Despite being around since the early 2000s, crossplay games haven’t been very common until fairly recently. While crossplay between PC and consoles (especially Xbox) has been the norm for some time, Sony has been very reticent about allowing its customers to play with people from rival platforms.
Luckily, the company eventually gave in to the pressure and is much more open to the idea nowadays. And ever since the last major player, Nintendo, decided to jump on the bandwagon, the list of crossplay games you can play with friends across all systems has slowly started to grow. Having said all that, there are still many caveats and exceptions when it comes to who you can play together with depending on your platform.
Instead of boring you with all the little details, we decided to put together a list of the best cross platform games you can play in 2022. We specifically looked for games that support crossplay between both current-gen’s PS5/Xbox Series X and last-gen’s PS4 and Xbox One, as well as PC and, in some cases, the Nintendo Switch. As an added bonus, some of these games are available on mobile, Google Stadia, and even VR. With that out of the way, and in no particular order, let’s jump right into it.
Destiny 2
First up on our list we have Destiny 2. The game has had an interesting lifecycle so far, originally launching as a pay-to-play title back in 2017 before switching to free-to-play a couple of years later. The payment model switch came as a result of Bungie snatching Destiny 2 from under Activision’s umbrella. Hence, why the game is available on Steam.
Starting with 2021, Destiny 2 has been supporting crossplay between all available platforms. This includes PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and even Google Stadia. I know what you’re thinking, “wait, is Stadia still a thing?” Surprisingly, yes. It might not be around for much longer, though, so if you want to check it out it’s probably better to act sooner rather than later.
As far as the game itself is concerned, Destiny 2 is still hugely popular and you probably already know the basic gist of it. But just in case you don’t, Destiny 2 is an online-only multiplayer FPS with some RPG and MMO elements. You spend most of your time doing activities like strikes, dungeons, and raids while working on character progression in-between missions. There’s also a PvP component but the main highlight here is the PvE.
Despite technically being free-to-play, you will need to purchase expansions if you want to get the most out of Destiny 2. It’s worth noting that expansions are pretty pricey and the game also features microtransactions. Just something to keep in mind before you decide to jump in.
No Man’s Sky
Hate it or love it, there’s no denying that No Man’s Sky made a huge comeback after launching in a deplorable state back in 2016. And was appropriately criticized for it. There’s little we can criticize the game for these days, though. No Man’s Sky has come a long way over the past several years and is still getting constant updates even in 2022.
No Man’s Sky may have been rushed out the door at launch, but the developers over at Hello Games have been clearly willing to stick with it for the long haul. In 2022 No Man’s Sky is the epic open-world space adventure it was always meant to be. Not only is it one of the best crossplay games around, it’s also one of the best co-op games currently on the market.
One of the most impressive things about No Man Sky’s evolution is that the game has maintained the same price tag throughout its lifecycle. The developers never charged players for any of the massive updates they put out and they didn’t add microtransactions, DLC or anything like that either. That’s quite remarkable considering the game has potentially thousands of hours worth of content.
No Man’s Sky supports crossplay on all major platforms, including VR. It’s currently one of the few big titles that allow people with VR headsets to play alongside PC and console gamers.
Apex Legends
Launched back in early 2019, Apex Legends is a free-to-play battle royale developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by EA. The title took the gaming community by storm when it came out almost out of the blue. In a day and age when most companies announce their newest games years in advance, Respawn decided to launch Apex Legends with little to no fanfare.
The gamble definitely paid off, as Apex quickly ended up challenging Fortnite and PUBG in the BR space and is still to this day one of the most popular cross platform games out there.
Apex Legends takes place in the same universe as Titanfall but, unfortunately, the game doesn’t feature any actual titans. Not yet at least. But that shouldn’t dissuade you from checking it out regardless.
You can play with one or two friends across a variety of game modes and new content is added every few months or so. If you’re on PC you can choose to launch the game either via Origin or Steam, which is always nice.
In addition to PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, the game also received current-gen upgrades just recently. Don’t expect 4K and 120 FPS, though. iOS and Android ports are available as well.
