You started a co-op world. You have been the host for every session. Now you need to hand it off to someone else. Maybe you are going to be unavailable for a while. Maybe your internet has been unreliable. Maybe you just want to play as a regular player instead of always running the session.

Whatever the reason, switching hosts in a co-op game is not as straightforward as it should be. Most games do not have a “transfer host” button. The process depends entirely on how the game handles save data, and getting it wrong can mean lost progress or broken worlds.

What Is Host Migration?

Host migration refers to transferring the hosting responsibility of a co-op session from one player to another. In an ideal world, this would be a seamless in-game feature. In reality, very few co-op games support it natively.

Most peer-to-peer co-op games (where one player hosts and others connect to them) work like this:

  • The host’s machine runs the game world
  • The save file is stored on the host’s computer
  • Other players connect as clients with no local copy of the world

To switch hosts, you need to get the save file from the current host’s machine to the new host’s machine. The game itself typically offers no mechanism for this.

How to Switch Hosts Manually

The manual process varies slightly by game, but the general steps are the same:

Step 1: Locate the Save Files

Find where the game stores its world save on the current host’s computer. This is game-specific. Some common examples:

  • Valheim: %AppData%\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local\
  • Stardew Valley: %AppData%\StardewValley\Saves\
  • Core Keeper: %AppData%\LocalLow\Pugstorm\Core Keeper\Steam\[SteamID]\
  • Terraria: Documents\My Games\Terraria\Worlds\

Step 2: Copy the Complete Save

Close the game and copy the entire save folder. Do not cherry-pick files. Many games use multiple files per world (the world itself, player data, metadata, backups) and missing any of them can cause issues.

Step 3: Transfer to the New Host

Send the complete save folder to the new host through Discord, a cloud drive, or any file transfer method. Make sure no files are lost or corrupted during transfer.

Step 4: Place Files in the Correct Location

The new host needs to put the save files in the exact same save directory path on their machine. The folder structure must match what the game expects.

Step 5: Test the World

The new host launches the game and loads the world. Verify that:

  • The world loads without errors
  • All builds, items, and progress are intact
  • Other players can connect to the new host’s session

Common Problems

  • Player data tied to Steam ID. Some games associate player characters with specific Steam accounts. The new host might load in as a different character or lose personal inventory.
  • Mod mismatches. If the game uses mods, the new host needs the exact same mods and versions installed.
  • Config differences. Game settings (difficulty, world generation options) are sometimes stored with the save and sometimes separately. Make sure everything matches.
  • Incomplete file transfers. A missing file can silently corrupt the world or prevent loading entirely.

How SaveSync Handles Host Migration

SaveSync was designed to make host switching effortless. Instead of going through the manual process above, SaveSync keeps the save synchronized across all players in your group at all times.

Switching hosts with SaveSync:

  1. The current host finishes their session. SaveSync syncs the latest save.
  2. The new host opens SaveSync and pulls the latest save.
  3. The new host launches the game and loads the world.

That is it. No hunting for save folders, no file transfers, no worrying about missing files. SaveSync knows where each game stores its saves and handles the complete transfer automatically.

Because every player always has access to the latest save, host migration is not a special event. It is just how you play. Different person hosts tonight? No problem. They already have the save.

Games That Handle Host Migration Well (and Those That Do Not)

A few games have built-in features that make host switching easier:

  • Valheim saves can be moved between players relatively cleanly, though player data can get complicated.
  • Minecraft Java Edition worlds transfer well since the save format is self-contained.
  • Terraria world files are standalone and transfer easily, but player characters are stored separately.

Games that make host switching harder:

  • Schedule I ties significant data to the host’s save with no built-in transfer mechanism.
  • Satisfactory uses large save files with session-specific data.
  • Enshrouded requires careful handling of both world and character data.

Regardless of how cooperative the game is about transfers, SaveSync smooths out the process for all 27 titles it supports.

Make Host Switching a Non-Event

In a healthy co-op group, anyone should be able to host on any given night. The host should be whoever is available and has the best connection, not whoever happened to start the world three months ago. SaveSync makes that the default instead of the exception.