Is Minecraft cross-platform?

By Billy Givens and Jesse Lennox Updated October 10, 2024

Minecraft versions of the Spongebob cast. — Mojang/Spark Universe

Minecraft has long reigned as one of the most popular games available thanks to its nearly endless possibilities, regular updates, and charming vibes. If you’re one of the millions of players who have invested thousands of hours into the game, or are still learning the basic tips and tricks, you’ve almost certainly been rewarded with limitless excitement exploring all the biomes, enchanting weapons, and messing with the best mods. But what about co-op?

Playing with friends on a shared server is one of the greatest ways to experience Minecraft, just like it is for Terraria or GTA V. But in today’s gaming landscape, there is a wide variety of platforms on which people play the game, which may lead you to wonder if this is a cross-platform game. Below, we’ll tell you what you need to know about cross-platform play in Minecraft.

Recommended Videos

Is Minecraft cross-platform?

The short answer is yes, Minecraft is cross-platform across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, and Android. However, there are a few limitations we’ll get into below.

Firstly, only Minecraft: Bedrock Edition supports cross-platform play. If you’re using Minecraft: Java Edition on PC, you won’t be able to play with friends on other platforms.

Secondly, you’ll need to sign into a Microsoft account to access cross-platform functionality, even if you’re playing on non-Microsoft hardware. If you don’t have a Microsoft account yet, it’s a fairly painless process to create one using your usual email address or by signing up for a new one.

Lastly, console players are required to have an active online subscription for their respective platforms to access online play in Minecraft: Bedrock Edition.

Topics

Gaming Writer

Billy Givens is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience writing gaming, film, and tech content. He started as a…

Gaming

Is Lords of the Fallen cross-platform?

A knight with a large sword prepares to stab a dragon in Lords of the Fallen.

If there's one thing you can count on in nearly any Soulslike game, it's that you're going to face some hefty challenges along your journey. That rings as true as ever in Lords of the Fallen, which tasks you with exploring treacherous locales and facing off against horrifying and deadly creatures around every corner. As such, you may find yourself wanting to bring a friend along for some cooperative play as you would in Elden Ring, and you can do exactly that by simply inviting them to your world, where they can stay for as long as they'd like. But not all Soulslikes are cross-platform games, so we'll fill you in on whether this one is.
Is Lords of the Fallen cross-platform?

The quick and easy answer to whether Lords of the Fallen has crossplay is yes, it features crossplay just like Minecraft and Sea of Thieves. However, this only works between PC and each console individually, meaning that PlayStation 5 and Xbox players can't connect with one another. For those on either platform looking to connect with PC players, though, you can freely invite someone for co-op (or invade them for PVP) with no issues whatsoever.

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, it's been updated regularly with new features and content to keep its avid fans coming back. As of the Stardew Valley 1.6 update additions, this includes an online multiplayer component that allows you and up to three friends to hang out on each other's farms.

Of course, many players are still wondering when Stardew Valley 1.6 is coming to consoles. And with the recent trend of games allowing players on different platforms to join together, you may wonder if Stardew Valley is a cross-platform game like Minecraft or Terraria. Here's everything we know about cross-platform support in Stardew Valley.
Is Stardew Valley cross-platform?

Gaming

Is Baldur’s Gate 3 coming to Switch?

Minthara in Baldur's Gate 3.

Few games have rocked the industry in the way that Baldur's Gate 3 did at launch, and it has been a critical and commercial success on all platforms for which it has been released. As such, it's reasonable to wonder if Larian Studios has considered bringing the hit role-playing title to the Nintendo Switch. Let's take a look and see if any plans to that effect are in motion.
Is Baldur's Gate coming to Nintendo Switch?
Baldur's Gate 3 is not available on Nintendo Switch, and there is no indication that Larian Studios has any intentions of bringing it over at this time, if ever. It has already canceled the planned DLC for the game, citing a desire to move on to new projects beyond the Baldur's Gate franchise, likely leaving the series for another developer to pick up down the line.

Speaking to IGN, the game's director, Swen Vincke, said: "We’re going to shift around and we’re going to start doing these other things that we talked about, that we planned on doing before we started on BG3. Those were always the plans for afterward, we have two games that we want to make, and we have lots of concepts. So let’s just have closure on BG3. It’s been great. We’ve done our job. It’s a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. So let’s pass the torch to another studio to pick up this incredible legacy."