Valheim crossplay or mods: which server do you need?
Console players cannot install Valheim mods, so a modded server is PC-only in practice. Compare a crossplay server against a BepInEx server, see how to set up each on berrybyte, and how to run both at once.
Pick by who is playing. If anyone in your group is on PS5, Switch 2 or Xbox, you need a crossplay server and you cannot use client-side mods. If everyone is on PC, mods are open to you and crossplay stops mattering.
That is the whole decision, and it comes down to one fact: console versions of Valheim have no way to install mods. A server that asks players to install a plugin is a PC-only server, whatever else is configured.
Compare the two
| Crossplay server | Modded (BepInEx) server | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can join | PC, Xbox, PS5, Switch 2 | PC only, in practice |
| How players connect | Six-digit join code, on any platform | Join code or direct IP address |
| Mods | Vanilla only | Any BepInEx plugin |
| Setup effort | None. It is the default | Install BepInEx, then manage versions |
| Breaks on game updates | Rarely | Expect it, especially around 1.0 |
| berrybyte software | Valheim Vanilla | Valheim BepInEx |
This is about client-side mods. A plugin that runs only on the server and asks nothing of players is a different case. Those can be fine alongside console players. Check the mod's page: if it says clients must install it too, console players are out.
Set up a crossplay server
Use the Valheim Vanilla software
It is the default for new Valheim servers on berrybyte, and it has Enable Crossplay turned on already.
Confirm the setting
Check Settings → Game Settings → Enable Crossplay. It only takes effect at startup, so restart if you have just changed it.
Share the join code
The six-digit code appears on the server Overview once the world has loaded. See joining on PS5, Switch 2 and Xbox.
Set up a modded server
Switch to the Valheim BepInEx software
This installs the Valheim BepInEx pack and loads it at startup.
Leave crossplay off
The BepInEx software ships with Enable Crossplay off, because console clients cannot load PC mods and would only be able to connect to a server they cannot actually play on.
Add plugins to BepInEx/plugins
Keep the folder layout from each mod archive. See installing BepInEx mods.
Give players the same plugin list
Every client-side mod has to match on version, not just name. Mismatches usually show up as a failed connection or missing content.
Valheim has no official mod support. Plugins can stop working after any game update, so a modded server needs an owner willing to maintain it, particularly through the 1.0 release.
If you want both
Run two servers and share nothing but the group. One vanilla crossplay world that console players can always reach, one modded PC world for the sessions that want it. Trying to serve both from a single server means either dropping your console players or dropping your mods.
If the modded world is occasional, move it onto its own server rather than converting the crossplay one back and forth. Every switch is a restart, a new join code, and another chance to strand somebody mid-session.
Next steps
Create the server itself, on berrybyte or with SteamCMD.
Best Valheim server modsWhat to install once you have committed to a PC-only world.
Join on PS5, Switch 2 and XboxThe join-code flow for a crossplay server.
Install BepInEx modsThe mechanics of getting plugins onto the server safely.
Frequently asked questions
Can Valheim console players use mods?
No. The PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox versions of Valheim have no way to install BepInEx or any plugin. Any server that requires players to install a mod is therefore a PC-only server, even if crossplay is switched on.
Do all players need the same Valheim mods?
It depends on the plugin. Server-side-only mods, such as some administration and logging tools, run on the server and need nothing from players. Content, gameplay and UI mods almost always have to be installed by every player at the same version. The mod's own page is the authority.
Can I switch a Valheim server between crossplay and modded?
Yes. Crossplay is a startup flag and mods are files on the server, so you can change either and restart. The world itself carries over. Bear in mind that removing a content mod from a world that was built with it can leave missing items or broken structures behind.