How to play with friends

Quick answers

• Players: 1–8 in online lobbies.
• Platform: Windows PC, through Steam.
• Solo: yes, the full climb is playable on your own.
• Invites: from your Steam friends list.
• Languages: playable in 30 languages.
• Status: out now in Steam Early Access, with a free demo.

Starting a co-op game, step by step

1. Get the game on Steam, or start with the free demo if your group wants to try it first.
2. Launch it and start a lobby. Online lobbies take 1–8 players.
3. Invite friends from your Steam friends list. Up to seven friends can join you.
4. Pick a color for your car, so everyone knows who just fell.
5. Drop in and climb. Everyone drives the same route up the same mountain at the same time.

Racing sim players will feel at home with the handling, and if you’ve never played one, the first hill teaches you what you need.

What changes with 2, 4 or 8 players

Every car is a solid object, so more players doesn’t just mean more people on the mountain. It changes the climb itself.

• Two players: the cleanest way to learn the co-op moves. One drives, the other bridges or pushes, then you swap.
• Four players: enough for real rescue missions. When someone gets wedged in a pipe, three people can abandon their runs to free them (or "free" them off the edge).
• Eight players: the climb turns into traffic. Bridges, pushes and pile-ups on narrow planks. Short calls in voice chat ("wait", "push now", "I’m stuck") stop a lot of group wipes.

The co-op moves

Helping and ruining someone use exactly the same controls. Nobody in the lobby forgets which one you chose.

• Be the bridge. Park across a gap so a friend can drive over you.
• Be the engine. Line up behind someone and push them over a ledge no single car can clear.
• Be the rescue. Cars get wedged, sometimes on their roof between two beams. A friend can line up carefully and shunt you free.
• Be the problem. Wait until your friend is one wheel from the summit. Tap their bumper.

Every meter is earned, so a fall can cost a lot of height. Decide before the first run whether pushing friends off is allowed tonight. For driving tips, read our beginner tips.

Playing solo

You don’t need a group to play. The full climb, from the bottom to the finish line, is playable solo. Climbing alone is a good way to learn the route and the handling before you bring friends. The game also has Steam achievements and leaderboards.

Languages, controls and your setup

• 30 languages. The game is playable in 30 languages.
• Controllers and Steam Deck: the store page doesn’t list controller support or Steam Deck compatibility at the moment, so we won’t promise either here. Check the Steam store page for the current state, or ask us in the launch Q&A thread on the Steam discussions.
• Streaming: streaming and monetized videos are welcome. Creators can find a free streamer kit on our creator page.

When something goes wrong

Drive UP: Together is in Early Access, so expect bugs and balance changes, especially in full 8-player lobbies. If you hit one, please post it in the pinned bug reports thread on the Steam discussions or on our Discord. These details help most:

• What happened, and what you expected.
• Steps to reproduce, if you can.
• Lobby size, and whether you were the host or a client.
• Your region and roughly when it happened (UTC if possible).
• A screenshot or short clip, and your specs for crashes or performance issues.

Finding a crew

Not enough friends online? Use the pinned LFG thread in the Steam discussions or the #lfg channel on our Discord. Or make a crew link on our crew page and see which of your friends show up.