Home Gaming Why can’t you find co-op partners in Bloodborne?

Why can’t you find co-op partners in Bloodborne?

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Bloodborne 23

Cooperative gameplay has always been unusual in From Software games. Geoff actually had to explain how to get it to work. However, even when following the directions, you might find that you can’t team up with people – here’re some reasons why.

First of all, it’s important to realize what the rewards for co-op are much like they’ve been in previous From Software games – more co-op. That’s right, if you are kind enough to help someone through a boss battle, you will be rewarded with extra insight. Of course, you will also have a better sense of what to expect from the boss if you haven’t fought it before, so it can be a good way of finding out what’s coming up. Still, without a major incentive (cool items, special rewards), only a small group of players will opt to cooperate and help their fellow blood brothers.

If you’ve been ringing your bell and not getting a response from someone looking to help you out, there could be a variety of reasons. First of all, you can only co-op with people in a ten level range. So, If you’re taking on the Blood Starved Beast at level 27, your friend at level 43 can’t come and help you. Additionally, you may want to adjust your settings to allow for worldwide summoning instead of just local.

The biggest issue, though, is that there need to be other people in the area who are keen to cooperate with you. In the Souls games, you could see their marks scattered all over the floor, but this is not the case in Bloodborne. Instead, there is a much more nuanced way of seeing if people are in the area, although even then it might not be a guarantee that they will want to co-op. If you go to the lantern in the area, look at how many people are with the messengers around the light – this is an indication of the number of players in the location. This was originally picked up on Reddit, and confirmed with this gallery.

So, if you’re trying to play with friends, ensure you’re the same level and set the same co-op password. Otherwise, if you’re aiming to play with randoms, but sure to check your global vs local settings, as well as the sheer number of people in the area. Odds are that you will have a way easier time summoning help earlier on in the game as compared to more difficult (to play and to find) areas.

Last Updated: March 30, 2015

33 Comments

  1. katinaavrianblajeni

    March 30, 2015 at 23:04

    gamer choice…

    Reply

  2. Hammersteyn

    March 31, 2015 at 07:31

    Started last night and died so many times. Can’t wait to die again 😀
    Also BT Games kept my preorders even though I was a week late. I think that’s pretty decent of them.

    Reply

    • Grimthwacker

      March 31, 2015 at 07:59

      Ok, this does it… am picking it up this morning. (BT didn’t have it in stock last week when I got there early on release day). And with six days of leave from tomorrow…. Yay! Time to die again… and again…

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        March 31, 2015 at 08:11

        I didn’t even get to the first boss. But I got the area memorized so it’s only a matter of time

        Reply

        • Grimthwacker

          March 31, 2015 at 09:53

          One copy of Bloodborne in the car,….. now just to get the rest of the work day out of the way…. 😀

          Reply

        • WitWolfy

          March 31, 2015 at 10:00

          Remember get to the first boss ASAP otherwise you’re just wasting your blood echoes. After you die you’ll see the doll is awake for you to upgrade your abilities.

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            March 31, 2015 at 10:05

            blood echoes? Doll? WTF? I must have bought the wrong game…

          • WitWolfy

            March 31, 2015 at 10:11

            Blood echoes = your currency.

            The sleeping doll I’m referring to is that lifeless doll in the hunters dream that wakes up when you have 1 insight you get when fighting the Cleric beast.

            So take my advice.. Run pass all the monsters when you get familiar with the map.. Get to the Cleric Beast. Die.. And start leveling up using your blood echoes. To beat him easier next time

            Happy hunting.

          • Hammersteyn

            March 31, 2015 at 10:23

            Cheers!

          • Joe Hopkins

            April 1, 2015 at 08:12

            Really cool note, the voice who does the doll has already been confirmed to be the same actress who voiced the Maiden in black form Demons souls. Just saying, Good times! 🙂

    • BurnZ

      March 31, 2015 at 08:18

      I feel your pain bro! I am no “Souls” expert, only played DS2 for about 5 hours before i upgraded to a PS4. I am still struggling to beat the first boss, have played for about 2 hours, have died 40 times…….. YOU DIED is my new motto in life *Sobs like a little bas**rd child scared of his own shadow walking around central Yharnam*

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        March 31, 2015 at 08:30

        My tactic tonight will be to harvest souls and buy blood vials. Want to stack as many as possible and then see how far I can get.

        Reply

        • BurnZ

          March 31, 2015 at 08:35

          It will be further than me bro, seriously!

