The Best Cross-Platform Games to Play With Friends

Best cross-platform games at a glance

How these games were selected

A useful cross-platform recommendation must do more than place different systems in the same matchmaking pool. The game also needs a practical way to create a party, maintain a session and handle progression.

This list prioritizes:

• Reliable cross-play as a core feature
• A clear reason to form a mixed-system group
• Publisher friend systems or invitations that are understandable
• Group sizes serving pairs, squads and large public matches
• Variety across co-op, PvP, racing, RPGs and exploration
• Important limits explained before a group commits

1. Split Fiction

Best cross-platform game for two players

Split Fiction is designed entirely around two-player cooperation. Mio and Zoe become trapped inside connected science-fiction and fantasy stories, and every level gives the pair different responsibilities.

One player may control a creature while the other manipulates the environment, or the pair may receive separate movement and combat tools. Progress stops when the players do not cooperate, so the second participant is never reduced to a passive companion.

Friend’s Pass allows one owner to invite another person to the complete adventure. Cross-play is supported, making the pass especially useful for pairs who do not use the same gaming system.

The important limit is group size: Split Fiction is built for exactly two people. It is not a flexible four-player party game and cannot be completed alone.

Choose Split Fiction for one regular partner and a directed story campaign. It offers the strongest combination of true cooperation, cross-play and a supported one-copy invitation system.

2. Borderlands 4

Best cross-platform looter shooter

Borderlands 4 supports up to four players in an online campaign built around weapons, character builds and repeated loot upgrades. Drop-in and drop-out co-op makes it practical when the full group cannot start every session together.

Dynamic level scaling allows players with different character levels to contribute in the same party. Individual difficulty settings also reduce the problem of one experienced player making the session uncomfortable for a newcomer.

Cross-play connections use SHiFT, Gearbox’s account and social system. Friends need their accounts linked correctly before cross-network invitations appear consistently.

The campaign’s large areas, character classes and endgame progression make Borderlands 4 a better long-term group project than a collection of isolated missions. The trade-off is a large installation and more inventory management than a straightforward shooter.

Choose it when the group wants a complete campaign and character progression. HELLDIVERS 2 is better when the squad prefers self-contained missions without maintaining one shared story route.

3. HELLDIVERS 2

Best cross-platform mission-based co-op shooter

HELLDIVERS 2 sends teams on operations against hostile factions while a wider galactic campaign changes according to collective player activity.

Missions combine objectives, limited reinforcements and powerful Stratagems called through directional inputs. The same airstrike or orbital weapon that clears an enemy group can also eliminate teammates because friendly fire remains active.

That danger makes cross-platform communication important. Players need to announce heavy attacks, coordinate equipment and avoid blocking extraction routes.

The game works well for groups that meet irregularly. Each mission has a defined objective and conclusion, while upgrades and Warbonds provide longer-term account progression.

Choose HELLDIVERS 2 for repeatable co-op and tactical chaos. Borderlands 4 offers a stronger narrative campaign and loot economy, while HELLDIVERS 2 creates more immediate consequences for team mistakes.

4. Monster Hunter Wilds

Best cross-platform game for cooperative hunts

Monster Hunter Wilds organizes progression around tracking large monsters, learning attack patterns and crafting equipment from gathered materials.

Four-player hunts benefit from role diversity even though the game does not use strict classes. Weapon choice changes range, movement, defensive options and how a hunter contributes to openings.

Cross-play broadens the available hunting group, but story presentation can still affect when friends become able to join a specific quest. Every player should progress through required solo scenes or setup steps before expecting seamless campaign synchronization.

The game has also received major updates, balance adjustments and PC performance work. Returning players should read current patch notes rather than assuming launch behavior remains unchanged.

Choose Monster Hunter Wilds if one group wants to master bosses over many sessions. HELLDIVERS 2 offers more disposable missions, while Borderlands 4 emphasizes loot drops over crafting equipment from specific targets.

5. Forza Horizon 5

Best cross-platform racing game

Forza Horizon 5 presents an open-world version of Mexico filled with road races, off-road events, stunts, seasonal championships and player-created challenges.

Cross-play is valuable because different players can join one convoy and move between activities without committing to one long campaign mission. A group can race competitively, complete cooperative events or simply explore together.

