When it launched in 2022, Elden Ring was an immediate hit. The challenging game took everything great from previous FromSoftware titles and merged it with a sweeping open world to explore — letting players venture in any direction just a few minutes after starting the game. That also made it incredibly daunting. Not only did you have to contend with nightmarish monsters and rage-inducing combat, but you had to figure out how to best reach your next destination without stumbling upon enemies that were twice your skill level.
Thankfully, Elden Ring makes use of a (cryptic) multiplayer system, allowing you to explore the Lands Between with a buddy by your side. You can also read and leave messages for other players, giving them tips and tricks to guide their journey. But is Elden Ring a cross-platform game, or are you stuck playing with folks on the same platform as you?
Here’s everything you need to know about whether or not Elden Ring is cross-platform.
Is Elden Ring cross-platform?
Unfortunately, Elden Ring does not have cross-platform support. You’ll never be able to explore with your friend on PC if you’re playing on console.
This is unlike games like Lords of the Fallen and Space Marine 2, which at least allows for partial cross-platform support, or games like Apex Legends with full cross-platform support.
What the game does have is cross-gen support. This means that if you’re playing on either of the PlayStation systems –the 4 or 5 — then you can all play together in co-op or competitively. The same goes for both Xbox systems, with PC being left isolated as well. No console player can match up with anyone on PC. Whatever system you get the game on, you can only play with people on that same system.
There’s also no information about cross-play arriving with the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, so it seems that you’ll be stuck playing with folks on the same platform for the foreseeable future. The expansion will, however, give you tons of new content to explore. This includes new weapons, equipment, skills, and magic — not to mention new enemies and boss encounters.
At the very least, Elden Ring does offer free generation upgrades, such as for PS4 to PS5, for anyone who might not have their hands on the new systems yet, but still want to pick up the game.