Command & Conquer™ Red Alert™ 3

Command & Conquer™ Red Alert™ 3

249 ratings
how to play coop (multiplayer)
By rarestMeow
guide explains how to play Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 in coop (multiplayer) mode through steam
2
21
2
3
   
Award
Favorite
Favorited
Unfavorite
about
background
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 was released in 2008 and utilized GameSpy[en.wikipedia.org] servers/provider to match and support cooperative and multiplayer games

in 2014 GameSpy was shut down, and any cooperative (multiplayer) play become impossible in the game

players and community decided to create and support a third-party solution to replace GameSpy dependency and that solution is now know as "C&C Online" provided by Revora[www.revora.net]

that guide explains how to launch "C&C Online" by Revora, how to configure it and how to play with people online

downloading, installing, hooking
(1) download "C&C Online" from official Revora-backed site

official link for downloading "C&C Online" is https://cnc-online.net/en/download/

(2) install "C&C Online" and launch it

by default it is installed into your Program Files folder, like this
C:\Program Files (x86)\Revora\CNCOnline

launch "C&C Online" with "cnconline.exe" file; in certain system you may need to launch it with administrator rights[duckduckgo.com]

(3) hook Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 inside "C&C Online"

click on "hook" button above and select "Red Alert 3" in dropdown

hooking allows "C&C Online" to intercept and hijack the game and reroute its internet traffic from dead GameSpy servers to Revora servers; it also allows you to always launch the game via "C&C Online"

it does not lead to VAC-ban, suspension or any other negative consequences, don't worry

(4) launch the game via "C&C Online"

click on "Red Alert 3" button in bottom-left; sometimes game doesn't launch on first try due to hooking error, just try to launch one more time

if game successfully launches via "C&C Online", then move to the next part

getting credentials
(5) create Revora account
visit that link and create account for Revora system - https://cnc-online.net/en/connect/register/

you need to confirm your e-mail at the end

(6) log-in into your Revora account

(7) create "server account"

you will use that data to connect to Revora servers (instead of GameSpy) and play with your friends

(8) Revora will tell you all your credentials for the game, copy them

connecting to the game servers
(9) launch the game via "C&C Online"; in the upper-right corner click a star icon

(10) insert your credentials from step 8
EA Account Name (e-mail) -> Server Login E-mail Password -> Server Login Password Online ID -> Server Login Name

click both "remember my password" and "auto login in the future" to save your time

(11) if you have done everything right, then you will see a lobby with lots of players

playing with friends
(12) find your friend in the list, right click, select "Add as Friend"

your friend must accept your "friendship"

(13) your friend will appear in the next tab

(14) to start cooperative mode, just click on "co-op" button in the campaign menu

(15) and invite your friend to play

have fun!

extras
  • if you and your friend have installed the same mods, then you can play the modded game together (both cooperative and skirmish)
  • disconnection happens, but not that often, so ensure that host saves the game just to be safe
  • if you have "Connection Failed 1-2" (or any variations of it), then it means you or your teammate have no open ports for that game. instead of trying to open them or apply other fixes, just use any free VPN to play the game (I use WindScribe, it has 10GB of free traffic each month, more than enough for Red Alert 3)

if you want to thank me...
...then check my guide about fixing various game issues: launching, crashing, optimization, stuttering, gamepads, etc. the guide is huge, but the topic is broad to begin with
https://cs2bus.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1935376439
51 Comments
Takitak421 27 Jun @ 7:51am 
New way on playing coop is here on this guide .
RedCon Trooper #9586219 16 Jun @ 11:49pm 
fire fox said that it was a virus?
Maxshev 21 Apr @ 6:53am 
Coop with friend = doesnt work. Coop in MP = work. Any ideas?
[CW]Super Assassin 10 Mar @ 4:00am 
The guide is outdated, while we apricate the guide and all its done for the people its helped over the years. C&C online has improved their launcher and as such this guide will no longer apply to that.

The 3 other guides currently existing for Kane's Wrath / Tiberium Wars / Red Alert 3
Will be updated soon, and contain the new launcher and guide for it.

For the creator of this guide, thank you for your assitance over the years
Regards C&C online team.
Gluteus Maximus 4 Mar @ 7:31am 
Seems the guide is outdated. New installer directly links/injects itself with installed copies of the games. Download, install, make account, run the game normally, that's it.
Gluteus Maximus 4 Mar @ 7:18am 
LOL stuck on step 2. Any idea where it installed itself to? No, it's not C:\Program Files (x86)\Revora\CNCOnline that's where my old version was, which was deleted by the new installer.
Tal'Raziid 27 Feb @ 11:35am 
This isnt working for me at all, it cant connect to the backend
Takitak421 23 Dec, 2024 @ 12:36pm 
Toobad: Is he bought the game on Steam or in EA App?

MMMs: No, but there's a mod that you can play Uprising on online.
DP70 6 Dec, 2024 @ 4:27pm 
run the game once through steam
ToobadIDGAFHO 3 Nov, 2024 @ 2:30pm 
Does anyone have any ideas to fix this