Outlast Trials Co-op Guide: Play It in a Group

TLDR

To play The Outlast Trials in a group, form a party of up to four, either by inviting friends or by using the in-game Group Finder to match with other players. As of November 5, 2026, the Steam page lists the game at its full $39.99, so the autumn sale that pulled in many new players is over. GameSpot reported on October 7 that the game passed 120,000 concurrent players on Steam. Before your first trial, agree on who does what, how you handle a downed teammate, and how much gore and flashing light your group wants.

Why so many people are new

GameSpot says the 120,000 mark more than quadrupled the earlier high of 36,000 from the 2023 Early Access launch. It says Red Barrels credited a sale price of $4 on Steam and a surge in China, where roughly half of those players are, and adds that the Halloween season helps. SteamCharts lists an all-time Steam peak of 144,762, reached in October 2026, which is higher than the 120,000 mark in GameSpot's report. GamesChart used the same figure on November 2, which put the game just outside its top ten that week. Both count Steam only, not console players.

Group size and playing alone

The Steam page says you can finish trials alone or as a team of 2, 3, or 4, and that co-op is never forced for mandatory objectives, although working together can help. GameSpot describes the game as playable solo but built around co-op for up to four.

A solo player can find a group through matchmaking. TheGamer's multiplayer guide, published in March 2024, describes a Group Finder in the Terminal with three modes. Any Trial has the shortest queue, Select Program an average one, and Select Trial the longest. Matched players appear in your lobby as they arrive. Red Barrels' 1.0 notes, dated the same day, say that update changed matchmaking and trial selection to remove pain points. The game has had more updates since, so treat the details as a starting point and check the Terminal in your own build.

Friends or matchmaking

You can invite friends, use the Group Finder, or try both. TheGamer's guide does not say whether a partly filled group can queue, so test that in the Terminal.

1. Open the Terminal menu and pick an empty slot beside your character. IGN's invite guide, written in 2023, lists tabs for your friends, the current lobby, and recent trial partners.
2. Whoever creates the group becomes leader and, per IGN, controls which trial launches. The leader can hand that role over.
3. TheGamer notes the first screen lets you give players permission to invite their own friends, so decide whether you want that.
4. Wait in the lobby until everyone is ready. TheGamer says the trial begins once everyone enters the shuttle, with a time limit shown for joining.

Crossplay

Red Barrels says in its March 2024 1.0 notes that cross-play is fully supported across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Share your Outlast ID from the Social Menu to connect. The same notes say cross-progression was not supported at that time, so check the current status before you move platforms. If your group spans platforms, the cross-platform squads guide covers the habits that keep mixed groups together.

Splitting roles in a trial

The game has no fixed classes. Roles come from what you bring, and what follows is a suggestion, not a rule. The Steam page says the tools can stun enemies, blind them, show you through walls, and heal you and people near you. Red Barrels' 1.0 notes describe four rigs (X-Ray, Blind, Stun, Heal), and say X-Ray now shows teammates to help coordination.

• Scout: carries X-Ray and calls out where threats are before the group moves.
• Disruptor: carries Stun or Blind for emergencies and for objectives that need cover.
• Medic: carries Heal and stays close enough to help.
• Objective runner: handles the task while others watch the room.

Swap roles between trials so no one is stuck playing scared at the back. Per the 1.0 notes, Program Genesis is the easier path, with Program X unlocked after one Reborn and Program Ultra after three, so start a new group in Genesis.

What to agree before the first trial

1. Content comfort. The Steam page warns of intense violence, gore, graphic sexual content, strong language, and strobing lights, and lists the game as mature content. Check that everyone is comfortable.
2. Who leads trial choice. Name one leader, and say when they can be overruled.
3. Revive policy. Decide when to go back for someone and when to move on.
4. Voice setup. Settle where you talk and who prefers text. If speaking to strangers is a worry, the voice chat anxiety guide helps.
5. A stop word. Agree on a phrase that means pause, regroup, or leave.

The good teammate checklist covers the habits behind most of these.

Is the sale still on?

On November 5, 2026, the Steam page lists the base game at $39.99 and the Reagent Starter Pack Edition at $49.99, with no discount shown on either. GameSpot said the $4 sale was due to end on October 8. Steam sales return, so check the page before you buy.

If your group is short

Ask friends who already own it, post at a regular time, and try the Group Finder. The complete LFG guide has post templates, and a teammate-matching app such as Player 2 can pair you with players who own the game and play when you do.

What may change

Per GameSpot, Season 8 is planned for December with a new major villain and map. Red Barrels' October 20 notes say the Geister event runs until December 8 at 10 a.m. ET. Treat the matchmaking and invite details above as accurate as of the dates of the sources, and recheck after updates.