Can you join Big Walk mid-game?

You can join after your friends have started

Yes—friends can join an active Big Walk session. The official FAQ describes connecting after the host starts a session, using the platform friends list where available or a Join Code. Players explicitly confirm late joining in this Steam discussion. Joining late does not mean the game will automatically bring you to your friends or change its puzzle setup.

Before starting: choose a host and player setting

Make the host someone who can stay for the session: the host keeps the save, and ending their session disconnects everyone. Choose the puzzle setting around the people who will be present throughout, as the official FAQ recommends. For the 2/3/4+ options, see how the player setting works.

Example, not a tested playthrough: two friends are ready now and two will arrive later. The two who can play the whole session can choose the two-player setting; it configures puzzles rather than reserving only two places.

From the player report that the setting does not adjust when people join or leave, we infer that puzzles remain configured for two during that session, even after the others arrive. The later arrivals can join that session. There is no need to restart merely to add another player, provided the group stays within the game's 12-player limit.

When your friend arrives

The host should already be inside the world. Open Session Details and privately share the current Join Code and session password. Codes change between sessions; an old message may contain the wrong one. The official version history records required passwords from 1.4.9 and letters as well as numbers in codes from 1.6.0.

Player report, not a developer guarantee: in a Steam drop-in discussion, semaj9001 says new arrivals appear at the starting area. A Tabby, A Cat reports a radio there to contact the group. A separate player-count discussion mentions whiteboards for leaving notes and a radio just outside the training area.

Agree a meeting point before separating, and ask one friend to meet the late arrival. Do not promise the late friend an automatic teleport to the group; players report arriving at the starting area. These are Steam player accounts; we have not tested this ourselves, and console behavior is unconfirmed.

When someone leaves

The host leaves: everyone disconnects, according to the official FAQ. Continue with the same host and save later; joining late does not transfer save ownership. See hosting and saves.

A guest leaves: first assess whether the remaining group can handle the selected puzzle setting; a departure alone is not a reason to restart. If too few people remain, some puzzles may be impossible to finish (player report). In the player-count discussion, players report that the setting does not adjust automatically and suggest restarting if too few people remain. The official FAQ separately recommends choosing a lower setting when not everyone can stay.

If you choose to restart the session with a lower player setting, have the same host reopen the existing save. Here, restarting the session means continuing that save, not starting a new game. The game saves progress automatically, but we have not verified exactly which steps within an unfinished puzzle persist after reopening.

What remains unverified

We have not confirmed which earlier achievements a late joiner receives. There is also no random matchmaking: arrange the group yourself rather than expecting the join screen to find strangers for you.

Next step: ask the host for the current invitation and agree where to meet. If you cannot enter the session at all, use the connection checks in the manual.

Sources checked 6 November 2026: House House's FAQ and version history, plus the linked Steam discussions. Official rules and player reports are labelled separately. We did not run an in-game test.