The driving assists make the game approachable, while advanced tuning, vehicle categories and competitive modes provide room for experienced players. One group can therefore contain several skill levels without requiring everyone to use the same settings.

Online identity and invitations depend on the linked account system. The group should add one another through the game’s supported social layer rather than relying only on a platform friends list.

Choose Forza Horizon 5 when the group wants short events and open exploration. It is also the easiest game here to enjoy together without coordinating combat roles.

6. Dead by Daylight

Best cross-platform horror game

Dead by Daylight is an asymmetric multiplayer game in which four Survivors attempt to escape while one Killer hunts them.

The two sides use completely different perspectives and objectives. Survivors repair generators, rescue teammates and manage limited information. The Killer controls space, interrupts progress and uses a unique power to create pressure.

Cross-play helps maintain a broad matchmaking pool, while the in-game social system supports forming mixed-system Survivor groups. A private custom match is the better setup when five friends want to decide who plays the Killer.

The game contains many characters, perks and licensed chapters, which can make it difficult for new players to understand every matchup. Start with simple loadouts and learn core chase behavior before optimizing builds.

Choose Dead by Daylight for competitive horror and short sessions. It is not a conventional cooperative campaign because one participant may be directly opposing the others.

7. Diablo IV

Best cross-platform action RPG

Diablo IV supports shared progression through a connected online world, campaign quests, dungeons, world events and seasonal characters.

Cross-play allows mixed-system groups to form one party, while linked account progression helps players maintain characters through the wider service. Everyone still needs appropriate ownership and account access for the system being used.

Classes provide distinct combat roles without requiring a rigid tank-healer-damage structure. A party can combine crowd control, vulnerable effects, resource generation and burst damage through several builds.

Seasonal progression can divide a group if some members use seasonal characters while others remain in a permanent realm. Agree on the character type before beginning together.

Choose Diablo IV if the group wants a long loot and build journey. Monster Hunter Wilds is better for discrete boss hunts, while Diablo IV offers dungeons and seasonal progression across a broader campaign.

8. Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition

Best cross-platform pirate adventure

Sea of Thieves turns the group itself into a ship’s crew. Players steer, adjust sails, navigate, fire cannons, repair damage and explore islands together.

Cross-play keeps crews connected across supported systems, but the shared world also includes other players. A peaceful treasure voyage can become a naval battle without advance agreement.

The game is strongest when each person takes responsibility without becoming locked into one permanent class. A navigator can move to repairs during combat, while the helmsman may help repel boarders.

Safer Seas offers a more controlled environment for learning and selected activities, while High Seas preserves the full shared-world risk and rewards. Availability and progression conditions differ between those experiences.

Choose Sea of Thieves for emergent stories rather than a fixed campaign sequence. Borderlands 4 provides clearer quest progression, while Sea of Thieves lets the crew decide what kind of voyage to create.

9. FINAL FANTASY XIV Online

Best cross-platform MMORPG

FINAL FANTASY XIV Online places players from supported systems in the same persistent worlds. Friends can form parties, join a Free Company and complete dungeons, trials and raids together.

One character can unlock and switch between many jobs, reducing the need to create a new identity for every combat role. This flexibility helps a regular group fill missing roles without abandoning story progress.

The game has more account complexity than a normal co-op title. Service accounts, regional account rules, subscriptions and expansion licenses can affect access. Players should understand those requirements before purchasing content on more than one system.

Story progress also determines which duties a character can enter. A veteran can help a newcomer with available content, but cannot take that character directly into later raids without the required quests.

Choose FINAL FANTASY XIV Online for a persistent community and long story. It demands a larger commitment than the mission-based games above.

10. No Man’s Sky

Best cross-platform exploration game

No Man’s Sky provides a procedurally generated universe for exploration, survival, trading and base building. Players can meet through multiplayer sessions and travel together without following one fixed campaign route.

A cooperative group can establish bases, complete Nexus missions, explore planets and develop fleets. The sandbox structure also allows members to pursue separate tasks before regrouping.

Cross-platform invitations use the game’s own friend-code system. Adding only a system-level friend may not be enough when the players use different networks.

Some features, player counts and multiplayer behavior can vary by hardware or mode. A shared expedition or Nexus mission is often easier to coordinate than expecting every system to handle one large permanent settlement identically.

Choose No Man’s Sky for relaxed exploration and construction. Sea of Thieves creates more immediate group responsibilities, while No Man’s Sky gives each person more freedom to wander.

