How to Fish Multiplayer Connection and Black Screen Fix

Why does the How to Fish multiplayer connection fail?

If you need a How to Fish multiplayer connection fix, start by identifying whether the failure is a black screen, timeout, Relay error, or desync. As of Patch 1.0.10, multiplayer has received several fixes but is not documented as completely solved. Patch 1.0.4 targeted a black screen while joining, Patch 1.0.9 added a Steam Relay diagnostic message, and Patch 1.0.10 increased the connection timeout and tried to improve item loading when a player joins.

The reports do not identify one universal cause. A black screen, an endless join, a timeout, and a session that loads with missing objects may share a symptom while coming from different parts of the connection process.

Which multiplayer connection fixes should you try first?

Apply this How to Fish multiplayer connection fix in order, beginning with the most likely mismatches:

1. Have every player confirm Patch 1.0.10 and restart Steam. A mixed or stale client is the easiest mismatch to eliminate.
2. Close the lobby and create a fresh private lobby. Private lobbies have been supported since Patch 1.0.5. Invite through the Steam friends interface rather than reusing an old join attempt.
3. Let the host finish loading before others join. Join one player at a time and wait for the world and inventory to settle.
4. Reduce loose items near the host. Patch 1.0.10 changed ground-item persistence and prioritization specifically around joining. Store or sell clutter before retesting a busy save.
5. Switch host. If one player can join a different host, the problem is likely tied to the original host’s network path or save rather than every client.
6. Check for the Steam Relay error. If it appears, restart the router and Steam, temporarily disable VPN or proxy software, and allow Steam and the game through the firewall. Re-enable normal security after the test.
7. Verify installed files in Steam. This is a low-risk final local check before collecting logs and waiting for another patch.

Do not forward ports at random. The official diagnostic refers to Steam Relay, and no game-specific port-forwarding recipe is confirmed. Router changes also create security and support risks without proving that the game is listening directly on those ports.

What helps with black screens or desync?

For a black screen, wait through the longer Patch 1.0.10 timeout once. If nothing changes, leave, restart the lobby, and retry with the host alone in a quiet area. Repeatedly joining the same stalled session is less useful than creating a clean session.

For missing objects or desync, stop moving valuable items, return to the menu normally, and have the host reload. Ground items are saved only up to the current limit and prioritized in Patch 1.0.10, so use storage instead of leaving important equipment scattered. This is a precaution based on the patch notes, not a guaranteed desync repair.

If a failed session also lost progress, use the save and progress guide. If frame drops happen only when a player joins, compare the low-FPS fixes. For ordinary co-op planning after the lobby works, see the best money-making tips and beginner walkthrough.

What remains unconfirmed?

One community workaround suggests reconnecting in a particular sequence, but there is not enough independent evidence to present it as a universal fix. Reports also use “desync” for several outcomes without logs. Record who hosted, player count, join method, visible error text, approximate loose-item count, and whether a new save behaves differently.

Sources

• Official Steam announcements and patch notes — Patches 1.0.4, 1.0.5, 1.0.9, and 1.0.10 multiplayer changes. Accessed 2026-09-01.
• Steam discussion: Multiplayer connection problem — player-reported join failure. Accessed 2026-09-01.
• Steam discussion: Black screen and connection report — independent multiplayer symptom report. Accessed 2026-09-01.
• Steam discussion: Multiplayer session issue — additional player report. Accessed 2026-09-01.
• Steam discussion: Community reconnect workaround — unconfirmed workaround. Accessed 2026-09-01.