While gaming solo is enjoyable, nothing builds or maintains friendships more than playing together. If you’re in the same room, co-op play is simple, but things get a little more complicated with added distance and platform differences.
With so many different platforms on the market, it’s understandable if you and your besties don’t all have the same console or device. Consoles are eye-wateringly expensive these days, and purchasing more than one just so you can play a game with someone else can sometimes be out of the question entirely. But that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the gaming experience together.
Thankfully, there is a long list of cross-platform games to experience with friends or loved ones, and there truly is something to appeal to everyone. Whether you’re looking for something that will make you laugh or something that will provoke thought and discussion, here are 11 of my favorite cross-platform games to play with friends.
Of course, all the following games can also be enjoyed entirely solo if you choose, but the choice to play with friends is always nice.
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Supported platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
Fall Guys is utterly chaotic fun. It doesn’t matter if you fly off the edge of the track or if you get slapped in the face by a particularly challenging obstacle time and time again, nobody is judging you for it because everyone has done exactly the same thing at least once. What could be more fun with friends than a bonding, embarrassing gaming experience?
Final Fantasy XIV
Supported platforms: Mac, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Not only is Final Fantasy XIV a great game to drag your friends into, if you don’t mind losing them to the appeal of Eorzea, but it’s also a way that millions of people around the world have met and connected. There are hundreds of hours of main story to play through together, duties that will challenge your skills, and even the RP scene if you’re into that kind of thing. Truly something for everyone.
Borderlands 3
Supported platforms: Mac, PC PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
If you’re looking for more chaos driven fun, then the Borderlands series is always a good way to go, and with Borderlands 3 you can play with friends regardless of what platform they opt for. Up to four of you can explore Pandora, track down the Vaults, and get to know the beloved characters introduced by the series.
Minecraft: Bedrock Edition
Supported platforms: PC, iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
Minecraft can either be incredibly relaxing, or a test of both your patience and ability, depending on what settings you choose to go with. Do you want to build a shining metropolis filled with endless cats and glorious houses? Or do you want to start with nothing and build your way up from a mud hut, taking on the various spawns that want to kill you? It’s your choice, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Among Us
Supported platforms: GOG, PC, iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbos Series X|S, Switch
What’s better among friends than a little bit of healthy suspicion and treachery? Among Us allows one player or a group of players to sabotage critical equipment, causing problems for everyone else playing. It’s up to the non-traitors to figure out who is the saboteur, but it’s not always as obvious as it seems. Like I said, treachery, but in a healthy way.
Genshin Impact
Supported platforms: PC, iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Although it’s a gacha game at heart, it’s entirely possible to enjoy Genshin Impact without worrying about rolling for additional characters or other items. If you want an adventure to bond with friends over, you can play Genshin Impact co-op style in parties of up to four players, allowing you to experience the story and world of Teyvat together.
Ultimate Chicken Horse
Supported platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
As I’m sure you’ve probably guessed by now, I have a soft spot for games featuring a fair amount of chaos, and they don’t come much better than Ultimate Chicken Horse. Pick your animal, then race to select obstacles to stop fellow players from reaching the end of each course. Bombs? Sure. Platforms with spikes that will impale whoever lands on them? Absolutely. Paper Airplanes that are a little more stabby than you might expect? That’s there too.
Dead by Daylight
Supported platforms: PC, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
If you want something scary to get you on the edge of your seat, then Dead by Daylight might be just the thing for you, and you don’t need to suffer through the horror alone. The worst part about playing with friends is finding out you’re the killer and having to kill them, but on the plus side, at least you’ll all have fun in the process. Hopefully.
Sea of Thieves
Supported platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Ever wanted to be part of a pirate crew, sailing the seven seas and plundering treasure from other ships and islands? Well, Sea of Thieves is your ticket to that particular adventure, and you can do it with a crew made entirely out of your friends, regardless of their chosen platform. Set sail for adventure, discover secrets, and even play through the multiple Tall Tales series together.
Fortnite
Supported platforms: PC, Android, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
Love it or hate it, Fortnite is about as cross-platform as it’s possible to get, and players can join together for battle-royale style matches wherever they are or whatever platform they’re playing on. Not only that, but you can also join together to dive into LEGO Fortnite and other game modes, making the possibilities for fun almost endless.
No Man’s Sky
Supported platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
No Man’s Sky got off to a rough start when it was first released back in 2016, but it has since come on in leaps and bounds, allowing players to join together and explore the universe together. It’s absolutely beautiful, there’s no denying that, and benefits from regular updates that provide endless expanses to explore with friends, or solo, however you choose to play.
Tekken 8
Supported platforms: Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Call me cold-hearted, but the most fun I’ve ever had playing games with friends is when I get to endlessly beat them up, or attempt to. In real life I’d never do anything of the kind, but give me something like Tekken or Super Smash Bros., and it’s just fun. Of course there is the danger or arguments ensuing over possible cheating or frustration over repeated losses, but there’s something enjoyable about button mashing together.
