Outlast Trials Failed to Join a Lobby | Server Status

There have been multiple reports of server instability for The Outlast Trials recently (late December 2025), largely due to holiday player spikes.

If you are getting a “Failed to Join Lobby” or “Unexpected Error (F1014/F1016),” it is highly likely a server-side issue.

1. Check Server Status First

Before troubleshooting your own internet, confirm if the servers are down for everyone. The developers do not have a live “server status” webpage, so you must check these community sources:

• Official Discord: The Red Barrels Discord is the fastest place to find real-time updates. Look at the #announcements or #help channels.

• Steam Discussions: Check the “General” or “Technical Support” tabs on the game’s Steam Community hub. If the top 5 threads are about connection errors, the servers are down.

2. Quick Workarounds (If Servers are Up)

If other people are playing but you can’t join, try these specific fixes for the “Lobby” glitch:

A. The “Invite” Trick (for Co-op)

If you are trying to join a friend and it fails:

1. Do not use the Steam/console overlay to invite.

2. Both players must be in the “Sleep Room” (the main lobby).

3. Open the in-game menu (Tab/Start), go to the Social tab, and invite the friend from there.

4. If that fails, have the other person try hosting the group.

Also Read : D3D Device Lost | What it Means and Ways to Fix

B. Verify Game Files (PC)

Corrupt update files are a common cause of lobby disconnects.

• Steam: Right-click game > Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files.

• Epic Games: Library > Click the 3 dots (…) on the game > Manage > Verify.

C. DNS Flush (Connection Refresh)

This fixes the F1014 error by clearing your cached network data.

1. Close the game completely.

2. Press Windows Key + R, type cmd, and press Enter.

3. In the black window, type: ipconfig /flushdns

4. Press Enter. It should say “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.”

5. Restart the game and try again.

3. Why is this happening?

• High Traffic: The game often struggles when player counts exceed 4,000–5,000 concurrent users.

• Crossplay Bugs: Sometimes the connection between PC and Console (PS5/Xbox) players times out. If you are playing with friends on other platforms, try turning Crossplay OFF and then ON again in the game settings to reset the handshake.

Next Step:

If you still can’t connect after verifying files, try joining a “Quick Play” match with randoms. If that works, the issue is specifically with your friend’s lobby (NAT type issue); if it fails, the issue is your connection to the main server.