Big Walk Connection Troubleshooting: Join, Crossplay and Timeout Fixes

Big Walk supports full crossplay, but every successful connection still depends on an active host session. Start with the official rules, then try the community workarounds in order. Do not jump straight to reinstalling or changing security settings.

Official checks first

1. Ask the host to load the game and actually start a session. The official FAQ says other players connect only after the host starts.
2. On the host menu, press Start a new game or resume the intended save. One Steam player reported that friends could not join until this step was completed.
3. Use the current Join Code. It is generated each time the host starts a session, so an older code may no longer work. During play, the host can find it under Session Details.
4. Compare version numbers. The official rule is that the first two numbers must match; a difference only in the third number is allowed.
5. For mixed-platform groups, confirm crossplay is enabled on both sides. Treat version-mismatch explanations posted by players as hypotheses unless the game itself reports an incompatible version.
6. If a password is set, re-enter it carefully. A Reddit report says Switch 2 may accept fewer password characters than a PC host can set; leaving the optional password blank is a community workaround, not an official compatibility rule.

“Connection to host timed out” after a disconnect

Have the disconnected player close and reopen Big Walk, then try the current code again. If that fails, ask the host to fully quit the game process and relaunch it—not merely stop and restart the lobby.

A Steam player said this recovered their group twice after a disconnected person could not rejoin. The proposed socket explanation in that thread is player inference; only the observed restart result is the community report.

Black screen or endless “Connecting”

Cancel the attempt if possible, restart both games, verify that the host is already in an active session, and check for updates. On Steam, verify installed files before reinstalling. One Linux player reported success after forcing Proton 11.0, but Windows and macOS reports in the same cluster did not establish a universal fix.

Do not copy a platform-specific workaround onto another system. Also do not disable antivirus, firewall or Windows security features just because one comment mentions them. First check whether the operating system recorded a specific block, and understand the security trade-off before changing protection.

Players freeze, then move and speak very fast

Reddit users have reported cross-region sessions where everyone appears frozen and then catches up quickly. High traffic or server overload was the poster’s theory, not a confirmed cause. Try a different host with a stable wired connection, reduce the geographic spread when practical, stop heavy downloads, and test again at another time.

When to stop troubleshooting

Record the host platform, joining platform, complete version numbers, region, exact error text and whether a fresh host restart changed anything. If the same problem survives a new session and current versions, use the support contact in the official FAQ. That evidence is more useful than repeatedly sharing an expired Join Code in public.

Community signal

Launch-week Reddit and Steam threads repeatedly asked about crossplay failures, joining an active lobby, rejoining after disconnects, black screens and freeze-and-catch-up behavior. The steps above preserve that demand while marking each non-official workaround by evidence strength.