Does PingAim work with Grim Dawn?
Yes — Grim Dawn has no anti-cheat system, so PingAim is fully compatible with both the Steam and GOG versions. PingAim uses a Windows kernel-level network driver (WFP) to route Grim Dawn's traffic through your chosen network interface. Because Grim Dawn is peer-to-peer (you connect directly to the host player), PingAim's benefit depends on whether your second connection provides a better route to that specific host. It works best when your ISP's default routing to the host's region is suboptimal.
Why is my ping so high in Grim Dawn co-op?
Grim Dawn uses peer-to-peer networking — there are no dedicated servers. Your ping is a measure of your connection to the host player's machine, not to a game server. High ping is usually caused by geographic distance to the host, the host's slow upload speed, the host using WiFi instead of Ethernet, or Windows routing your game traffic through the wrong network interface. Joining sessions that show a ping number in the lobby (rather than '---') will give you a lower-latency experience.
Does Grim Dawn have dedicated servers?
No. Grim Dawn uses Steam peer-to-peer networking where one player hosts the session. Crate Entertainment, a small indie studio, built the game on the Titan Quest engine which was not designed for dedicated server architecture. The developers have confirmed multiple times there are no plans to add dedicated servers. This means your in-game ping is entirely dependent on your connection to whoever is hosting.
How do I fix lag and rubber-banding in Grim Dawn multiplayer?
Common fixes: forward port 27016 TCP+UDP on your router if you're hosting; switch to a wired Ethernet connection; close background apps that consume upload bandwidth; disable virtual network adapters in Device Manager; and join sessions showing a numeric ping in the lobby rather than '---'. If you have a second network connection (phone tethering, secondary ISP), PingAim can route Grim Dawn specifically through whichever connection reaches the host with less latency.
Can GOG and Steam players play Grim Dawn together?
Yes. Cross-play between Steam and GOG versions has been supported since version 1.1.0.0. Both players must be running the same game version and the same expansions. Players can connect via the in-game lobby or directly through Steam friends list (GOG players can add Steam friends using the Steam connection feature).
What ports does Grim Dawn use for multiplayer?
The primary port is 27016 TCP and UDP. Additional ports used are 42805 and 42852–42872 (TCP and UDP), plus Steam ports 27015–27016 and 27031–27036 UDP. If you're hosting, forward port 27016 TCP+UDP at minimum. Enabling UPnP on your router is the simplest alternative to manual port forwarding.
Further reading
PingAim detects Grim Dawn automatically
No manual config. PingAim identifies Grim Dawn by process name and routes it through your fastest connection using a kernel-level WFP driver.