Can you play private matches with friends?
Yes. In the October 14 patch 1.0.1.4 announcement, Trapstar Games says Hood Warfare 2 now lets you create a private, password-protected lobby with friends. The Steam store also describes playing online with friends. The patch notes do not show the exact buttons to press, so use the labels in your current game menu rather than an unverified click-by-click walkthrough.
Before you invite friends
- Check the update. Look for 1.0.1.4 in the bottom-right corner of the game menu. The developer says to fully exit Steam through Steam → Exit Steam and reopen it if the update has not appeared. Ask friends to check their versions too.
- Create a private lobby and set its password. This is the new feature the developer confirms. Share the password with your friends privately and have them enter it exactly as set; the announcement does not document a separate invite-code system.
- Review the lobby before starting. Confirm the map, mode, teams, and any match settings actually offered in your lobby. The store says these choices exist for bot matches, but it does not confirm that every bot-match setting is available in private matches.
- Try joining before gathering a full group. Have one friend join first so you can catch a version or password mismatch early. This is a practical check, not an official requirement.
What if a friend cannot join?
First compare the version shown in each player’s menu and recheck the password. If someone still sees an older build, fully restart Steam as the developer recommends. Patch 1.0.1.4 also lists fixes for various join-game problems and crashes, but does not promise that every connection issue is solved. If the current menu offers an error message, record its exact wording when reporting the issue.
What is still unconfirmed?
The official notes do not specify private-lobby player limits, whether friends can join through Steam invites, whether bots can fill a private match, or whether private matches award progression. The Steam listing gives Windows PC and broadband requirements; neither source establishes offline private play or cross-platform matches. Check the live game menu and later developer updates for those details instead of relying on instructions written for the first Hood Warfare game.
For the other changes in this release, see our patch 1.0.1.4 summary.