twitter handle of the title for updates. 

Optimize Elden Ring’s Network Settings

In Elden Ring, you get a settings menu that allows you to tweak the various options and processes of the game. Somewhere along those lines exists a dedicated “Network” area too. It is chiefly concerned with online playability and allowing players to delve into the game’s multiplayer mode.

If some of the settings aren’t optimized correctly in the “Network” section, you might be running into the Elden Ring multiplayer not working issue.

To confirm whether this is the scenario or not, check out the following instructions:

1. Open the in-game menu of Elden Ring and select the “System” option. 

   

2. After that, switch to the “Network” tab in the “Settings” section. 
3. After that, ensure you’re using the settings in the image below. Cross-Region Play should be set to “Perform Matchmaking.”
4. Keep Send Summon Sign enabled while your Launch Setting has to say “Play Online.”.
5. Lastly, I also agree to the Data Usage Agreement of Elden Ring. Select the Data Usage Agreement option to disagree and then agree to it so it can be reset.  

Once you’ve ticked off these settings, you should be able to resolve the Elden Ring multiplayer error. Many players have these fundamental options set incorrectly, so they fail to play online. Players online also used this trick to solve the error.

Adjust the Multiplayer Password Setting 

Elden Ring’s multiplayer comprises a setting that lets you set a password. This is intended to instill more privacy in your sessions, especially if you only want to play the game with your friends. If you set a multiplayer password in Elden Ring, you’ll likely match up with your friends playing. 

Here’s how to do that:

1. Access the in-game menu and select the “Multiplayer” option. The following screenshot specifies what to do. 

   

2. Press the “Y” button if you’re on Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S to open up the multiplayer password section. If you’re on PlayStation, you’ll have to press the “Triangle” button.
3. The third and final step is to ensure you’re not using any multiplayer password. That is unless you want to keep your session “friends-only”.
4. If you’ve set a passcode already, press the “X” button on your Xbox controller to delete it easily. Use the corresponding button if you’re on PlayStation.

   

If you had a multiplayer password assigned already, you might be experiencing the multiplayer not working issue because of it. Many players could play online again after removing this seemingly harmless restriction.

Summon Sign At The Boss Fight

People frequently make the mistake of summoning their friends to areas where a boss has been defeated already. This won’t work if you or your friend has the boss killed off in the area where the Tarnished’s Furled Finger is used. For instance, you have marked down a gold summon sign in a particular area near a boss room.

If your friend tries summoning you in that spot using the gold summon sign that you left, having already defeated the boss of that area, you two won’t be able to connect to each other. This title’s multiplayer works differently.

To confirm whether it’s the internet causing the error, use a Duelist Furled Finger. Either person can do this, you or your friend. If either of you can connect to each other and play together in a PvP setting, it’s probably because of what I mentioned. Try using a summon sign somewhere where the boss fight hasn’t been exhausted. This fix also helped players online.

My Thoughts On Elden Ring Multiplayer Not Working

Elden Ring, despite being one of the best games in the Souls-like genre, has its fair share of Multiplayer issues like the Connection Error When Summoned and the Anti-Cheat Error. I did some digging on the web and found there are several reports of multiplayer issues on forums such as Reddit, Steam, Microsoft, and IPFire.

Now, this problem isn’t quite widespread, but a significant amount of player base is experiencing this issue. This can mainly happen when Elden Ring servers undergo maintenance, and it’s announced on Twitter through Tweets like these:

Multiplayer servers for #ELDENRING
will undergo maintenance on March 23, 2022. It is expected to last about 1
hour.

Maintenance will begin at 1:00 AM PT | 08:00 UTC | 17:00
JST

Patch notes will be available following the maintenance. Thank you in advance for your patience.

— ELDEN RING (@ELDENRING) March 23, 2022

The developers have addressed the issues in their Patch Notes, in the Bug Fixes section, so maybe it will become more stable.