          Reply

        • pe3nguin

          March 31, 2015 at 09:12

          Molotov cocktails work a charm and are also farm-able from the peons

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            March 31, 2015 at 09:35

            hehe I only started using that an hour in.

            *Facepalms

          • WitWolfy

            March 31, 2015 at 10:13

            So using the molotovs on the Cleric beast tonight.. I’m gonna make that sparrow reject my bitch!

        • WitWolfy

          March 31, 2015 at 10:02

          You can only stock 20 blood vials at a time.

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            March 31, 2015 at 10:04

            O_o well shit…

          • WitWolfy

            March 31, 2015 at 10:12

            Dont worry you cant stock up on them in the cabinet at the Hunters dream.

        • James Hoffberger

          April 4, 2015 at 15:19

          Fire is it’s weakness, however, you can also shoot it in the face till it drops to one knee, get in front and you can do a visceral attack. As a suggestion, wait till it goes to attack and move TOWARDS it, make sure you get under its legs. Most bosses in the souls and this game that is a good tactic for, be bear aware.

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            April 5, 2015 at 09:24

            I spammed him good with molotovs. Problem was finding a patern as well but I got him!

  3. pe3nguin

    March 31, 2015 at 07:55

    My SO and I have done a lot of testing here and the following might be useful for those wishing to co-op faster, more reliably with a specific person:

    Network settings:
    Worldwide instead of local is better. We play from the same room, but setting it to worldwide has a much faster success rate.
    Make the password tough: A short password seems to take an eternity, whereas the longer the password gets, the faster we get matched. Perhaps this was simply observer bias?

    Level range is a bit wider than simply 10 levels either way. It seems to be 10% of your current level plus 10 in either direction. Not a huge difference at the lower levels. But the higher your get, that 10% can account for a lot of extra levels in your range.

    Ring the small resonating bell first. This will be the person to join the beckoners game. A message will pop up after ringing the bell and you wait five seconds, after which the beckoner should ring the beckoning bell.

    This method works for us. Happy hunting for those seeking some jolly co-operation.

    Reply

  4. dra6o0n

    March 31, 2015 at 08:54

    Wait if the # of players is based on # of messengers, then every lantern has 4 which is the default lowest value?

    Seeing how only 64% belated cleric beast and most players don’t bother playing online fearing ganks, the number of online good players in the right level ranges are low.

    Reply

    • Wraith

      March 31, 2015 at 09:51

      It’s actually indicated by the circle of messengers around the four messengers in the centre (wearing the hats).

      Reply

  5. leon beukes

    March 31, 2015 at 12:06

    Hey you guys add me for some bloodborne co-op, my psn id is PewPew_GameOver.

    Reply

    • leon beukes

      March 31, 2015 at 12:07

      Please.

      Reply

      • The Whalens

        June 26, 2016 at 00:38

        If you’re any relation to that turd PEWDI-PIE…no thanks.

        Reply

  6. Nick de Bruyne

    March 31, 2015 at 12:41

    A friend and I tried for ages to link up and just weren’t coming right, but had done it once before. A router reset actually sorted the issue out, so don’t forget to try some of the basics as well if you are having issues.

    Reply

    • The Whalens

      June 26, 2016 at 00:41

      It actually has to do with the fact that people are just plain selfish. Go ring your bell and you’ll have little problem finding someone needing help. Quite a bit of a difference between that and finding people to help you. The other problem is these idiots who DO try to help you and they immediately jump in front of the boss and get killed. They don’t lose their blood thingies. And now because you’re alone you will likely die, and lose all of your blood thingies. These trolls suck.

      Reply

  7. Very Angry Jedi

    April 4, 2015 at 23:56

    So basically i can never play with anyone? Ive spent the last week grinding up to lv 400+ before i decided id like to play with anyone turns out theres a 10 level range? So im basically F’d untill more people reach my level? Even on this level the game is still hard.

    Reply

    • The Whalens

      June 26, 2016 at 00:42

      Yeap, you’re screwed. It really doesn’t pay to grind in this game, if you’re looking for help from others.

      Reply

  8. annoyed

    April 28, 2015 at 05:05

    so why did you have to do the level thing? i am level 190 my friend just started and i cant help him cause 10%. ye it makes the game easier for them but why not have something like an apprentice mode? high levels invite low levels to areas the low levels have previously unlocked?

    Reply

    • The Whalens

      June 26, 2016 at 00:43

      Because FROM SOFTWARE creates deep and beautiful games that are light on common sense.

      Reply

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