Jumping into Solaris-3 with friends is one of the best ways to experience Wuthering Waves, but the game doesn’t just hand you the keys to co-op on a silver platter—it wants you to earn it. As of 2026, countless Rovers have already banded together to take down towering world bosses and farm rare Echoes, yet new players still find themselves wondering when exactly that multiplayer door swings open. Spoiler: it’s not immediately, but the journey there is packed with enough action to keep anyone hooked.

To unlock co-op in Wuthering Waves, a player must first reach Union Level 22. Think of Union Level as the game’s way of measuring how deeply a Rover has bonded with the world—it’s not just a number, it’s a passport to everything from higher-difficulty challenges to the social scene itself. Every action feeds this progression bar: main story quests, side tales, exploration milestones, and even the simple act of opening treasure chests. The system whispers, “Patience, young Rover,” but let’s be real, nobody wants to wait that long!

Speeding Up the Grind

If the goal is to hit Union Level 22 as fast as humanly possible, the smartest move is to follow the golden trail of main quests. These big narrative beats dish out the largest chunks of Union EXP and often unlock fast-travel points along the way. Once the main story hits a temporary wall, that’s when companion stories and side quests become a Rovers best friend—many of them are short, sweet, and surprisingly generous with experience.

Still not leveling fast enough? The open world itself is a treasure trove. Every new Viewpoint activated, every Blobfly chased, every Resonance Beacon lit adds a trickle of Union EXP that quickly turns into a flood. World bosses, on the other hand, are a bit of a double-edged sword: they offer solid experience and valuable materials, but early-game Resonsators can get squashed flat if they march in unprepared. Maybe save the roaring Tempest Mephis fights for after a few solid gear upgrades, yeah? … Just saying.

From Friends List to Fireteam

Hitting Union Level 22 feels like the game finally saying, “Welcome to the party.” From that moment, the co-op feature opens up through the friend list—no convoluted menus or hidden NPCs required. Adding another player is as simple as searching their Rover ID and sending an invite. Once accepted, the option to join their session appears, and suddenly you’re no longer alone in the vast landscape.

Up to three players can occupy the same world simultaneously. In a full party of three, each person controls one Resonator, which makes team composition a fun little puzzle—do you bring a healer, a shielder, or just three DPS maniacs and pray? When only two players are present, the host gains the flexibility to switch between two characters, filling any gaps the team might have. It’s a thoughtful touch that keeps duos smooth and dynamic.

What Carries Over (and What Doesn’t)

Here’s the kicker: quest progression is strictly personal. Don’t expect your story chapters to magically complete just because a friend helped you bulldoze a boss. However, every piece of loot plucked from the overworld, every Echo absorbed from a defeated enemy, and every material gathered from mining nodes is shared across the party. This makes co-op a powerhouse for farming ascension materials or hunting that one elusive Echo with perfect stats.

There’s an extra cherry on top—certain instanced challenges, like the ones that hand out experience materials or weapon upgrade resources, can be tackled in co-op too. Struggling with a particular domain? Call a high-level buddy and let them carry you while showering you with drops. It’s efficient, it’s social, and honestly, it’s just plain fun to see someone else’s flashy Resonator in action.

A Few Parting Tips

Before diving headfirst into multiplayer, it’s worth poking around the map alone for a while. Unlocking a healthy network of Resonance Beacons early on makes joining friends far less of a headache—nobody wants to spend ten minutes running across a zone because their teleport points are locked. And speaking of freebies, keep an eye on any active Wuthering Waves codes; they often grant Astrite or energy refills that speed up leveling indirectly.

For those who live for that seamless drop-in, drop-out companionship, hitting Union Level 22 is a small rite of passage. The wait might test your patience, but once that friend list comes alive and you’re all wailing on a boss together, the payoff is immense. Now grab two friends, sync your elements, and paint Solaris-3 with chaos.