Inviting to a game and local multiplayer

1. Start the game you would like to play together.

2. Open the Stadia menu.

   • Press the Stadia  button on your Stadia Controller.

   • Press SHIFT + TAB on your computer keyboard.

3. Find the player you want to invite.

   • Scroll through your “Friends” list or “Recently played with” list.

4. Once you’ve moved your selection over the player you want to invite, you can do either of the following:

   • Press Y on the Stadia Controller to invite to game (Chromecast only).

   • Select the player, then select Invite to game.

Note: If you invite another player to join a game that does not have an online multiplayer mode, the joining player will receive an error message upon accepting your invitation.

Invite with a game link

While playing a game in a Chrome browser on stadia.com, you can also copy a URL link for your friends to join you. This option is currently unavailable on the Stadia app, but we’re working on adding this feature.

1. Start the game you would like to play together.

2. Then, do one of the following:

1. • Press the Stadia  button on your Stadia Controller.

   • Press SHIFT + TAB on your computer keyboard.

3. Select yourself at the top of the menu.

4. Select Game invite link and wait for your link to be created.

5. Select Copy game link.

6. Exit Chrome fullscreen by holding the ESC key and then paste your game link wherever you want friends to join you.

Game invites show up as notifications in the Stadia menu and Friends list.

Note: You will be able to view, but will not be able to accept game invites on devices where gameplay is not available.

If you’ve received a game invite and it’s the only notification you have, follow the directions below to join:

1. To begin, do one of the following:

   • Press the Stadia  button on your Stadia Controller.

   • Press SHIFT + TAB on your computer keyboard.

   • Select friends .

2. Select the game invite directly.

3. Choose Join or Decline to act on the invite. If you choose to do nothing, the game invite will remain in your menu.

If you have more than one notification, follow the directions below to navigate to your game invites:

1. To begin, do one of the following:

   • Press the Stadia  button on your Stadia Controller.

   • Press SHIFT + TAB on your computer keyboard.

   • Select friends .

2. Select the Notifications section to see your invites.

3. Under Game invites, select the game you want to manage.

4. Choose Join or Decline to act on the invite. If you choose to do nothing, the game invite will remain in your notifications.

Note: If you’re already in a game and you accept a new invite, you will leave your current game. 

In the Friends & privacy settings, you can limit Who can send you invites to the following:

• Friends

• Friends & their friends

• No one

If you have trouble receiving game invites, check this setting first. To learn more, read our Privacy settings article.

Players you have blocked won’t be able to invite you to games.

Blocked players may still show up in games you have been invited to. However, they won’t be able to hear you if you use the microphone to voice chat.

To learn more, read our Blocking players article.