Valheim is coming to PC Game Pass in two weeks

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It will also be on the Microsoft Store ahead of its 2023 Xbox Game Pass release

Valheim
(Image credit: Coffee Stain)

The Valheim Game Pass release is closer than we thought: as developer Iron Gate revealed today, it's hitting the PC subscription service on Thursday, September 29. 

The news arrived during an Xbox indie showcase. Iron Gate previously announced that its hit Viking survival game would hit PC Game Pass sometime this year ahead of an Xbox Game Pass release in spring 2023. Many were expecting a holiday 2022 release on PC Game Pass, but we now know it's just two weeks away. However, the game's official Twitter account confirmed that the Xbox Game Pass version is still targeting "early 2023." 

A public test patch for crossplay support also rolled out today. "This patch entails a couple of changes to prepare the game for the upcoming crossplay feature," a Steam post reads. "This will be necessary in order for you to be able to play Valheim with your friends who might get the game via other platforms." 

"Before we launch this update to the Default version of the game, we want to make sure to have a chance to discover bugs and adjust the balancing, to give you the best game experience possible," the devs explain. 

If you want, you can opt into this public test patch through the beta tab of Valheim's Steam properties menu. Just enter the code "yesimadebackups" and select the newly unlocked test branch. The patch also adds an interface for managing saves, "minor network optimizations" for hosting, and a "Join game" tab for favorite servers (with crossplay indicators). 

The big Valheim Mistlands update, roadmap, and more explained. 

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.