There was a time not too long ago when choosing between the latest PlayStation and Xbox consoles came down to a lot more than just price and personal preference. Not only did players need to consider what worked best for them, but also, which console their friends would be playing on. It caused many fierce arguments over the years, with some friendship groups torn asunder by their inability to settle on a single system. Thankfully though, times have changed.
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These days, most of the big new multi-platform titles support crossplay; effectively allowing people to game with their friends regardless of which system they're playing on. Better still, developers have added this functionality to quite a few older titles as well. As a result, those looking for high quality multiplayer games to enjoy with their friends really are spoiled for choice.
Updated June 21, 2021, by Tom Bowen: 2021 has brought with it some truly excellent games, many of which allow cross platform play. As well as these new additions, a lot of developers are beginning to add crossplay support to some of their older titles as well. As a result, those looking for the best cross platform games to play in 2021 really are spoiled for choice, with a long list of titles now supporting the feature. What's more, with Sony appearing to have warmed to the idea of adding crossplay support to its titles in recent months, that list is only going to grow longer in the coming months and years.
15 MLB The Show 21
Crossplay supported on PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series S/X
Having once been a PlayStation exclusive series, many saw MLB The Show 21's Xbox release as a huge coup for Microsoft. Just to add a little bit more salt into Sony's wounds, the game was then made available on Game Pass at launch, further strengthening the service's position at the top of the games service pile.
The 2021 edition looks fantastic, especially on PS5 and Xbox series machines and also offers a lot more content than any of its recent predecessors. Some may have expected a little more from it due to the leap in hardware, but, when it comes to baseball video games, no series can match The Show for authenticity.
14 Dauntless
Crossplay supported on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch & PC
First released in 2019, the hype surrounding Dauntless has died down quite a bit in the last year or so, but that's not to say that it isn't still a thoroughly enjoyable game. It's an action RPG set in a fantasy world and supports both solo and co-op gameplay. Most would agree, however, that the latter is a lot more fun.
It's a little like a cross between Borderlands and Monster Hunter, with players given access to a huge arsenal of weapons and then sent out to slay ferocious beasts. Some may not like its cartoony art style, but those who are able to look past it will find an excellent co-op adventure that's definitely worth playing.
13 Chivalry 2
Crossplay supported on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X & PC
Almost a full decade on from the release of Chivalry: Medieval Warfare on Windows, Chivalry 2 released on current and last-gen consoles in June of 2021. Like its predecessor, it's a hack and slash action game with a heavy emphasis placed on multiplayer gameplay.
The game looks fantastic and combat has never felt more fluid, with improvements found right across the board. Those hoping to play it on PC may be a little disappointed to learn that it's an Epic exclusive, but for those who don't care or will be playing the game on console, it really is a great multiplayer title with an awful lot to offer.
12 Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis
Crossplay supported on Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X & PC
Those looking for a great MMO to play with their friends in 2021 could do a lot worse than Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis. The game serves as a follow up of sorts to Phantasy Star Online 2, which has now been live in Japan for almost a decade. It's free to play and features a large and dedicated fanbase that make its massive world feel truly alive.
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Though at its core New Genesis offers an equally excellent multiplayer experience, some of the huge changes arguably give it the edge over its predecessor. Anybody who's played PSO2 can easily bring their character over to the new game and the lack of a subscription or setup fee means players can check the game out without having to part with their hard-earned cash.
11 Sea Of Thieves
Crossplay supported on Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X & PC
Sea of Thieves has improved a lot since its original release back in 2018. The size and scope of the game has grown dramatically and many of the niggling issues that blighted the game at launch have long since been patched away. What's left is one of the very best action adventure games that money can buy, and one which offers a truly fantastic multiplayer experience.
The game released for Xbox Series consoles in late 2020, but has been available for Game Pass subscribers since 2018. With a special Pirates of the Caribbean crossover marking the launch of season 3, there's arguably never been a better time to set sail across Sea of Thieves' open world; either solo or with friends on PC or Xbox.
10 Call Of Duty: Warzone
Crossplay supported on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X & PC
While Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War also supports cross-platform play, Warzone just about has the beating of it thanks to its larger player base and its better selection of weapons. In fact, the latter actually incorporates many of the weapons from Cold War as well as a few other elements.
Crossplay works across PC, PlayStation and Xbox systems and playing with friends on other platforms is as simple as signing up for an Activision account and sharing the ID. When it comes to realistic FPS titles with crossplay support, there really aren't too many better options out there.
9 Dead By Daylight
Crossplay supported on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch & PC
Asymmetrical multiplayer games continue to grow in popularity at an impressive rate, with Dead By Daylight doing more than its fair share of the heavy lifting. Despite its age, the game continues to receive regular updates and even has next gen patches for both PS5 and Xbox series consoles.