Dauntless
Cross platform Monster Hunter isn’t a thing just yet, but you can play the next best thing in the form of Dauntless. One of several free crossplay games on this list, the action RPG first launched in 2018 on the Epic Games Store before making its way to PS4, Xbox One, and other platforms in the following years. Dauntless was never able to attract a huge audience but it does have a loyal fanbase that enjoys its straightforward gameplay loop.
The premise of Dauntless is very simple: giant monsters (known as Behemoths) are emerging as a result of a cataclysmic event and it’s up to the few surviving humans to put a stop to them. You party up with other players to hunt these Behemoths one by one, collect loot from them, and then return to the game hub to craft and upgrade equipment. Rinse and repeat.
The monsters in Dauntless are well designed and the combat is engaging but the game does tend to get a bit repetitive after a while. However, we still recommend checking it out in spite of that.
Dauntless is free-to-play and can provide you with at least a few dozen hours of fun, especially if you’re playing with friends. No reason not to give it a chance.
Fortnite
A game that needs very little introduction at this point, Fortnite has quite an interesting history. Originally launching in July 2017 as Fortnite: Save the World, the first iteration of the game was a co-op third-person shooter with tower defense and survival elements.
The base version of the game absolutely bombed, which led Epic Games to release a battle royale mode just a few months later. No doubt in an attempt to compete with PUBG, which was smashing every other game in terms of popularity that year.
As I’m sure you already know by now, Fortnite Battle Royale eventually surpassed PUBG and ended up becoming one of the most popular games of all time. And, by extension, one of the most popular cross platform games, too.
Focusing on stylized graphics and a more arcade-y style of graphics allowed Fortnite to attract a larger audience than PUBG, which plays somewhat like a realistic military simulator. Well, at least as far as the gunplay is concerned. Of course, the fact that Fortnite is free while PUBG is not definitely helped it stand out as well.
Call of Duty Warzone
Most people love crossplay games but that’s not necessarily true when it comes to Warzone players. Call of Duty Warzone players have been complaining about having to go up against PC players pretty much since the game launched. Not just because PC players have an inherent advantage in FPS games but also because the platform is a breeding ground for hackers. Of course, PC gamers who like to play Warzone fairly were never too happy about that either.
It’s worth noting that these days you can turn off crossplay in Call of Duty Warzone. If you’re on console and only want to play against other console players, you can go to Settings -> Account & Network and disable it. You can also avoid crossplay by simply not setting up an Activision Account. Keep in mind, though, that disabling crossplay means you won’t be able to play with your friends from different consoles. There’s no way to opt out of PC crossplay, specifically.
Warzone is one of the best Call of Duty games we’ve had in quite a while and is worth checking out in spite of its shortcomings. Unlike the yearly COD installments we’ve all come to dread, Warzone is still constantly being updated and support for the game is unlikely to go away anytime soon. And thanks to Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard, we might end up seeing the game on platforms other than Battle.net like Game Pass or maybe even Steam.
Chivalry 2
Chivalry 2 was lowkey one of the best crossplay games of 2022 but I wouldn’t be surprised if the title fell under the radar of most people reading this. Medieval combat games are a fairly niche genre at the end of the day. It probably also didn’t help that Chivalry 2 launched as an Epic Games Store exclusive on PC. The game’s predecessor, Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, had a solid player base on Steam and it’s likely that a sizeable chunk of it didn’t want to make the switch to EGS.
So what’s Chivalry 2 all about anyway? To put it simply, it’s a first-person hack-and-slash inspired by Hollywood-style medieval movies. That is to say that the focus is largely on over-the-top cinematic action rather than historical accuracy. And the game definitely has action in spades.
We’re talking 32 v 32 player open field battles, sieges, duels, and more. Regardless of what game mode you’re playing, you can expect plenty of warcries, decapitations, dismemberments, and a whole bunch of general chaos. Oh, and blood. Lots of it. The amount of blood in Chivalry 2 puts even the best Warhammer 40K games to shame.
The only thing missing here is jousting, but that’s likely coming in a future update as well. The game is also set to launch on Steam at some point later in 2022. It’s already available on both last-gen and current-gen consoles complete with crossplay across all platforms. Chivalry 2 is already a fun game that’s likely to get even better so make sure to check it out.