11. TEKKEN 8

Best cross-platform fighting game

TEKKEN 8 is a one-on-one 3D fighting game whose cross-play expands the available opponent and friend pool.

The Heat system rewards controlled aggression, while sidesteps, punishment, throws and wall positioning preserve the series’ technical depth. Special Style provides simplified access to key moves without replacing the complete control scheme.

Private matches are the clearest way for friends to compete across systems. Ranked matchmaking may use additional filters or network conditions, so cross-play does not mean that every queue treats all opponents identically.

Training tools, replays and downloadable ghosts help players improve between matches. This makes TEKKEN 8 useful for pairs who want repeated short sessions rather than one cooperative campaign.

Choose it for direct competition and a high skill ceiling. EA SPORTS FC 26 also supports competitive cross-play, but rules and matchmaking groups can vary more by mode and version.

12. Chivalry 2

Best cross-platform medieval multiplayer game

Chivalry 2 places players inside large medieval battles involving siege weapons, castle assaults and objective-based team matches.

Combat uses directional attacks, blocks, counters, feints and stamina. Public matches remain chaotic, but a player who understands spacing and timing can survive longer than someone swinging constantly.

Cross-play broadens the matchmaking population, making the game easy to recommend for friends who want to enter the same large battle. Party and server-joining options should be checked in the current client because social features have changed through updates.

The game is not structured as a private story campaign. Friends participate as one group inside a much larger team, and battlefield events may separate them after respawning.

Choose Chivalry 2 for large public battles and melee combat. TEKKEN 8 is the better competitive choice for one-on-one play, while Borderlands 4 serves groups seeking a persistent co-op campaign.

Which cross-platform game should you choose?

Match the game to the group:

• Two-player story: Split Fiction
• Four-player looter shooter: Borderlands 4
• Repeatable tactical missions: HELLDIVERS 2
• Boss hunting: Monster Hunter Wilds
• Racing: Forza Horizon 5
• Asymmetric horror: Dead by Daylight
• Long-term action RPG: Diablo IV
• Pirate sandbox: Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition
• Persistent MMORPG: FINAL FANTASY XIV Online
• Exploration and building: No Man’s Sky
• Competitive fighting: TEKKEN 8
• Large medieval battles: Chivalry 2

Split Fiction is the best answer for one pair, while Borderlands 4 and HELLDIVERS 2 are the strongest options for a four-person squad. FINAL FANTASY XIV Online requires the largest time and account commitment.

Cross-play versus cross-progression

Cross-play allows people using different systems to join the same session. Cross-progression allows one person’s characters, unlocks or account state to follow that person between systems.

Those features are independent. A game can support cross-play while keeping saves separate, or support account progression while limiting which matchmaking pools interact.

Before changing systems, verify:

• Whether the same publisher account can be linked
• Which save data transfers
• Whether ownership is required again
• Whether premium currency moves between ecosystems
• Whether competitive rank is shared
• Whether unlinking an account creates a waiting period or loss risk

Do not assume that a cross-platform party also means every purchase and save will move automatically.

Common cross-play problems

Friends cannot see one another

Use the game’s publisher or in-game friends list. Many cross-play systems do not depend entirely on the operating system’s native friends list.

Invitations fail

Confirm that every client is updated, cross-play is enabled, privacy settings permit invitations and all accounts use compatible regions or versions.

Progress does not match

Cross-play is not proof of cross-progression. Verify account linking and supported transfer rules before starting on another system.

The group cannot enter the same quest

Story gates, character levels, seasonal realms or tutorial steps may block a session even when cross-play itself works.

Voice chat is inconsistent

In-game voice may depend on privacy controls and publisher accounts. An external group-call option can reduce setup problems, but players should still configure in-game safety and moderation tools appropriately.

Final cross-platform recommendations

Split Fiction is the best cross-platform game for two people. Borderlands 4 is the strongest four-player campaign, HELLDIVERS 2 is the best mission-based shooter, and Monster Hunter Wilds offers the most rewarding cooperative boss progression.

Choose Forza Horizon 5 for racing, Dead by Daylight for horror, Diablo IV for long-term character builds, or Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition for an unpredictable shared-world adventure.

The best cross-play game is not merely the one with the longest platform list. It is the game whose party system, progression rules and group size fit the people who will actually play together.