How to Play Schedule 1 With Friends (Co-op and Servers, 2026)

To play Schedule 1 with friends, the host clicks the + in the lobby panel at the top right of the main menu, invites up to three Steam friends, then starts a new game or continues a save. Co-op is capped at 4 players and the world only runs while the host plays. For more players or an always on world, use a dedicated server running the free S1DedicatedServers mod.

What are the ways to play Schedule I together?

Schedule I, from TVGS, has been in early access on Steam since 24 March 2025. Co-op shipped at launch, but there is no official dedicated server. That leaves three routes:

For most groups of 2 to 4 who play together, lobby co-op is all you need. The other two exist because the cap is 4 and the world depends on the host.

How do I invite friends in Schedule 1?

1. Launch Schedule I through Steam and wait for the main menu.
2. Look at the lobby panel in the top right corner. It shows you and three empty slots.
3. Click the + on an empty slot and choose a friend from your Steam friends list.
4. Your friend accepts the invite from Steam chat. Pressing Shift + Tab in game opens the Steam overlay where it appears.
5. Once everyone shows in the lobby, the host clicks Continue to load a save, or starts a New Game. Everyone in the lobby loads in together.

Invite friends before loading a save. The lobby is built on the main menu, so the usual mistake is starting the game and then looking for an invite button.

Who keeps the save in Schedule 1 co-op?

The host. A co-op world is saved on the host's PC, the same as their single player saves. That has three consequences:

• Only the host can continue the world. Friends cannot load it on their own.
• When the host quits, the session ends for everyone. Nobody can grow, cook or run deals while the host is offline.
• The host's PC runs everything: NPCs, customers, police, employees and every player's actions, on top of rendering their own game. A late game empire with several properties is a lot of work for one machine.

If your group plays on different schedules, this is the point where co-op stops working well.

How do I play Schedule 1 with more than 4 players?

There is no setting in the game to raise the cap. Every option past 4 is a community mod that TVGS does not make or support:

• Lobby mods such as MultiplayerPlus and BiggerLobbies on Thunderstore raise the lobby size. Everyone installs the same mod and version. It is still host based, so the host's PC and upload carry every extra player.
• An S1DS dedicated server runs the whole game headless on a separate machine. The default limit is 16, and maxPlayers in server_config.toml goes up to 64.

Our comparison of both, with performance notes, is in Schedule 1 multiplayer with more than 4 players.

What is a Schedule 1 dedicated server?

S1DedicatedServers (S1DS) by ifBars is a free, open source mod that turns Schedule I into a dedicated server. Nobody plays on the server itself. Everyone, including the owner, connects to it as a player.

Running one yourself means a machine that stays on, a copy of the game from an account that owns it, MelonLoader and the server mod, a config file, and forwarded ports. On Linux it also needs Wine. Our guide on how to make a Schedule 1 dedicated server covers all of it.

The server runs the whole game, so it needs more memory than most. The S1DS docs report about 3 GB in use on an idle server with 0 to 1 players. Plan for 6 GB for a group of 4, 8 GB for 8 and 12 GB for 16.

How do friends join a Schedule 1 dedicated server?

Every player needs MelonLoader and the S1DS client mod for the server's runtime, installed once. On a GamezServers server that is one free zip, the GamezServers pack, and the steps are:

1. In Steam, switch Schedule I to the alternate branch (right click Schedule I, Properties, Betas) for a Mono server, the default, or keep None for an IL2CPP server.
2. Download the GamezServers pack from the server's invite page.
3. In Steam, right click Schedule I, choose Manage, then Browse local files, and drag everything from the zip into that folder. Pick Replace if Windows asks.
4. Press Launch Schedule I and join on the invite page, which opens Steam and connects automatically, or start the game, click Servers, then Direct Connect, and enter the IP and port separately.

Steam signs you in automatically. On a server you run yourself, players download MelonLoader and the matching client zip from the S1DS releases page instead. The detailed walkthrough, including fixes for a missing Servers button, is in how to join a Schedule 1 dedicated server.

The pack can stay installed. Single player and normal co-op keep working, because its features only switch on when you join an S1DS server.

Can we move our co-op save to a server?

Yes. The host's co-op save can be uploaded to an S1DS server, so a world you started in a lobby carries on with more players and without the host. Start the server once, stop it, upload the save into UserData/DedicatedServerSave, and start it again. Step by step: how to transfer a Schedule 1 save to a dedicated server.

What breaks after a Schedule 1 update?

Schedule I updates often during early access. Lobby co-op only needs everyone on the same game version, which Steam handles. Modded setups need more care:

• Lobby mods can stop working until their author updates them.
• On an S1DS server, the game, the server mod and every player's client mod must match. Update the server, then have everyone download the client mod again. On GamezServers the owner presses Update game and players download the pack again from the same link.

FAQ

How many players can play Schedule 1 co-op?

Four, the host and three friends. More players need a lobby mod or an S1DS dedicated server.

Can my friends play Schedule 1 without me?

Not in co-op, since the world is saved on the host's PC and closes when the host quits. A dedicated server keeps the world online for everyone.

Does Schedule 1 have official dedicated servers?

No. Dedicated servers run S1DedicatedServers, a free community mod.

Do my friends need to own Schedule 1?

Yes. Every player needs their own copy on Steam, for co-op and for dedicated servers.

Is Schedule 1 on console or Mac?

No. Schedule I is a Windows game on Steam, and the S1DS client mod needs the Windows version.

Hosting a Schedule 1 server with us

A hosted Schedule I server comes with the game, MelonLoader and S1DS installed and set up, so you skip the Wine, config and port work. Your server gets an invite page with the three setup steps, one free pack to download and a Launch Schedule I and join button, and you can back up the world before a risky update. Plans run from 6 GB for up to 4 players at 14.99 USD a month to 12 GB for up to 16 at 29.99 USD, new customers get 50% off the first month on monthly plans, and each friend can pay their own share from a link.