How to Fish: 8-Player Lobby vs 4-Player Store Page
The store page still says 1-4 players, but the game actually hosts up to 8 after Patch 1.0.4. No mod needed. Here is how to set up an 8-player lobby and what to expect.
The confusion: The Steam store page still says 1-4 players. After Patch 1.0.4, the game actually hosts up to 8. You do not need a mod for 8. The cap is already in the live build. What trips people up is session type, Steam Overlay, and mismatched patches, not a hidden slider. The game is still tuned for about 4 players, but it will accept 8. Expect more lag, more seagull theft, and more people shooting the same fish.
1How to Host an 8-Player Lobby
- 1Update first. Every player must be on the same build.
Mixed patches refuse the session. Host and joiners: Steam Library, How to Fish, Properties, Installed Files, Verify integrity of game files.
- 2Host from the main menu.
Do not host from a mid-island solo save unless you know that save is already a multiplayer session.
- 3Set session type before you start.
Public lets friends right-click you in Steam and hit Join Game. Invite only means only you can pull people in.
- 4Name the save with letters and numbers only.
Special characters have broken saves.
- 5Start the session. The 8-slot cap is already active.
There is no extra "set max players to 8" box in vanilla.
- 6If you change Public to Invite only after starting, restart the session.
The switch does not apply until you restart.
2How Friends Actually Get In
Session Type and Player Count Decisions
| Choice | Pick this if | Do not pick if |
|---|---|---|
| Public | You want 5-8 people to click Join Game themselves | Randoms or griefers joining (rarer after 1.0.5, still possible) |
| Invite only | Closed friend group | You expect people to join from the friends list with no invite |
| 4 players | You want the game as designed: less desync, better money per catch | You specifically want the 8-person circus |
| 8 players | Big Discord or stream stack | Host PC is weak or anyone is on a bad connection |
3How to Split Jobs in an 8-Player Group
Split jobs or you starve. More players split the value of each catch and fight over the same fish. Do not all dump damage on one target unless it is a boss.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Trusting the store page as the live cap. It was not updated. 8 is official as of Patch 1.0.4.
- Hosting Invite only, then telling friends to Join Game. That button will not appear in Invite-only sessions.
- Steam Overlay disabled. Invite friends shows a blank list. Enable it in Steam Settings or use Shift + Tab.
- Someone on an old patch. Black screen or cannot join. Verify files on every machine before starting.
- Special characters in the lobby name. Use letters and numbers only.
- Changing session type and not restarting. The switch does not apply until you restart the session.
- Installing an old "More Players" Nexus mod thinking 8 is still locked. Vanilla already allows 8. Those mods are for going past 8, and large lobbies get ugly.