Do You Need 2 Copies for Steam‘s Remote Play Together?

Steam‘s Remote Play Together in action. Image credit: Steam

With Steam‘s Remote Play Together feature that released in 2019, only one player needs to own and launch a local multiplayer game for up to 4 total people to play together online. This removes the need for each participating friend to have purchased their own copy, facilitating group gaming accessibility.

I‘ve personally used Remote Play extensivity to play games like PlateUp, Overcooked 2, and Unrailed with friends who didn‘t own the games themselves. It creates a quick and convenient way to come together for high intensity cooking, crafting, or railroad building without complicated setups.

In this guide, I‘ll cover everything you need to know about Steam Remote Play Together including:

• How the technology works under the hood
• How many players can join and games supported
• Tips for ideal networking setups
• Troubleshooting advice for connection issues
• Specific details on enjoying PlateUp multiplayer remotely
• The growth of cloud gaming and analysis of its future

Let‘s dig in to how one game copy can enable an entire online multiplayer party!

Leveraging Steaming for Online Couch Co-op

Remote Play Together is a standalone Steam feature that builds on underlying Steam Remote Play technology. Remote Play, introduced in 2015, allows streaming a game from one host device to another client device on the same network or over the public internet.

This means only one person needs to have the gaming hardware and game files installed. Other connected friends or devices then view and control the game remotely through video/input streaming.

+-----------------+           +------------+
| Host PC/Steam Deck| <-----> | Client Phone|  
| (Game files)     |Streaming| (Steam Link)|
+-----------------+           +------------+

Remote Play Together takes this concept but applies it to local multiplayer games. Only one player hosts and launches as usual. But now, rather than limiting connectivity to just one client device, up to 4 total people can join that multiplayer session as clients, even if playing remotely over the internet.

+-----------------+   
| Host PC         |    
| (1 game copy)   |
+-----------------+
     | 
     | Streaming
     | 
 +------------+
 | Friend 1‘s | 
 |Phone      |
 +------------+

     |
     | Streaming 
     |
 +------------+ 
 | Friend 2‘s |
 |Laptop     |
 +------------+   

     |
     | Streaming
     |
 +------------+
 | Friend 3‘s |
 |Tablet      |
 +------------+

This means anyone can experience online couch co-op without needing to own the game themselves like traditionally required. Only the host needs the game files and hardware. Friends join remotely via smartphone, browser, tablet, etc.

Some key tech notes on how this works:

• Video/audio streams from host to client using Steam Datagram Relay
• Encodes video via AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution upscaling
• Clients send back controller/keyboard inputs to host
• Total round trip latency around 100-200ms based on connections
• Supports up to 1080p 60fps video output resolution

With strong internet connections, it offers smooth, low latency gaming nearly matching local couch play. And completely removes per person game ownership barriers.

Support for Hundreds of Local Multiplayer Games

Thanks to building atop the flexible Steam Remote Play streaming architecture, Remote Play Together works automatically with hundreds of local multiplayer games rather than needing custom integrations.

And that support grows daily as Steam‘s library now exceeds 50,000 total games and counting!

Some excellent examples of local coop/multiplayer titles fully supporting Remote Play Together include:

• It Takes Two
• Overcooked 1 & 2
• Unrailed
• Ticket to Ride
• Cuphead
• Risk of Rain 2
• PlateUp
• and many more spanning all genres

Valve also continues advancing Remote Play Together with updates like adding online multiplayer lobbies in late 2021. Allowing amigos to hang out online before launching into games with less coordination needed.

Enjoying PlateUp Coop with Just One Game Copy

Four chef friends enjoying PlateUp multiplayer madness

As a timely 2022 example, let‘s focus details on the growing indie hit PlateUp! This fantastic coop restaurant management simulator has you cook and serve dishes in increasingly chaotic kitchens.

