# UE 5.6 with Steam Advanced sessions Broken?

**URL:** <https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/ue-5-6-with-steam-advanced-sessions-broken/2612188>\
**Category:** Multiplayer & Networking\
**Tags:** unreal-engine, bug-report, editor, packaging-projects, Blueprint, question\
**Created:** [July 20, 2025, 8:15pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/ue-5-6-with-steam-advanced-sessions-broken/2612188 "2025-07-20T20:15:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ploofzilla](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Ploofzilla](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Ploofzilla)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2025, 8:15pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/ue-5-6-with-steam-advanced-sessions-broken/2612188/1 "2025-07-20T20:15:17Z")

</div>

In the editor it works great in 2 windows for multiplayer

Standalone I can host a session but not find it to join (I think it’s because I’m using steam on one system and can’t find the session because I’m hosting on standalone)

Packaged game won’t even start a session or open my level I have set to open

I’m using all the right plugins with all the recommended code and app ID 480 as steam has available

Steam overlay works in both standalone and packaged game but it will not host a session

I woke up today ready to package and start testing online with another PC Please help!!!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ploofzilla](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Ploofzilla](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Ploofzilla)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2025, 2:21pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/ue-5-6-with-steam-advanced-sessions-broken/2612188/2 "2025-07-21T14:21:21Z")

</div>

Apparently it is working but open level is not working

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mar\_Olaf](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Mar\_Olaf](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Mar_Olaf)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2025, 5:08pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/ue-5-6-with-steam-advanced-sessions-broken/2612188/3 "2025-09-17T17:08:21Z")

</div>

Here’s the fix:

> [@FIXED: Steam sessions 5.6 unable to join session in development build.](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/fixed-steam-sessions-5-6-unable-to-join-session-in-development-build/2657626):
>
> Hello, \*The issue was: \* Steam has changed where it retrieves the reference to the netdriver so if you try and do the same steps from earlier versions (available online or in epic documentation) in 5.6, it will break and default back to the default netdriver instead of the speamnetdriver. \*The fix is: \* Enable plugin Steam Sockets, Paste this at the bottom of your DefaultEngine.ini instead: (you can find it in your config file in your project directory) [/Script/Engine.GameEngine] !…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MizzoFrizzo](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@MizzoFrizzo](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/MizzoFrizzo)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2026, 9:24pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/ue-5-6-with-steam-advanced-sessions-broken/2612188/4 "2026-04-12T21:24:21Z")

</div>

Have posted a fix on my channel. Hope this is helpful for anyone with this issue!  
[How To Fix Steam Advanced Session Friend Invites Not Working in Unreal Engine 5.6 and 5.7](https://youtu.be/5iDnogrxqR8)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![danamaloma](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/danamaloma/32/1167197_2.png) [@danamaloma](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/danamaloma)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 1:38am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/ue-5-6-with-steam-advanced-sessions-broken/2612188/5 "2026-04-13T01:38:50Z")

</div>

UE 5.6 works fine for me in-editor, but Steam sessions break in standalone or packaged builds. Overlay works, but hosting / finding / joining sessions is inconsistent or fails completely.

It looks like UE 5.6 changed the Steam net driver behavior. There is already a forum fix suggesting Steam Sockets + updated DefaultEngine.ini net driver entries, but even that does not solve it for everyone, because some users still cannot create sessions afterward. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

So this may be a broader UE 5.6 compatibility issue with Steam Advanced Sessions rather than just incorrect setup. 😀