Cross Play Games PS5 and Xbox Explained (Simply)

You’re sitting there with your PS5, and your best friend is on their Xbox Series X. Five years ago, this was a recipe for a lonely Friday night. Now? It’s basically the standard. But honestly, even in 2026, finding the right cross play games ps5 and xbox can be a headache because "crossplay" doesn't always mean what you think it means.

Some games let you play together but won't let you carry your progress over. Others only let you play with people on the same "family" of consoles. It’s a mess.

We’ve moved past the era where Sony and Microsoft acted like grumpy neighbors refusing to share a lawnmower. Today, the walls are mostly down. But if you're trying to figure out which titles actually work across the aisle right now—and which ones are coming down the pike this year—you've gotta look at the fine print.

The Heavy Hitters That Just Work

If you want to jump into something right this second without checking a dozen compatibility charts, there are a few "gold standard" titles. These are the games where you just add a friend’s Activision ID or Epic account and go.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (and the freshly launched Warzone updates) is the obvious one. It’s seamless. You’re in a lobby, you see a little tower icon for Xbox or a logo for PlayStation, and everything just runs. The same goes for Fortnite. Whether you love the building or stick to Zero Build, Epic Games figured this out years ago.

Then there’s Diablo IV. Blizzard really nailed the social aspect here. You can start a dungeon on your PS5, hop over to an Xbox in the living room, and your Necromancer is exactly where you left him. That’s "cross-progression," and it’s arguably more important than just playing together.

Why Some Games Feel "Broken"

Ever tried to play Rust or DayZ and realized you can't find your buddy?

That’s because "Console Crossplay" is a specific, annoying sub-category. Many developers allow PS5 and Xbox players to mingle but keep the PC crowd in a separate, sweatier shark tank. This is usually for balance—nobody on a controller wants to go up against a mouse-and-keyboard pro clicking heads with pixel-perfect precision.

Apex Legends does this. You’ll play with other console players by default. You only enter the PC lobbies if you specifically party up with a friend who is playing on a rig. It’s a fair compromise, honestly.

The 2026 Newcomers

We are seeing some massive releases this year that are doubling down on the "play anywhere" philosophy.

• Highguard: This is the new PvP title from the ex-Respawn devs (the folks behind Titanfall). It’s launching this January with full cross-platform support.
• Monster Hunter Wilds: Capcom finally got the memo. After years of fragmented communities, Wilds is bringing everyone together.
• Grand Theft Auto VI: While Rockstar is famously quiet about technical details until the last second, the industry expectation is that the online component will finally bridge the gap between PS5 and Xbox Series X/S players when it drops later this year.

The "Cross-Gen" Trap

Here’s something people get wrong all the time. If you’re on a PS5 and your friend is still rocking an old Xbox One, you might be out of luck.

A lot of modern cross play games ps5 and xbox are built on different engines for different generations. Battlefield 2042 is a prime example. The PS5 version has 128-player maps. The old Xbox One version is capped at 64. Because the maps are literally different sizes, those two people can never play together.

Always check if the game has a "universal" version or if it's split by console generation. If you're buying a game specifically to play with someone, make sure you're both on the "current" gen (Series X/S and PS5).

The Big List: What to Play Tonight

If you're looking for a quick reference, these are the most stable, high-population games that support cross-platform play between the two big consoles right now:

1. Helldivers 2: Though it's a Sony-published title, the crossplay with PC is flawless, and rumors of an eventual Xbox port (thanks to Microsoft’s new "everywhere" strategy) have been swirling. For now, it’s the king of co-op if you have a PC/PS5 split.
2. Sea of Thieves: Originally an Xbox exclusive, this is now a massive bridge between the two consoles. It is peak "chill pirate vibes" with your friends.
3. The Finals: Fast-paced, destructive, and totally cross-platform.
4. Minecraft: The Bedrock edition remains the most accessible game ever made.
5. Rocket League: Still the best "five-minute session" game in existence.

What Most People Get Wrong About Settings

If you’ve downloaded a game and can’t find your friends, check your system settings first. Sometimes, the console itself has cross-play disabled at the OS level for "privacy reasons."

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On Xbox, it’s buried in the Account > Privacy & online safety menu. On PS5, it’s usually toggled within the individual game’s settings menu. I’ve seen so many people return games thinking the multiplayer was dead, only to realize a single checkbox was blocking the entire internet.

Actionable Next Steps

Don't just take a game's word for it. Before you drop $70 on a new title to play with a friend on a different system, do these three things:

• Verify Cross-Progression: If you plan on switching rooms or consoles later, make sure the game uses a third-party account (like a Battle.net or EA ID) to save your stats.
• Check Input-Based Matchmaking: If one of you prefers a controller and the other wants a keyboard, some games will force you into PC-only lobbies where the competition is much harder.
• Test the Mic: Cross-platform in-game chat is notoriously buggy. Most squads have given up on game chat and just use the Discord app, which is now natively supported on both PS5 and Xbox. Link your accounts and use a Discord voice channel for much better audio quality.