Is Elden Ring Cross Platform in 2024?
If you’re wondering, “Is Elden Ring Cross Platform?” We’ll cut right to the chase. Nope. You won’t be able to play this open world action-RPG with your friends unless you’re on the same system. PCs can only play with PCs, consoles can only play with consoles. However, there is the option to play Elden Ring cross-gen, which means you can play with those who have the same gaming system you do.
How to Play Elden Ring Cross-Gen
Is Elden Ring cross platform? No. However, it is cross-gen. If you have a friend you want to play multiplayer with, cross-gen lets you do so as long as they have the same console family as you. That means if they have a PS4 but you have a PS5, you can still play online together since the game is available for both consoles. Same with Xbox One and Series X/S, etc. Elden Ring is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Besides this cross-gen availability, Elden Ring also gives you a free upgrade if you go up a generation in your console. So if you bought the game for PS4 and then acquired a PS5 later, you could get the PS5 version of Elden Ring for free.
Multiplayer in Elden Ring is a bit complex to set up, but once you get the hang of it there are several ways to play. You’ll need to extend or accept an invitation from the other player from their game menu. From there, you can co-op or even player vs player (PVP). Here’s how to get started:
For private co-op sessions:
This keeps random players from taking up a multiplayer slot when you’re trying to game with your friends. You’ll still need to watch out for invading players, though. Also, if you join the host and your character level is too high in comparison, your level will be scaled down to match the host. If you’re weaker, however, you will not be scaled up. Here’s how to set up your private session:
- Go to the main menu
- Go to the multiplayer tab
- Go to settings
- Choose a password
Your friends will use this password to enter your session.
Important Tips for Multiplayer
There are a number of in-game items that allow you to do co-op or PVP and you may need to collect them or craft them to partake in multiplayer sessions. Examples would be the Small Golden Effigy and the Martyr Effigy to open the summoning pool and allow players to join your session. Here are some more tips:
- Co-op players join the host as phantoms and aren’t as strong as they would be in their solo world. Their stats are weakened and they have half the Flasks they otherwise would
- Co-op is usually used for specific goals, such as defeating a boss. Once the goal is accomplished, players are sent back to their individual games
- Co-op groups are only up to three players at once
- Tarnished’s Furled Finger is an item that lets players be summoned by a random player to help them in a session
- Duelist’s Furled Finger creates a Summon Sign so you can participate in PVP with other players
- Recusant Finger lets you invade another player
- There are several more items that do specific multiplayer actions, so be sure to collect and craft them
- Some multiplayer items are given to you through quests, so don’t skip them
- If you’re sick of playing with others and want to solo in peace, you can simply go to the main menu, choose System, Network, and change the default to Play Offline
Will Elden Ring be Cross Platform?
Is Elden Ring cross platform ever going to happen? Currently, there is no indication that will happen anytime soon, or at all. Considering the increasing popularity of cross platform games, like Minecraft, it is frustrating. Still, you never know. Maybe someday the developers will change their minds. Until then, cross-gen and same-gen multiplayer is a nice option to have.