Can you game share in Diablo 4?

After a wait of over a decade, Diablo 4 is finally here for players eligible for early access, although there are some problems with game sharing.

Players who purchased the Digital Deluxe or Ultimate Edition are entitled to early access to the full game before the official release on June 6, an option many fans have taken up.

Diablo 4 is releasing simultaneously on PC and game consoles for the first time in the series, although the early access launch is not without its hiccups. One of the issues that players are reporting is an inability to game share.

The issue is not just limited to Xbox, however, with fans also reporting issues despite buying two copies of the game—one for PC, one for PlayStation—as the purchases are tied to a single Battle.net account.

In many cases, pre-order bonuses and early access are not available to share, as only the base game is getting shared, but the problem regarding two purchases from a single Battle.net account should not be occurring.

Thankfully, one fan has identified a workaround—though it must be stressed that players should be careful.

Related: Can you still upgrade to Diablo 4 early access?

How to game share in Diablo 4

For players reporting game share issues on console, a workaround has been identified and is fairly simple to use. Two controllers are required.

1. Make sure both the account that purchased the game and the account you are trying to share with are on the same console.
2. Start Diablo 4 on the account that purchased the pre-order.
3. Open the new character creator on the account that purchased the game and turn on the second controller, signing into the account you want to game share with.
4. You should see a message stating player two can join when player one starts the game.
5. Once new game has started on the account that purchased the game, join in as player two on the second controller.
6. Leave the first controller with player one signed in and play on the second controller, the game should let you stay.

Unfortunately, the workaround is significantly limited as it does not allow two players to play at the same time, nor does it appear to work on PC. We will update this article accordingly if any solutions are reported.

Related: How to fix Diablo 4 Digital Deluxe and Ultimate Edition ‘cannot be played yet’ early access error

Why game share does not fully work in Diablo 4

Blizzard Entertainment confirmed that game share will not work with pre-order bonuses, with a community manager stating:

“Users who purchase a Deluxe/Ultimate Edition on an account should use that same account to host couch co-op sessions during the early access period. This ensures the guest player can join and participate in co-op.

“Accounts that weren’t the original purchaser of Deluxe/Ultimate Edition of the game on that console will not be able to play in early access unless they join as a second player with the account that made the original purchase.”