Smite
There aren’t a whole lot of cross platform games that fall under the MOBA category, and it’s easy to see why. It would be pretty much impossible to make a complex isometric MOBA like Dota 2 or League of Legends for consoles. But you can make a third-person one like Smite.
Since launching on PS4 and Xbox One a few years ago, Smite has been the most popular MOBA on consoles by far. Granted, it didn’t exactly have a lot of competition in that space, but that’s neither here nor there.
Smite has been available on Nintendo Switch since 2019 and on PS5 and Xbox One Series X/S since day one via backwards compatibility. Hi-Rez Studios never released an update to help Smite take full advantage of current-gen consoles but the game does run on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S at a steady 60 FPS and 2160p.
If you’re a PC player, it’s worth noting that you can find Smite on both Steam and the Epic Games Store. It’s also one of the only fully crossplay games available on Mac.
Dead by Daylight
Dead by Daylight is a rare example of a 4v1 asymmetric game that’s actually enjoyable for everyone. Most of the time, these types of games are fun either for the overpowered player or the opposing team comprised of three or four people. Rarely both. But Dead by Daylight somehow managed to pull off the concept, and looks good while doing it.
One of the main selling points of the game is that it allows you to play as iconic characters from a variety of horror franchises. Stranger Things, Silent Hill, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, and Resident Evil are just a few examples.
Dead by Daylight is one of only a handful of cross platform games that work on Stadia in addition to all the usual platforms. “Is Stadia still a thing?” I hear you say again. Somehow, yes, and Google is even letting you use it for free for one month. Unfortunately, you’ll still need to buy the game if you want to play it there.
Since Dead by Daylight is available on all platforms, if possible we recommend getting it on PC during one of the many Steam sales. The game has dozens of DLCs and buying everything at full price will set you back well over $200.
Quake
I’m sure many of you didn’t expect to find Quake on a list of cross platform games. And yet, here we are. Originally launched way back in 1996 on PC, Quake received a large number of sequels, spin-offs, and remasters during its long history. The latest of which came out in August of 2021 and is available on everything from PC and Nintendo Switch to the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Much like its predecessor Doom (the original), this bad boy runs on just about anything. Well, almost anything.
While many think of Doom as the game that popularized first-person shooters, Quake arguably had an even bigger influence, as the series was a lot more heavily focused on online multiplayer. In a day and age when online multiplayer games were nearly unheard of.
id Software took things to the next level in 1999 with Quake 3: Arena, which ditched single-player altogether.
In recent times there have been some attempts to revive the franchise via Quake Champions. However, in a misguided attempt to follow trends established by hero shooters like Overwatch, id Software ended up making a game that doesn’t live up to its own legacy. If you want to truly experience a part of gaming history, check out the Quake remaster. It’s only 10 bucks after all.
Overwatch
Overwatch isn’t quite as popular as it used to be, but it’s still one of the best cross platform games you can play with friends across all systems. And one of the only Blizzard games. Released back in 2016, Overwatch was Blizzard’s first original new IP in ages.
Given the company’s recent problems and keenness to update established proprieties like World of Warcraft, we’ll probably have to wait a while until they feel confident enough to launch another new IP.
Blizzard’s gradual fall from grace aside, Overwatch is the game that kickstarted the “hero shooter” craze a few years ago. Though it has to be said that the genre originated in 2007 with Team Fortress 2. Just in case you’re not familiar with it, a hero shooter is a sort of mix between an FPS and a MOBA.
The game is squad-based, with each team comprised of six players, and focuses entirely on PvP. This is one of those crossplay games where you’ll want to go in with a full team if possible or at least a couple of buddies. Especially if you’re playing on console.
When Overwatch crossplay went live on all platforms in 2021, Blizzard imposed a few limitations to prevent PC players from completely dominating their console counterparts. Most notably, PC and console players can’t duke it out against each other in competitive matches.
If you’re on console, you can only play together with your PC friends in Quick Play, Arcade, and Custom Modes. PC players have a distinct advantage in most FPS games so this measure is understandable. And it’s something we’re likely to see in the upcoming Overwatch 2 as well.
