Is Palworld cross-platform?

By Sam Hill January 19, 2024

Palworld, the new creature-collecting survival game that fans have dubbed “Pokémon with guns,” has become a viral hit on launch day. With Pokémon being a Nintendo console-exclusive franchise (and one of the most successful video game franchises of all time), it’s no surprise that gamers who stick to other platforms are eager for the chance to capture and battle with oddball creatures in an open-world setting.

The jury is still out on whether Palworld is going to last or if its launch day sales figures are the result of it becoming a Pokémon clone meme since it was announced. Regardless, now is the best time to jump in while everyone else is learning about the world. You don’t want to fall behind.

You can play Palworld with friends, but what if they’re on a different platform? Here’s what we know right now.

Is Palworld cross-platform?

Three sheep-like Pals use guns in Palworld. — Pocketpair

Palworld does not have ay cross-platform support at launch. Developers have said that they’re working on cross-platform support and are aiming to figure it out “as soon as possible.”

In a Q&A on the company’s official Discord server, cross-platform play was addressed: “Not at launch, but we are working to make this a possibility as soon as possible!”

Right now, the game is only available on Steam and Xbox. There are no plans for the game to launch on PlayStation 5, and there has been no mention of a Nintendo Switch launch. Cross-platform functionality should be a bit easier to manage between the two platforms.

We’ll update this article when we hear of any news about cross-platform play.

Editors' Recommendations

Gaming Guides Editor

Sam Hill is a journalist and the gaming guides editor at Digital Trends. He's also written tech guides for Input and has…

Gaming

The best Pokémon games, ranked from best to worst

Sprigatito smelling flowers.

For more than 25 years, developer Game Freak has found a way to reinvent the Pokémon franchise for each new generation of gamers. Both brand-new Pokémon trainers and seasoned Pokémon masters are captivated by these cute (and sometimes scary) little monsters. Maybe it's the drive to catch 'em all that keeps players coming back. Or perhaps it's how adorable these little pocket monsters can be. Whatever the reason, players continue to return to or start exploring the Pokémon franchise.

Between new main series titles that bring new regions and Pokémon into the mix -- like Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, remakes, and spinoffs -- there's a massive library of Pokémon games to choose from. Everyone has their favorites, but some are arguably better than others (just like Nintendo's long-running Metroid and Legend of Zelda series). We divided every Pokémon game into a couple of categories and ranked them accordingly.

Gaming

Is Rust cross-platform?

A player firing an assault rifle in Rust

Rust is one of the unique gaming experiences out there -- you wake up naked on a beach, scavenge for tools, build a home for yourself and your friends, and then watch that base be pummeled by rockets as another group of players destroys everything you've worked so hard for. One of the most popular survival games on the market, Rust is a brutal game, and playing it with friends makes the ups and downs of a server lifecycle bearable.

If you're looking to jump onto a Rust server with a buddy, you'll want to come prepared. Here's what you need to know about crossplay and Rust.
Is Rust cross-platform?
Rust is available on most major gaming platforms, but it isn't entirely cross-platform. Players on consoles -- PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One -- are able to play with each other, but PC players are in a completely separate world.

Gaming

Is Stardew Valley cross-platform?

Stardew Valley Multiplayer Fishing

Stardew Valley is a game made by just one person, but it has seen more success than most games made by dozens, or even hundreds, of people. It's even one of Digital Trends' top 50 video games of all time. Since its release in 2016, the game has been updated regularly with new features and content to keep its avid fans coming back. This includes an online multiplayer component that allows you and up to three friends to hang out on each other's farms. And with the recent trend of games allowing players on different platforms to join together, you may wonder if Stardew Valley offers cross-platform functionality. Here's everything we know about cross-platform support in Stardew Valley.
Is Stardew Valley cross-platform?
Stardew Valley does not offer cross-platform support, meaning you can't play online multiplayer between any of the systems the game is on. So if you want to team up with some friends, make sure you all are playing on the same platform, such as the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, or PC. Also be aware that whoever starts a multiplayer game is saving that shared world locally, meaning no one else can reenter that world without the host present.

The sad fact of the matter is there doesn't seem to be any indication that crossplay will come to Stardew Valley. The game's official Reddit still lists it as not being supported, and there was only one mention of it by the developer on Twitter back in 2018, when he responded to a question asking if crossplay would come to the game. He replied, "Unfortunately, there will not be crossplay. Apparently, the technical barriers are very high. It's still something I really want to add and I promise to look into it more closely, but first priority is getting the update out there." This was many years ago, and there has been no further information about cross-platform play since, so it seems very unlikely that we will see support for this functionality come to Stardew Valley.