Multiplayer sits in its own menu, separate from Shade's campaign. Star wars galactic racer multiplayer is online only: four modes, up to 12 racers in speeder events and 8 in podracer events, parties of up to 3 friends, and crossplay between PC and consoles. There is no split screen or couch co-op, so everyone needs their own copy and console or PC.
Which online modes are there?
| Mode | Max racers | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Race | 12 | A single race with landspeeders, speeder bikes and skim speeders |
| Multiplayer Tour | 12 | A run of six races |
| Quick Podrace | 8 | A single podrace with no upgrades |
| Podracer Tour | 8 | A podracing run across 5 planets with upgrades between races; opens at Multiplayer Rank 5 |
Tours end at Derven Acos, the League's own arena. The 12-player limit only applies to the speeder modes; podracer events cap at 8. Empty slots are filled with AI racers, so you can still race when the lobby is not full.
You pick a racer before each event, and the rest of the roster unlocks as your Multiplayer Rank rises. The star wars galactic racer character list shows the rank each racer needs.
Can you play with friends?
Yes. Open Multiplayer, select Party in the top right corner and invite your friends. A party holds up to 3 players right now. The developers plan to raise that to 6 within the first few weeks after launch, but that update has not arrived as of October 8, 2026.
Crossplay works between PC (Steam and Epic) and PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. It is on by default and you can turn it off. See STAR WARS: Galactic Racer™ cross play for the details.
How does matchmaking work?
Matchmaking puts you into races that still have open spots first, and it looks in your own region before trying other regions.
- Joining a Tour midway: you may watch the current race first. You get resources for the next race so you do not start behind.
- No open race to join: a new one is only created when you and at least one other independent player are searching. If you queue as a party of two, the game still needs a third player from outside your party.
So when the queue sits empty, it is waiting for another player outside your party to search too.
Is there split screen or co-op?
There is no split screen and no local couch co-op. Online, you race against each other or alongside friends in a party; the official listings describe the online side as PvP. A separate co-op mode where friends team up against the campaign has not been announced. Private lobbies are also not something the developers have promised yet.
What works offline?
Campaign, Arcade and Scenarios all work offline. Multiplayer and the Arcade friend leaderboards need a connection, and on PC the very first launch also needs to be online. Arcade leaderboards only show your friends' best times, not a public ranking.
When you are ready to go online, the STAR WARS: Galactic Racer™ multiplayer guide has party planning tips, and the star wars galactic racer vehicles page helps you choose a class before your first Quick Race.