You’re standing in front of a literal mountain of grime. It’s a Ferris wheel, or maybe a filthy Mars Rover, and honestly, the thought of cleaning every square inch of this thing by yourself feels less like a relaxing Sunday and more like a full-time job. You want help. You want your friends to jump in, nozzles firing, soap spraying everywhere. But then the anxiety hits: one of them is on a PlayStation 5, you’re on a PC, and your other buddy is clutching a Nintendo Switch.
Is PowerWash Simulator crossplay?
Yes. Well, mostly. It depends on where you bought the game and what plastic box is sitting under your TV.
The truth is that cross-platform support in PowerWash Simulator is a bit of a patchwork quilt. It isn't a universal "everyone plays with everyone" utopia like Fortnite or Call of Duty. If you're trying to figure out if you can join a specific lobby tonight, you need to know the specific rules developer FuturLab set up, because they aren't exactly intuitive.
The PC and Xbox Connection: The Easiest Way to Play
If you are playing on an Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or a PC, you're in the best possible position. These versions of the game are basically best friends. Because the game is part of the Xbox ecosystem (and frequently sits on Game Pass), Microsoft has made it incredibly simple for these players to link up.
If you bought the game on the Windows Store or you're playing via PC Game Pass, you can invite your friend who is playing on an Xbox console without jumping through any hoops. It just works.
What about Steam? This is where people usually get confused. Steam players can play with Xbox console players and Windows PC players. However, there is a tiny catch. You have to enable the crossplay toggle in the game's settings. Once that is flipped on, the barriers fall away.
Think of the PC and Xbox community as one big, happy, pressurized family. You can have up to six players in a Free Play room, or two players tackling the Career Mode together. It’s seamless. It’s easy. It’s how the game was meant to be played.
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The PlayStation and Nintendo Switch Problem
Now we get to the "it's complicated" part of the relationship.
If you are on a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5, you can play with other PlayStation users. That’s it. You are on an island. There is currently no crossplay between PlayStation and Xbox, or PlayStation and PC, or PlayStation and Switch.
It's a bummer.
The Nintendo Switch is in the exact same boat. Switch users can play with other Switch users, but they cannot join their friends on any other platform. This isn't necessarily a technical impossibility—other games do it—but for a smaller studio like FuturLab, the hurdles of Sony and Nintendo's networking requirements often make full, universal crossplay a massive headache to implement and maintain.
Why isn't every platform connected?
You might be wondering why a game about washing dirt off a van is so restrictive. Usually, it comes down to "version parity."
For crossplay to work, every single person in the lobby needs to be running the exact same version of the game. If the PC version gets a hotfix for a bug on Tuesday, but the PlayStation patch is delayed until Thursday because of Sony’s certification process, crossplay breaks.
Maintaining a synchronized update schedule across four different manufacturers (Microsoft, Valve, Sony, Nintendo) is a logistical nightmare. For a game that relies on physics-based water droplets and precise "dirt percentage" tracking, even a tiny discrepancy between versions could cause the whole session to crash.
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How to Set Up a Crossplay Session (Step-by-Step)
If you are in the lucky group (Xbox and PC), here is exactly how you get it running. Don't just look for an "invite" button in your friends list; it’s a bit more specific than that.
- Host the Session: One person needs to start the level. Once you're in the level, pause the game.
- Toggle Crossplay: Look at the top right of the pause menu. There is a "Crossplay" toggle. Make sure it says On.
- Open the Lobby: Change the room type to "Friends Only" or "Public."
- The Room Code: This is the secret sauce. The host will see a unique Room Code (usually a string of letters and numbers).
- Joining: The friend who wants to join needs to go to the "Join a Co-op Game" menu from the main screen and select "Join via Room Code."
Type it in, hit join, and you should see their character pop into existence wearing that iconic yellow suit.
A Note on Career Mode vs. Free Play
You can’t just bring five friends into the main story. Career Mode is strictly limited to two players. One host, one helper. If you want the full six-person chaos, you have to go into the "Free Play" or "Special Specials" sections.
Also, keep in mind that only the host earns career progression. If you spend four hours helping your friend wash the Mayor’s Mansion, your own mansion will still be dirty when you go back to your single-player save. You do get to keep the money you earned for the work, though, which you can spend on better nozzles and stronger soap back in your own game.
Common Connection Issues and How to Fix Them
Sometimes the Room Code just... doesn't work. It's frustrating. You type it in three times, and it gives you a generic "Connection Failed" error.
First, check your NAT type. If your router is set to "Strict," you’re going to have a hard time connecting to anyone. Ideally, you want an "Open" or "Type 1/2" NAT.
Second, check for updates. If your friend hasn't closed their game in three days, they might be running an older version. Both of you should restart the game entirely to force an update check.
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Lastly, try changing who is hosting. Sometimes the handshake between a PC and an Xbox is finicky, and simply letting the Xbox player host the room instead of the PC player (or vice versa) fixes the handshake error immediately.
The Future: Will PlayStation and Switch Ever Join the Party?
FuturLab has been pretty quiet about expanding crossplay further. While they frequently release new DLC—like the SpongeBob SquarePants or Back to the Future packs—the core networking architecture hasn't seen a massive overhaul.
Is it possible? Sure. Is it likely? Don't hold your breath.
Unless there is a major announcement regarding a "Version 2.0" or a massive engine update, the current silos will likely remain. If you're buying the game specifically to play with a friend, make sure you both buy it on the same ecosystem unless you’re both in the PC/Xbox loop.
Actionable Next Steps for PowerWashers
If you're ready to dive in with friends, here is your checklist to ensure you don't waste twenty minutes staring at a loading screen:
- Confirm Platform Compatibility: Only proceed if you are both on PC/Xbox, or both on PlayStation, or both on Switch.
- Enable Crossplay in Settings: This is the number one reason people can't find their friends. It must be turned on manually for Steam users.
- Use Room Codes: Steam invites and Xbox invites can be flaky. The Room Code system is the most robust way to connect.
- Communicate the Goal: Since only the host gets Career credit, decide beforehand whose "world" you are going to clean.
- Check Your Gear: If you’re joining a high-level Career mission but you only have the starting power washer, you’re going to have a bad time. Use the money you've earned to buy the Prime Vista 3000 or 1500 before joining a tough job.
PowerWash Simulator is one of those rare games that actually becomes more relaxing when you add more people. There’s something deeply satisfying about watching a muddy floor turn sparkling clean while chatting about your day. Just make sure you’re on the right platform before you start dreaming of that 0% dirt notification.