Valheim has been out on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 since 9 September 2026. Both console versions launched alongside version 1.0, so you get the finished game with the final Deep North biome and crossplay with PC and Xbox. Here’s what the game costs, how much space it needs, which graphics presets and controls it offers, how to play with friends on PC and what you miss out on compared to PC.
Release date and price on PS5 and Switch 2
Iron Gate announced the PlayStation version in September 2025. Valheim then launched on PS5 and Switch 2 on 9 September 2026, the day the game left Early Access after five and a half years and hit version 1.0. Console players don’t start with a work in progress; they get the full progression right up to the final boss.
One thing to watch on Nintendo: Valheim is out for Nintendo Switch 2 only. You can’t buy it for the original Switch. The Switch 2 port is made by the studio Piktiv.
The official price of version 1.0 is $29.99, and it varies by region. Before 1.0 the game cost $19.99. On Steam in the EU it sells for €29.99. Check your console’s store for the exact local price.
Download size and graphics presets
By today’s standards Valheim is a small download. Version 1.0 takes roughly 4.3 GiB on most platforms. The official FAQ lists these exceptions:
| Platform | 1.0 download size |
|---|---|
| Most platforms | about 4.3 GiB |
| Xbox One | about 3.0 GiB |
| Mac App Store and Microsoft Store | about 6.5 GiB |
PS5 and Switch 2 both have a Balanced graphics preset that uses 120 Hz output. It came with patch 1.0.14, which also brought several GPU performance improvements to Switch 2.
The studio only publishes official resolution and frame-rate figures for Xbox. There are no official numbers for PS5 or Switch 2, so we don’t quote any. For a sense of how the presets work on consoles, here is Xbox:
| Console | Performance | Balanced (120 Hz TV) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X | 1200p / 60 fps | 1440p / 40 fps | 1800p / 30 fps |
| Xbox Series S | 900p / 60 fps | 900p / 40 fps | 1080p / 30 fps |
Xbox One X runs at 1080p and 30 fps, Xbox One S and the original Xbox One at 720p and 30 fps.
Controls: gamepad and motion
Valheim has full controller support, and on Steam it is also Verified for Steam Deck. PS5 and Switch 2 add motion controls on top. Activating them was unreliable at first; patch 1.0.16 from 25 September 2026 fixed that.
Patch 1.0.14 swapped Motion Sensor and Sheath on the gamepad. Motion Sensor is now alt + Sheath. If your muscle memory comes from earlier versions, this one may catch you out.
On consoles, the game picks its language from the console’s system language on first launch.
The developer console opens with a button combination on the controller, and on Xbox it is enabled by default. What the commands do and how they affect achievements is covered in our console commands guide.
Crossplay and playing with PC friends
Crossplay in Valheim works across every platform: PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox, PS5 and Switch 2. A PS5 player joins a friend on Steam just as easily as a friend on another PS5. A world holds 1 to 10 players.
The simplest option is a join code. The host copies it from the pause menu, you go to Join Game, click Add server and paste it. For a world that stays up without the host, you need a dedicated server started with crossplay enabled. Both methods are explained step by step in our crossplay guide.
Expect updates to arrive with a delay. At the 1.0 launch the Switch 2 patch was late, and on 11 September the studio announced that all platforms were compatible for crossplay again. Patches 1.0.14 to 1.0.16 reach all platforms a few days apart, and crossplay keeps working in the meantime.
What consoles miss compared to PC
Mods
There are no mods on consoles. PC has no official mod support either, and 1.0 comes without a Steam Workshop, but on consoles you can’t install mods at all.
Cross-save
Valheim has no cross-save. The only exception is between Xbox and the Microsoft Store PC version. You can’t move a world or a character from Steam to PS5 or Switch 2. If you want to keep playing a PC world on your console, keep it running on the PC or on a dedicated server and join it.
Your own server
The dedicated server is a separate app you run on a computer. Consoles can join it as long as it runs with the crossplay parameter.
Where to begin with the last biome is covered in our Deep North guide, the full list of changes is in the 1.0 update overview, and more guides are waiting in the Valheim hub.
FAQ
Yes. It launched on PlayStation 5 on 9 September 2026 together with version 1.0, including the Deep North biome and crossplay with other platforms.
No. The game is only out for Nintendo Switch 2; you can’t buy it for the original Switch.
No. There are no mods on consoles, and PC doesn’t have official mod support either.
Yes. Valheim has crossplay across all platforms. Join with a join code from the host or on a dedicated server with crossplay enabled.
Information verified on 26 September 2026.