With crossplay gaining popularity in 2025, many players ask, “Can I play Elden Ring with friends on different platforms?” This question makes sense because modern multiplayer gaming increasingly emphasizes connecting friends across consoles and PCs. Let’s explore what crossplay truly means, how Elden Ring structures multiplayer, and what you can expect regarding cross-platform compatibility.
What Crossplay Means and Why It Matters
Crossplay, also called cross-platform play, allows gamers on different systems—PlayStation, Xbox, or PC—to join the same online session seamlessly. Imagine playing on a PS5 while your friend uses a PC, and still summoning them for co-op battles or facing off in PvP invasions.
For a game like Elden Ring, where multiplayer adds strategy, unpredictability, and excitement, crossplay could expand your pool of allies or rivals. It proves especially valuable against tough bosses like Malenia or Mogh, where teamwork often determines victory.
Elden Ring and Crossplay: The Reality
Here’s the hard truth: Elden Ring does not support full crossplay across platform families. You cannot team up with friends on different ecosystems, such as PlayStation and Xbox or PC and console.
FromSoftware designed Elden Ring’s multiplayer to operate within platform families:
- PlayStation Players: PS4 and PS5 users can connect, but they cannot play with Xbox or PC players.
- Xbox Players: Xbox One and Series X/S players can join each other, but not PlayStation or PC players.
- PC Players: Multiplayer sessions only work with other PC users.
Although this limitation may disappoint some, Elden Ring supports cross-generation play within each platform family, allowing friends on different console generations to connect.
Why Elden Ring Lacks Full Crossplay
FromSoftware focuses on delivering deeply immersive single-player experiences while offering multiplayer as a complementary feature. Adding crossplay across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC requires complex server coordination, technical adjustments, and robust anti-cheat systems—especially on PC, where hacking can disrupt invasions and co-op gameplay.
Many console players prefer this limitation because it prevents matches against potential PC cheaters and maintains balanced PvP. Reddit forums reveal active debates: fans recognize that crossplay could expand the player pool but might compromise the integrity of co-op and competitive encounters.
Elden Ring: Nightreign and Shadow of the Erdtree
Fans anticipating Elden Ring: Nightreign, the multiplayer-focused roguelike spin-off released in 2025, must note that crossplay remains absent. PC players can join only other PC users, while console players remain restricted to their platform family. Cross-gen play remains available within each family, but full cross-platform multiplayer does not exist.
Similarly, the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC maintains the same multiplayer structure. Developers did not introduce crossplay, ensuring stable servers and avoiding fragmentation.
Cross-Progression: Can You Transfer Your Progress?
Many players ask whether Elden Ring supports cross-progression, allowing save files to move between platforms. Unfortunately, it does not. Your character and progress remain tied to the platform you play on.
For instance, if you start on PS5, you cannot transfer your Tarnished to a PC or Xbox. Esports.net confirms this limitation, so sticking to one platform ensures continuity in your adventure.
How Elden Ring’s Multiplayer Operates
Even without full crossplay, Elden Ring delivers a robust multiplayer experience:
- Cooperative Play: Leave summon signs using the Tarnished’s Furled Finger. Friends activate your sign to join your world if they share the same platform family. Using a Furlcalling Finger Remedy lets you see signs in your world, enabling smooth coordination for bosses and dungeons.
- Invasions: Players can invade other worlds for PvP battles, restricted to the same platform family to preserve fairness and balance.
- Password System: Set a multiplayer password so only friends with the same code can see your summon signs. This simplifies coordination with your crew.
- Cross-Gen Support: PS4 and PS5 players connect, as do Xbox One and Series X/S players. This setup benefits friends who have not upgraded yet.
Following these steps and ensuring everyone shares the same in-game password and region maximizes multiplayer enjoyment, even with platform limitations.
Will Elden Ring Ever Receive Crossplay?
The community hopes for crossplay, but as of mid-2025, FromSoftware and Bandai Namco have not announced plans to implement it. Fans voice strong interest, especially after Nightreign’s release, yet FromSoftware historically prioritizes gameplay depth over cross-platform features, as seen with Dark Souls.
The industry trend leans toward crossplay, so future titles may include it. However, Elden Ring itself remains unlikely to receive full cross-platform integration.
Elden Ring’s multiplayer remains highly engaging, even with cross-gen play restricted to platform families. Players can enjoy co-op and PvP with friends on PS4/PS5 or Xbox One/Series X/S, while PC users remain confined to their ecosystem.
Although crossplay and cross-progression limitations may frustrate groups spanning multiple platforms, the multiplayer experience still delivers rich, rewarding gameplay. Features like the password system and cross-gen support ensure you can coordinate effectively with friends.
For Nightreign and Shadow of the Erdtree, the multiplayer rules stay consistent: no crossplay, but full cross-gen play within the same platform family. For now, focusing on your platform ensures you enjoy the best multiplayer Elden Ring has to offer
