How to Fish Connection Error & Version Mismatch Lobby Fix
Getting "Disconnected: Version Mismatch" when joining a friend's How to Fish lobby after patches 1.0.11 or 1.0.12? The fix is almost always a full Steam restart, not a network issue. Here is the exact sequence that works.
Patches 1.0.11 / 1.0.12 Steam PC Co-op Lobby
The core problem: Host and guest are on different game builds. After recent patches, Steam often does not pull the update until you fully restart Steam. So one person is still on the old client even if the game "looks" up to date. This is a build mismatch, not a network issue.
Do This First
Fix Sequence (Everyone in the Group)
Every player in the lobby must do these steps in order. Skipping any step on any PC will keep the mismatch alive.
1
Everyone fully exits How to Fish. Don't leave the host sitting in an old lobby while one person updates. That old session is still running the old build.
2
Fully exit Steam on every PC, not just close the window. Right-click the Steam tray icon and select Exit. Wait a few seconds, then open Steam again. This is the step that actually queues the How to Fish update. Players on the Steam thread confirmed the update only appeared after a full Steam restart.
3
Install the pending How to Fish update on every machine. Wait until the download and install finish. Do not launch mid-update. The current official instruction after these patches is: restart Steam to receive the update.
4
Launch the game and create a brand-new lobby. Do not reuse the lobby that existed before the update. Send a fresh invite to everyone.
5
If it still mismatches, compare build versions. Check the version string on the main menu or in player.log (the game prints the version there). Note which PC is behind and whether Steam still shows a pending download.
Key Decision Points
When Things Go Wrong
Only one person can't join?
That person is usually missing the patch. They restart Steam and update. The host does not need to reinstall anything.
Everyone updated and it still fails?
Create a new lobby. Old sessions after a patch handshake poorly and keep reporting mismatches even when builds match.
Steam says "up to date" but mismatch remains?
Restart Steam again, then Verify integrity of game files (Library > How to Fish > Properties > Installed Files). Corrupt or mixed files present as a version error.
Someone used compatibility mode or custom launch tweaks?
Get them back on a normal, updated Steam install before blaming the network. One Steam thread poster had this exact issue caused by a compatibility-mode shortcut.
Should you reinstall Steam? One player reported a full Steam reinstall fixed it, but it also wiped their library. Treat that as an absolute last resort, not step one. Others in the same thread refused it for that reason.
Common Mistakes
What Not to Do
x
Updating only the guest while the host stays in the old lobby. Both sides need to exit and update.
x
Closing the Steam window instead of using Exit from the tray icon. The window close does not fully restart Steam.
x
Rejoining the same stale lobby after the patch. Always create a new lobby post-update.
x
Jumping to a full Steam reinstall first. This wipes your library and is almost never necessary for a version mismatch.
x
Confusing this with black-screen or Relay errors. Those are different problems. Version mismatch is specifically "builds don't match," not a network failure.
Still Failing?
Escalation Steps
1
Have a different person host the lobby. Sometimes the original host's session is corrupted.
2
Confirm Steam is not in Offline Mode on any PC. Offline Mode blocks updates silently.
3
Verify files on every PC, not just the one that seems behind. A corrupt file on the host can also cause the mismatch.
4
Record each player's displayed build version and which PC differs, then post that in the game's Steam Discussions or Discord #common-bugs channel. That is what the group that hit this after 1.0.11 ended up doing when restart and update were not enough.