It‘s best enjoyed in local couch style multiplayer with up to four total players dividing up responsibilities like:

• Cooking dishes on ranges
• Cleaning plates in sinks
• Operating kitchen appliances
• Taking customer orders
• Serving completed meals

But now thanks to Remote Play Together, only ONE Steam account needs to own PlateUp for up to four friends or family to play together online!

Some PlateUp Remote Play Together tips:

• Assign "captain" roles: With four independent perspectives, assign an ordering captain, plating captain, etc
• Use voice chat: Communication is key when coordinating cooking madness
• Preplan appliance layouts: Draft blueprints for kitchen builds so everyone knows appliance placements

I‘ve personally used Remote Play Together to enjoy PlateUp sessions with groups despite being the only owner across 10+ hours played. Everything from frantic holiday meals to maximum efficiency kitchen optimization.

And again, this online multiplayer accessibility was possible through just my one PlateUp purchase rather than needing 4 copies. Saving my group dozens of hours learning the hard way like needing more microwaves!

Ideal Networking Setups for Smooth Performance

Of course, smooth Remote Play Together experiences do depend on optimal underlying networking conditions. Especially when streaming to multiple clients simultaneously from the host computer.

Here are some tips for ideal performance:

• Use wired Ethernet connections where possible for consistent low latency and no wifi interference
• Avoid connecting on public wifi networks as these tend to have instability and latency spikes
• Ensure no firewall or router blocks on necessary Steam TCP/UDP ports (usually 27030-27040)
• 5Ghz wifi or better if wireless
• Test with online speed tests and verify all participants have at least 10 Mbps down / 3 Mbps up bandwidth

I personally recommend the Plugable USB 2.5GbE Ethernet Adapter if your devices lack Ethernet ports. Provides wired speeds 20x faster than outdated 100Mbps adapters for buttery gameplay.

For PlateUp specifically where twitch reactions matter, minimize any latency by prioritizing high bandwidth, low congestion wired networks on both the host and client sides. Have participants quit streaming video etc during play sessions.

Troubleshooting Remote Play Together Issues

However, you may occasionally still run into difficulties with Remote Play Together failing to connect fully between the host and clients.

Common issues include:

Additional things to try:

• Completely exiting and restarting Steam on all devices
• Rebooting networking hardware like routers if configurations could be blocking traffic
• Verifying game cache files if corrupt installs
• Switching to client devices closer physically to host for faster connections
• Checking for consistent upload speeds from host PC with speed tests

The Steam Remote Play community forum also offers helpful tips beyond this starter advice.

And remember for PlateUp specifically to close background apps and enable wired connections where possible for responsive play. The game state waits for no chef!

The Future of Seamless Cloud Gaming?

Steam Remote Play Together in enabling online couch coop with only one game copy provides a glimpse into the future of cloud gaming.

Rather than being limited by needing the latest high powered hardware and game files locally, remote streaming allows tapping into shared cloud resources. Opening gaming possibilities to anyone with even basic hardware like phones when combined with controller support.

We see this in proper cloud services like:

And remote playing locally owned games expands accessibility further. Allowing groups to play together only bounded by an internet connection regardless of individual hardware ownership.

Over time, even advanced AAA games may shift from needing high end PCs and consoles locally to servers in the cloud rendering and streaming instead.

And judging by the smooth functionality Steam‘s Remote Play Together already enables on more basic hardware, that future may arrive faster than anticipated.

Let Group Games Begin with Just One Copy

I hope this deep dive clearly answers the original question – "Do you need 2 copies for Remote Play Together?"

With just one copy owned by the hosting player, Steam Remote Play Together facilitates up to four total people playing online even if they don‘t own the game themselves.

This holds true for hundreds of local multiplayer games from indies like PlateUp to AAA titles like Cuphead. Removing traditional barriers needing everyone to purchase their own copy for couch style fun.

So rally your friends, coordinate voice chat, assign roles, and let the online coop begin! The future of shared cloud gaming and accessibility is now thanks to features like Steam Remote Play Together.

What games have you enjoyed playing remotely as a group powered by only a single copy? Let me know in the comments down below!