How to Fix ‘Unable to Summon Cooperator’ Error in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC

Gotta Go Fast!

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Screenshot
Image via FromSoftware Inc

Summoning other players to help you out with a boss fight is one of the most useful features in FromSoftware titles. Sometimes you need some jolly cooperation, to get through a difficult section together. However, when that doesn’t work it be quite frustrating, especially when you’re having a hard time. If you keep running into the ‘Unable to Summon Cooperator’ error in the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, here are a few things you can do to fix that.

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Fixing the ‘Unable to Summon Cooperator’ Error Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC

Similar to the early days of Elden Ring when there were simply too many players in-game, the release of Shadow of the Erdtree has boosted the concurrent player count significantly.

This means that any summon sign you see is probably being activated by multiple players, and it’s a matter of just doing it fast enough. Failure to do that leads to the ‘Unable to Summon Cooperator’ error. There isn’t really anything you can do externally, but here are a few suggestions.

  • Stand right next to the summoning pool, and stay still until the sign appears. As soon as you see it, activate the summon sign. It’s a timing thing really, and you’ll need all the speed you can get.
  • Make sure you aren’t using a password which would limit the summoning.
  • Restart the game, or load into your profile again.
  • Make sure your internet connection is stable, and restart the modem just in case.

Apart from that, you could try playing at a time when the game isn’t as active, but we doubt that will be the case for at least a few days. The expansion just came out, and people are playing it non-stop. Additionally, given the high difficulty of the expansion, more players are likely resorting to summoning, making it even harder to get help.

Other users have also reported the ‘Inappropriate Activity Detected’ error, which the developers are aware of. For more on Shadow of the Erdtree, make sure to follow our dedicated section.

Ali Hashmi

Ali Hashmi is a games journalist, reviewer, and guides writer with over eight years of experience covering the gaming industry across news, reviews, features, walkthroughs, and technical guides. He currently writes for Prima Games and GTA 6 Bible, and has previously contributed to Dot Esports, WhatIfGaming, GameTyrant, and The OuterHaven. With a background in Computer Science and years spent covering PC gaming, Ali has developed a strong focus on performance analysis, optimization, troubleshooting, and in-depth game coverage alongside traditional reviews and features. A longtime fan of action games, Ali spends most of his time obsessing over stylish combat systems, difficult boss fights, immersive sims, and retro shooters that feel like they were pulled straight out of the late ‘90s. When he isn’t replaying Dark Souls for the hundredth time or climbing Ascension levels in Slay the Spire, he’s usually hunting for the next indie game to recommend to everyone around him. His coverage regularly includes AAA releases, indie games, Soulslikes, survival titles, live service games, and technical PC focused guides.