almost 3 years ago - AndrewT - Direct link
Is this while starting a new MP game? Or only after some play sessions, you can't rejoin the game or something?

If the latter I have seen other reports like that. That pretty much has to be a bug I think. Sorry about that!  
almost 3 years ago - AndrewT - Direct link
Are you and your friends all on the Steam edition? or mixed Steam/MS Store editions perhaps?  
almost 3 years ago - AndrewT - Direct link
Please do a full **clean** re-install:

- move any valued save games elsewhere, and user_empire_designs.txt from /Documents/Paradox Interactive/Stellaris/ if you have made any custom empires or races.
- "uninstall" in Steam-Stellaris
- manually delete both the Steam/SteamApps/common/Stellaris AND Documents/Paradox Interactive/Stellaris folders
- re-install game in Steam, run a Steam Verify when done.
- add stellaris.exe to the exceptions list of your antivirus app; ESPECIALLY if you have Windows Defender, add it to the Ransomware "Apps Allowed Through" list.
- add stellaris.exe to the exceptions list of your firewall app; ESPECIALLY if you have Windows Defender, add it to both the Public and Private domains there
- start the game with no mods active and test

In particular you need to make sure there are no files or folders left under either the Steam Stellaris or Documents Stellaris locations, before installing again.

If nne of that helps, have all players opt into the crossplay branch in the Steam Betas tab for this game, which uses Paradox MP instead of Steam's - any better?  
almost 3 years ago - AndrewT - Direct link
Shade1357 said: We tried everything on this post and still had a problem with me joining. It was a little bit better in that I could select an empire and see other players but, whenever a game was started, the server would be lost for the other person.
You tried both the reinstall and switching to the crossplay branch? Which one seemed to help at all?  
almost 3 years ago - AndrewT - Direct link
If opting into Crossplay does not help neither will reinstalling Steam, as Crossplay does not use Steam MP.

Check that stellaris.exe is allowed through all your firewalls. If you use the Windows Defender one, it must be allowed through in the Public and Private domains there.