How to play co-op multiplayer in Rise of the Ronin

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You can play Rise of the Ronin with friends via the Longhouse

Rise of the Ronin multiplayer co op
(Image credit: Koei Tecmo)

The Rise of the Ronin co-op multiplayer system is activated via your home base of The Longhouse, the first one of which you find in Yokohama. Multiplayer in Rise of the Ronin is a fairly straightforward system of dropping into and out of other players' games and worlds to aid them with their current quests and missions, with the game supporting several warrior ninjas at the same time. We'll cover how to play Rise of the Ronin cooperatively with friends in online multiplayer below, and how you can use it to your advantage.

How to play co-op with friends in Rise of the Ronin online multiplayer

Rise of the Ronin multiplayer co op

(Image credit: Koei Tecmo)

Rise of the Ronin has a co-op multiplayer system that can be activated in one of two ways:

  1. At the Longhouse via the "Cooperate" option
  2. At the start of key missions

We'll clarify that this system is fairly limited: players in Rise of the Ronin can basically bring in friends to help with their missions, but they can't just hang out with friends in the overworld like you might in Red Dead Online. This is more similar to how Dark Souls allows you to bring in friends to help you deal with a specific challenge or boss, then sends them away the moment that challenge is overcome.

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In the Longhouse, first unlocked in Yokohama, players can select Cooperate, which then gives them three options:

  • Join: (leap into a random player's mission to help them)
  • Recruit: (replay or start a mission that others can join to help with)
  • Match: (join a lobby with specific conditions)

Players have some power to control the lobbies they join and set up, deciding on open matchmaking versus invite-only, adding passwords, level restrictions and so on. Starting a key mission basically gives players the option to trigger the "recruit" feature from the Longhouse, sending out a call for help that other players can answer from their longhouses. Playing multiplayer in Rise of the Ronin provides various rewards, including Silver Coins and Karma.

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Joel Franey
Joel Franey
Guides Editor, GamesRadar+

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and Very Tired Man with a BA from Brunel University, a Masters from Sussex University and a decade working in games journalism, often focused on guides coverage but also in reviews, features and news. His love of games is strongest when it comes to groundbreaking narratives like Disco Elysium, UnderTale and Baldur's Gate 3, as well as innovative or refined gameplay experiences like XCOM, Sifu, Arkham Asylum or Slay the Spire. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at Eurogamer, Gfinity, USgamer, SFX Magazine, RPS, Dicebreaker, VG247, and more.