A battle on open grass in Stronghold 4: yellow and purple armies fight among wooden stakes, a burning fire and a catapult

Multiplayer, co-op and Skirmish

Stronghold 4 Multiplayer, Co-op and Skirmish

Does Stronghold 4 have multiplayer? Not on December 7: Early Access is single-player, with Skirmish against up to 8 CPU lords. Online multiplayer and a co-op Skirmish Trail come with version 1.0.

Last updated October 28, 2026Game version: Pre-launch (demo and official info, October 2026)

Multiplayer is planned for 1.0

Firefly's Early Access answers on Steam list online multiplayer as one of the “remaining major game modes”, together with a co-operative Skirmish Trail and an economic campaign. All three come with version 1.0. Firefly expects Early Access to last around 6 months, but has given no date. The Steam store page lists Stronghold 4 as single-player for now.

What you can play at launch

Custom Skirmish: pick your opponents from 8 CPU lords and set up a match the way you like.
Skirmish Trail: a run of hand-made scenarios against the AI.
Story campaign: 22 missions as Penryn of Wethel.
Free Build: build without an enemy, or with invasions, as in the demo.

The CPU lords

Skirmish against computer lords, each with a personality of their own, is a Stronghold tradition. Stronghold 4 launches with 8. Three are playable in the free demo already: Penryn, the campaign's hero, and the familiar faces The Snake and Sir Longarm. Firefly has not named the other five yet; we will list each one when it is revealed.

Co-op

The co-op mode Firefly has announced is a co-operative Skirmish Trail: the hand-made scenarios, played together. It is part of 1.0, not the Early Access launch. If co-op is the main reason you want the game, see our Early Access tracker and decide whether to buy now or at 1.0; the price page explains why the price may rise in between.

More answers: Stronghold 4 FAQ and which platforms Stronghold 4 is on.

Questions

Does Stronghold 4 have multiplayer?

Not at the Early Access launch on December 7, 2026. Online multiplayer is planned for version 1.0, which Firefly expects after around 6 months of Early Access.

Is there co-op in Stronghold 4?

A co-operative Skirmish Trail is planned for 1.0. At launch there is no co-op mode.

How many AI opponents can you fight in Stronghold 4?

Up to 8. Custom Skirmish at launch has 8 different CPU lords; the demo has three of them: Penryn, The Snake and Sir Longarm.

Does the Stronghold 4 demo have multiplayer?

No. The demo has a tutorial, Free Build with invasions and Skirmish against three CPU lords.

Will Stronghold 4 have LAN or crossplay?

Firefly has not said. It is a Steam-only PC game for now, so crossplay with consoles does not apply.

Official sources

Last checked October 28, 2026. Before launch this page follows Firefly's own description and the demo; after launch we add what is confirmed in the game.