Paladins
Many games tried to follow in Overwatch’s footsteps in an attempt to become the next big hero shooter, but most died off within a couple of months. Does anyone still remember Battleborn or LawBreakers? Yeah, me neither. But there is one hero shooter that managed to stand the test of time and it goes by the name of Paladins: Champions of the Realm.
The game is no longer as popular as it used to be a couple of years back, but in our opinion it’s still one of the best cross platform games you can play with friends across all systems.
One of the main highlights of Paladins is its setting, which features both fantasy and sci-fi elements. The Realm is a place where magic and technology live side by side. As such, you can play as shotgun-wielding knights, cannon-wielding turtles, dwarves, wizards, and whatever the hell Moji is.
A lot of Paladins’ champions have been inspired by characters from rivaling games but there are also some unique concepts to look forward to here and there. Overall, a pretty good game, and it’s free-to-play to boot.
Minecraft
Pretty sure the best-selling game of all time (come on, Tetris doesn’t count) doesn’t need an introduction so we’ll keep this one brief. Minecraft is a sandbox survival game where you explore a blocky procedurally-generated world while gathering resources, crafting items, and building pretty much whatever you can dream of.
The game is extremely versatile and educational, to the point where it is now being used in schools all over the world, but especially in the US and its home country of Sweden.
If you haven’t played Minecraft before, you’ve been missing out. Do yourself a favor and check it out on the platform of your choice.
Rocket League
Next up on our list of cross platform games, we have a little title you may be familiar with. Rocket League came out in 2015 and became a hit pretty much overnight. The description “soccer, but with rocket-powered cars” explains everything you need to know about this crazy sports game.
Rocket League is one of those easy to learn, difficult to master type games that are not only fun to play but also fun to watch. Some people play it for the competitive scene, others play it for the excellent music courtesy of big EDM labels like Monstercast. Me? I play it for the DeLorean.
In 2020 Rocket League was the subject of controversy when the game switched to a free-to-play model. The change was received positively by console players as it removed the need to have subscription services like PlayStation Plus or Nintendo Switch Online. However, some PC players took issue with the move because in the process Rocket League transitioned from Steam to the Epic Games Store.
Players who owned the game on Steam prior to the move can continue to play there, but if you’re thinking of getting it now on PC, the EGS is your only option. Fitting, considering we use the Epic Games Store exclusively for the free games.
Among Us
We’re used to seeing modern games quickly decrease in popularity months or sometimes even weeks after launch. Among Us is a bit different. The game was criminally overlooked when it first launched in 2018 but managed to become crazy popular around 2020. In no small part thanks to streamers. It’s possible the pandemic may have had something to do with it as well. But we’re not going to get into that right now.
Among Us is a social deduction game where players take on the role of colorful jelly bean-shaped characters. Most players take on the role of Crewmates and have to complete various tasks, which usually come in the form of minigames. Meanwhile, up to three other players take on the role of Imposters and are charged with killing Crewmates and sabotaging their work.
The basic premise of Among Us isn’t mind-blowing or anything. The real fun comes from playing the game with other people, ideally people you know, and trying to figure out who the Imposters are. Nobody wants to get ousted so there’s usually a lot of lies and deceit in a game of Among Us.
Despite no longer being as popular as it was a couple of years ago, Among Us remains one of the best crossplay games out there. The title is available on an impressive number of platforms, including all current-gen and last-gen consoles, PC, and even mobile devices. Cross platform play is available between all of these systems.
Back 4 Blood
Touted by many as the spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead, Back 4 Blood is a cooperative FPS where you get to team up with three other people and fight off hordes of zombies. Back 4 Blood didn’t quite manage to reach the same heights of success as Left 4 Dead, primarily due to its lack of a proper PvP campaign. Still, it’s a pretty fun game otherwise that continues to have a decent player base.
Similar to other crossplay games released over the past few years, Back 4 Blood has cross platform functionality enabled by default. If you own the game on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S you can jump right in and start playing with people who own the game on any of the other platforms. You can disable the feature if you want to, though there’s no real reason why you should.
Inviting friends to join you for a game for Back 4 Blood if very easy even if they’re playing on different platforms. All you have to do is add their unique usernames (the one with all the numbers) to your friends list via the Social menu and you’re pretty much good to go.
