Is Outer Wilds Multiplayer? Quick Answer
No. Outer Wilds is a single-player game, and it’s meant to be that way. There’s no co-op, no online, no jumping into a spaceship with your friend to explore a planet together. You won’t find any friends waiting to team up across the stars. And while that might sound like a letdown at first, playing Outer Wilds solo is actually part of what makes it so incredible.
I get the curiosity. Outer Wilds feels like the kind of game where you’d want to bring someone along for the ride. It looks open, mysterious, and full of charming worlds you could explore together. But the thing is—solitude is the point. The quiet, often eerie vibe of being completely alone in space is a big part of what gives the game its magic.
So… What Is Outer Wilds Then?
If you’re brand new, here’s the deal. You’re an astronaut. Not a super-soldier, not a bounty hunter—just a curious explorer from a small alien town. You hop into your (shaky, wooden-feeling) ship and start exploring a solar system that’s trapped in a bizarre time loop. Every 22 minutes, the sun explodes. And you start again.
There are no missions, no tutorials telling you exactly where to go. It’s purely about exploring, observing, and figuring things out on your own. Every dialogue, disappearing planet, flickering image, and half-buried ruin is another piece of the puzzle.
I know—this probably sounds like serious sci-fi. But what makes Outer Wilds so special is how approachable it is. The universe is small on purpose. You’re not flying through hundreds of stars, you’re getting to know one quirky solar system where every planet feels like it was handcrafted by someone who really, really cared.
Why Multiplayer Actually Would Break the Game
It’s tempting to think of a version where you explore with a friend. But imagine this: you’re deep in thought, trying to piece together ancient alien messages, and a friend runs in shouting, “Check this out!” while shooting their scout launcher at the ceiling. That immersive feeling of being a space detective? Gone.
The game wants you to feel like you’re truly alone on a fragile mission, slowly unraveling a mystery that’s bigger than you. A conversation, a stone tablet, a broken probe from the past—it all means something. Having another player there might seem fun, but it would undercut the mood absolutely everything else is building toward.
The developers at Mobius Digital have explained this too—it wasn’t just a design decision, it was core to the experience they wanted people to have.
Should You Use a Controller to Play? Here’s What I Recommend
I remember this question popping into my head about five minutes after launching into orbit the first time: “Wait, should I have plugged in my controller?”
If you’re on PC, you can totally use mouse and keyboard—and many people do. But flying the ship and floating gently through space can take a little finesse. Using a controller makes those small, smooth steering movements a lot easier. The left stick’s gradual input just works better for fine-tuning how your rickety spaceship moves.
Still, Outer Wilds isn’t a twitch shooter or a fast-paced game where reaction speed matters. So if you’re more comfortable with a keyboard, don’t sweat it. You won’t fall behind just because you’re not using a controller.
That said, I’ll give you this: the boost-then-brake rhythm of space flight just feels better with thumbsticks. Once I switched to controller, I crashed into the sun about 30% less. Progress!
How to Avoid Anglerfish (or At Least Not Die Screaming)
You know you’re progressing in Outer Wilds when you stop flying around just to enjoy the view—and start dreading the Anglerfish.
They live in Dark Bramble, which is already the creepiest place in the game. Anglerfish are big, creepy, and very good at jump scaring people even though they’re just… floating. But get this—they can’t see you. They’re completely blind.
They only care about sound. So if you’re struggling and keep ending up as space dinner, here’s the simple trick that worked for me:
Be quiet. Like, absolutely silent. Don’t boost. Don’t shoot your scout more than you have to. Just tap the controls and float. It feels like moving through a room where you know something is hiding under the bed and you’re hoping not to wake it up.
And yes, you’ll likely still mess up a couple times. That’s part of the journey. But once you realize these monsters follow rules just like everything else in this solar system, they don’t feel nearly as random.
A Game That Trusts You To Be Curious
What truly sticks with you after beating Outer Wilds isn’t just the plot twist or the ending—it’s the way the game believed in you.
No arrows pointing where to go. No hints yelling “This is important!” You learn just by looking, remembering, and trying things differently each time the loop resets. That trust in the player’s curiosity creates connection—and it’s why people fall in love with it, often unexpectedly.
Solo play is essential for this feeling. It gives you room to notice a shifting shadow or a strange crack in a wall that you might have missed if someone else was narrating the journey alongside you.
Is It Worth It If You Can’t Play With Friends?
Absolutely. In fact, I’d argue Outer Wilds is better because you can’t play with friends. Not every game needs multiplayer. Some games are about action. Some are about story. This one is about you—what you pay attention to, what questions you ask, and how far you’re willing to go to find answers.
Sure, you can talk to your friends about discoveries afterward, or share the moment you accidentally launched yourself into orbit with no idea how to get back. But experiencing Outer Wilds on your own gives those moments their full weight.
Even if someone made a mod tomorrow that added multiplayer, I’d tell you not to use it for your first playthrough. This game earns its reputation as a modern classic because it’s different. And sometimes? Different is exactly what you need.
Don’t Read Too Much Before Playing
If any part of you is thinking about playing Outer Wilds, try not to spoil it. Go in blind—yes, even if you hate being confused at first.
Every big “aha!” moment you get will feel earned. Not handed to you by a wiki. That’s rare in games these days, and Outer Wilds makes magic with it.
Just you, your brain, a slightly janky spaceship, and a universe full of secrets
Is Outer Wilds multiplayer?
No. Outer Wilds is single-player only.
Should I play Outer Wilds with a controller?
Yes, using a controller is easier, especially for flying.
How to avoid anglerfish in Outer Wilds?
Move slowly and avoid making noise. They can’t see you, but they can hear you.