Crossplay Not Working — General Fixes

Crossplay fails for a small set of reasons across every game. Work through these before blaming the specific title.

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  1. Enable the in-game crossplay toggle — Crossplay is OFF by default in many games. Both players must turn it on, or a Steam player simply can't see an Xbox/PS player.
    • Open the game's multiplayer / network settings.
    • Turn ON 'Crossplay' (or 'Cross-platform play') on every player's client.
    • Restart the lobby after changing it — the setting often only applies to new sessions.
    • If your platform combo isn't supported, see the crossplay note on the game's page.
  2. Make sure everyone is on the same version & region — Even a one-patch difference blocks joins. Test branches, beta opt-ins, and region settings must all match.
    • Confirm all players are on the same game version (no one on a beta/test branch).
    • Match region/server selection in the game's settings.
    • If one player is on Steam and another on a different store, check the crossplay note on the game's page.
  3. Check and fix your NAT type — Strict NAT is the #1 cause of 'can't join friends'. You need Moderate or Open to host and to receive invites reliably.
    • On Steam: Settings → In-Game → check the 'NAT' indicator, or test via Steam's network settings.
    • On Xbox: Settings → General → Network settings → 'NAT type'.
    • On PlayStation: Settings → Network → View Connection Status → 'NAT Type'.
    • If Strict: enable UPnP and/or port-forward (see those fixes). Tether to a phone hotspot once to confirm — if it works there, the issue is your home router.
  4. Match server region — If players pick different data-center regions, the lobby won't appear to each other. Align regions before inviting.
    • Each player opens the game's server/region picker.
    • Select the SAME region (closest to the majority).
    • Recreate the lobby after changing region.
  5. Remember: some games have NO crossplay (e.g. Elden Ring, Lethal Company, Valheim). Check the game's page — if crossplay isn't supported, you can only play with same-platform friends.