If you’re thinking about giving Back 4 Blood a try, we recommend waiting until April 12th when the game gets its first expansion, Tunnels of Terror. The expansion will bring a bunch of interesting new content to the table along with some gameplay improvements.
Brawlhalla
Brawlhalla is probably the closest you can come to playing a Super Smash Bors type game if you don’t own a Nintendo console. The game’s roster of fighters doesn’t include iconic characters like those found in Nintendo exclusives but the gameplay is overall pretty similar.
Just like in Super Smash Bros., your goal in Brawlhalla is to knock your opponents off the stage. It’s up to you whether you want to do this by using brute force or careful planning. There is a wide variety of fighters to choose from, each of which has slightly different stats and, by extension, slightly different playstyles. In addition, weapons and gadgets are dropped into the arena throughout a match and these also have a big impact on how you play the game.
Like a lot of the other crossplay games on this list, Brawlhalla is completely free-to-play. You can purchase various DLC packs but they’re mostly limited to cosmetics. You can unlock fighters via paid DLC and some of these characters do have slight advantages over others, but you could just as easily buy these characters using in-game currency. It may take you a while, though.
As far as platform availability is concerned, you can find Brawlhalla pretty much everywhere. This includes Xbox, PlayStation and Switch consoles, PC, MacOs, and mobile devices.
Splitgate
Splitgate is what happens when you take Portal and combine it with a Halo-inspired arena FPS. Sounds like a bit of a strange concept but it works flawlessly. The game relies heavily on the portal gimmick but Splitgate is a competent shooter even without it. You can completely ignore the portals if you want to and still have a great time playing the game like a regular fast-paced arena shooter.
Originally released on Steam Early Access back in 2019, Splitgate eventually made its way to consoles in August of 2021. The game released simultaneously on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S complete with crossplay support. Splitgate is technically in beta on all platforms but it honestly plays better than a lot of new games at launch. I’m looking at you Total War: Warhammer 3.
Splitgate is entirely free-to-play but does feature cosmetic microtransactions like weapon and character skins. Earlier this year the game got a couple of new game modes, a new map, a map creator and more with the launch of Splitgate Season One. If you didn’t get a chance to try it out yet, now would be the perfect time to do so.
War Thunder
I’m pretty sure you’re all familiar with this one to some extent. War Thunder has been around for almost a decade at this point and has been featured everywhere from billboards and YouTube ads to GPU boxes and everything in between. War Thunder probably rivals Raid: Shadow Legends in terms of viral marketing. The difference is that War Thunder is genuinely a good game.
Often touted as being one of the most realistic war-based games of all time, War Thunder is a free-to-play MMO focused on vehicular combat. The game features over 2,000 military vehicles to choose from, including tanks, warships, aircraft, and more. You can mix and match components to customize vehicles and pit them against other players on maps inspired by historical theaters of war.
This is arguably the most comprehensive wargame out there, with all the pros and cons associated with that label. War Thunder can be extremely satisfying but has a steep learning curve and requires you to grind for ages before it lets you unlock the vehicles of your dreams. Still, it’s definitely worth a shot if you’re into military crossplay games.
Speaking of which, we also recommend trying out World of Tanks and World of Warships. They’re pretty similar in concept but are a bit easier to get into as they focus on just one category of military vehicles.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel
Yu-Gi-Oh is one of the most underrated card games out there. While everybody knows about CCGs like Hearthstone and Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh has traditionally been seen as more of a niche game. Master Duel didn’t necessarily change that but it did manage to bring the franchise into the mainstream just a little bit.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel launched earlier in 2022 and immediately made a big splash, especially on Steam where it was downloaded more than 10 million times in the weeks following its release. Steam continues to be the platform of choice for most players but the game is also available on last-gen and current-gen consoles, mobile devices, and the Nintendo Switch. Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel has full crossplay support across all these different platforms.
If you haven’t played a Yu-Gi-Oh game before, Master Duel is a pretty good starting point. The game is aimed primarily at veterans and puts a lot of emphasis on multiplayer, however, it also has a very good solo mode that allows you to learn the mechanics and practice at your own pace.
