Ever wanted to play Elden Ring with your buddies but they game on a different system? Well, that’s where cross platform comes in (or doesn’t)
A little over a year since its release, Elden Ring continues to captivate audiences worldwide with its challenging gameplay and enigmatic lore. However, one question that continues to linger in the minds of its vast player base is, Is Elden Ring cross platform? As with all things, the answer is a little bit of both answers, yes and no.
From Software, the legendary Japanese game developer behind Elden Ring, has yet to provide a traditional cross platform or crossplay feature for the game. As of right now, Elden Ring only offers cross gen play, which is quite different from what most people imagine when they think of crossplay. This means that Elden Ring crossplay is limited to players on the same console family but across different generations.
Elden Ring cross platform capabilities
| Elden Ring | ||
| PC | ||
| Xbox | PC | ❌ |
| PlayStation | PC | ❌ |
| Xbox | ||
| PC | Xbox | ❌ |
| PlayStation | Xbox | ❌ |
| PlayStation | ||
| PC | PlayStation | ❌ |
| Xbox | PlayStation | ❌ |
| Console families | ||
| Xbox One | Xbox Series S / X | ✅ |
| PlayStation 4 | PlayStation 5 | ✅ |
Elden Ring is cross gen and not cross platform
In simpler terms, if you’re left wondering, is Elden Ring crossplay? the answer is yes, but only in a specific sense. For instance, PlayStation 4 players can engage in cooperative or competitive play with PlayStation 5 players, and vice versa. The same cross-generational play is enabled for the Xbox family, where Xbox One players can play with those on Xbox Series X and Series S.
However and unfortunately, Elden Ring does not offer cross platform features between competitor consoles and PC. This means a player on an Xbox Series X cannot play with a friend on a PlayStation 5 or a PC and vice versa.
The topic of Elden Ring crossplay, or the lack thereof, has been a point of discussion amongst fans since the game’s release. Many players feel that the ability to play with friends regardless of their console or PC preference would significantly enhance the Elden Ring experience.
As we all know, not everybody is on the same gaming platform. We all got friends gaming on Xbox, Playstation, or PC distinctly (the richer ones on all of them, really). Despite these discussions, there’s still no clear sign that traditional crossplay is coming to Elden Ring.
Will Elden Ring ever have cross platform play?
At this point, it seems highly unlikely. The absence of crossplay hasn’t dampened the game’s enormous success. Elden Ring has gathered a large and dedicated player base across all console families and on PC. The game’s popularity shows no signs of waning, even without the implementation of crossplay as we look onto the much anticipated Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
It’s also important to remember that implementing crossplay is not a simple task. It requires significant technical work and agreement between different platform holders, which may not always be feasible or profitable. From Software, known for its focus on creating challenging and immersive gameplay experiences, may prefer to focus its resources on game development rather than navigating the complexities of cross-platform play.
While Elden Ring does not currently support traditional crossplay, it does offer cross-generational play within the same console family. Whether or not we will see true cross platform capabilities in Elden Ring remains uncertain. For now, players must be content exploring the Lands Between with friends on the same console family, continuing their journeys in this beautifully haunting world that From Software and George RR Martin have created.