As well as the two new machines, players can play with friends who are on PC, PS4, Xbox One or Switch; making it one of the most accessible games on the market. It's not the most family friendly of games out there, mind, but those looking for a solid horror game to play with their friends could definitely do a lot worse.
8 Minecraft
Crossplay supported on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, PC & Mobile Devices
One of the biggest reasons for Minecraft's sustained success is how readily available the game is. It's been ported to 16 different platforms over the years and currently supports full crossplay for eight of them when playing the Bedrock edition.
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Not only does the game allow players to join their friends who are playing on current and last gen consoles or PC, but it also supports crossplay with iOS and Android devices. This bodes well, really, considering just how important social interaction and creativity are to the game's overall appeal.
7 No Man's Sky
Crossplay supported on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X & PC
Following a calamitous launch back in 2016, the team over at Hello Games have really turned things around for No Man's Sky. A plethora of new features and functionality has been added to the game over the past five years; the most notable of which being a much requested multiplayer mode.
Providing they have their friends' player codes, it's possible for players to join those on PC, PlayStation or Xbox machines. Much like some of the other big cross-platform games, it also received a next-gen patch which improves performance and increases the maximum lobby size for those playing on console.
6 Fortnite
Crossplay supported on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, PC & Mobile Devices
Epic's battle royale behemoth continues to reign supreme when it comes to the best multiplayer shooters; with more than 350 million registered users worldwide. It's a game that's oriented a little more towards fun than it is realism and its regular events and crossovers ensure that it never gets old.
Players will need to have an Epic account linked to their platform of choice and manually add their friends to their Epic friends list if they want to enjoy crossplay. By doing so, they'll be able to play alongside people on any of the major consoles as well as those who are playing Fortnite on PC or mobile devices.
5 Genshin Impact
Crossplay supported on PS4, PS5, PC & Mobile Devices
Following its release in late 2020, Genshin Impact took the world by storm. It generated almost $400 million dollars in its first two months alone and has nearly doubled that amount in the time since. While the single player experience is certainly enjoyable though, it's a game that's seemingly been designed with multiplayer in mind.
Before players can begin to enjoy the game's co-op mode though, they'll first need to reach Adventurer level 16. Upon doing so, they'll be able to team up with up to three of their friends on other platforms; providing, that is, that they're all playing in the same region.
4 Among Us
Crossplay supported on Nintendo Switch, PC & Mobile Devices
Although its popularity may have dropped off quite a bit since the beginning of 2021, Among Us remains one of the most popular multiplayer games on Steam. What's more, with the new Airship map expected to arrive imminently, there's every chance that a lot of players will return to the game in the not too distant future.
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As of the time of writing, the game's crossplay functionality supports PC, mobile and Switch and is incredibly easy to set up. With an Xbox version of the game also on the horizon though, it seems likely that the list of supported crossplay platforms will be expanding again before the year is out.
3 Rocket League
Crossplay supported on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch & PC
Despite having released almost six years ago now, Rocket League still has a fairly sizable playerbase and continues to receive updates on a regular basis. Better still, the game is now completely free to play and is available on just about every major platform under the sun.
Although it's possible to disable crossplay in one of the option menus, it's enabled by default on all editions of the game. There are no restrictions on matchmaking either, meaning that players are just as likely to be paired with those on other systems as they are people playing on the same platform as them.
2 Mortal Kombat 11
Crossplay supported on PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series S/X
With the Street Fighter series taking something of a step backward in recent years and the complete absence of a new Virtua Fighter title, Mortal Kombat has now become the game of choice for most fighting game fans. Its success is as much down to its own merits as the failings of its competitors though, with Mortal Kombat 11 taking the series to new heights with its highly refined gameplay and well-polished visuals.
Crossplay (or Krossplay, as the devs have dubbed it) puts players on all PlayStation and Xbox consoles into the same matchmaking pool for casual online game modes. Those hoping to play with friends on other systems can do so as well, although they'll first need to coordinate with each other outside of the game to find each other in one of the many Krossplay lobbies.
1 Final Fantasy XIV
Crossplay supported on PS3, PS4, PS5 & PC
Final Fantasy XIV is one of the most popular and longest running MMORPGs out there and that's unlikely to be changing anytime soon. In a 2021 interview with The Washington Post, the game's director and producer Naoki Yoshida said that he expects the title to continue receiving new content for at least another five years. With that in mind and the Endwalker expansion expected later this year, there's probably never been a better time to start playing.
Providing they're all on the same server, players are able to team up with their friends regardless of whether they're on PC or PlayStation. Rumors of an Xbox port of the game have been floating around for quite some time as well, although while Square Enix hasn't ruled out the possibility, it seems unlike that one will be arriving in the near future.
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