PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is finally out and the number one question for many is: Can I play it on my favorite platform?
Here’s everything you need to know about playing PUBG across multiple platforms. While games like Warzone, Apex Legends, and Fortnite have been dominating the battle royale genre lately, no game has had the impact that PUBG has.
Since the game went free-to-play and was renamed PUBG: Battlegrounds, there has been a lot of talk in the community about “is PUBG cross-platform”.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, or PUBG for short, is a famous game. PUBG helped popularize the battle royale genre and it has since become one of the most popular games in the world. The game was originally launched on PC via Steam to rave reviews from users and critics.
Many new and experienced players want to know if PUBG is cross platform and if they can play with their friends on other platforms after the game has been released on multiple platforms. Here is a walkthrough of PUBG cross-platform play.
Is PUBG cross platform?
Cross-platform play is available in PUBG, but only between consoles. This means that Xbox and PlayStation players can join each other in the PUBG lobby.
All console players (both current and past generations) can join the same team or compete against each other in the same lobbies.
Unfortunately, cross-play between console and PC players is not yet allowed. Thus, players with a mouse and keyboard will not be able to join a controller lobby and vice versa.
“All console players can play on the same team or against each other in the same match pools, including custom matches,” the creators state. PUBG is not cross-platform between Android and iOS devices.
Is PUBG compatible with all devices?
This is not entirely true. You can play with friends on iOS and Android, but you won’t be able to play with friends on PC or Xbox One.
Tencent may change its mind in the future, but for now, cross-platform compatibility is limited to iOS and Android.
Is crossplay possible between PC, PS4 and Xbox?
Only the following platforms currently offer cross-platform play:
- Xbox
- Game console
- stadium
At the time of writing, PUBG PC does not support cross-platform play and the developers have stated that they have no plans to introduce it.
This means that only other PC players can play with them. As mentioned, porting crossplay to PC is a challenging task for developers due to the many aspects involved.
Players on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Stadia can join a match, and PUBG cross-play can be enabled in-game by going to Settings, Gameplay, and then General Settings. You will see an option to enable or disable cross-platform play.
Once this option is enabled, you will see players with a distinct platform icon next to their usernames in the kill feed, spectators of the match, and so on. Another new PUBG feature is cross-party play.
With cross-platform enabled, you can do the following:
- Throw parties with players from different consoles (between PlayStation, Xbox and Stadia).
- Find players from different platforms and ask them to play or become friends.
- People who are dumb players
- Participate in custom matches.
All of these settings can be found on the social media screen. In PUBG, from the main menu, use the View button on Xbox and Stadia or the Square button on PlayStation to open the Social menu.
PUBG: Battlegrounds is available on Playstation 4, Playstation 5, PC, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Why isn’t PUBG on PC available as a cross-platform game?
While PUBG’s limited crossplay can be frustrating for PC and mobile players, there’s a good reason for this. PUBG is undeniably a game of agility, and the ability to quickly react to enemy players and knock them out with well-aimed bullets is a big part of what sets the best players apart from others.
Anyone who has played shooters with various control schemes knows that your input method greatly affects your ability to execute those precision shots in a fraction of a second.
Mobile players with awkward touch controls would have no chance against all but the most experienced players on consoles if the PUBG player pool was fully unified across all platforms. PC players with more precise keyboard and mouse controls would have no chance against all but the most experienced console players.
Conclusion
Yes. PUBG is available on iOS and Android, as well as PS4/PS5 and Xbox One. There are no servers to connect players from different platforms on a different set of devices. Therefore, it is not cross-platform.
FAQ
What are the rules of royal war games?
Battle royale games like Fortnite and PUBG are an example of multiplayer games where players fight against each other for victory. League of Legends and Halo Reach are two examples of battle royale games.
Is PUBG a multi-generational game?
Yes, PUBG is a multi-generational game. This means PS4 gamers will be able to play alongside or against other PS4 players.
What is the difference between playing with friends and playing cross-platform?
Cross-platform games allow players from different platforms to participate in the same game. When you play with your friends, you can chat with them via voice chat or meet up to fight side by side with other players in multiplayer mode.
What is cross-platform and how does it work?
Cross-platform games allow players from different platforms to participate in the same game. PUBG is an example of cross-platform play as it allows you to play with friends who have their own copies of the game on iOS and Android mobile devices.