Epic Games has introduced crossplay functionality for Fortnite Battle Royale on every platform the game is available. Fortnite’s crossplay system allows players to form squads with other players across various platforms, including PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Android and iOS. Crossplay is not a part of regular matchmaking in Fortnite, so enabling crossplay requires some extra know-how. This brief guide will explain how to enable cross-platform play in Fortnite and whether PS4, Xbox One, PC, and mobile users can crossplay with one another.
Crossplay is a great way to open up the player pool in Fortnite, as it allows players to squad up with friends on different platforms. However, crossplay isn’t a default feature of matchmaking in Fortnite, which means that in general, players are almost always going to get matched up with players on the same platform. This is to balance out the gameplay so that players won’t have to play cross-platform if they don’t want to. The feature is available for those who wish to deliberately opt into crossplay on Fortnite.
How to Play Cross-Platform in Fortnite
Crossplay is primarily a social feature in Fortnite, meaning that cross-platform matchmaking is only available for those who squad up with friends. Fortnite crossplay is limited to those you are friends with on your Epic account. You can’t just choose to queue up with random players on other platforms.
If you want to enable crossplay in Fortnite and start cross-playing with users on other platforms, first you will need to sign in to your Epic Games account, which you will already have if you play Fortnite on PC or mobile. If you play Fortnite on console, you will need to head over to the Epic Games website and register for an Epic Games account, then sync your account to the console accounts of your choice to carry over your progress. This can be done under the Connected Accounts section of your profile.
Once you have your Epic Games account set up, you’ll need to add friends to your Epic friend list (this is separate from your Xbox Live, PSN, or Switch friend lists). Console players will need to download the Epic Launcher on PC and add friends through that. PC and mobile versions of Fortnite utilize the Epic Launcher by default, so just add friends as you normally would.
Next, join Fortnite Battle Royale and enter the game lobby. Your Epic friend list is located in the upper right corner. Select the icon with the three silhouettes to view your friend list and see who is online. Friends that are online will also have an icon next to their username indicating what platform they are on, be it mobile or otherwise. From here, you can squad up with friends by joining their party or by inviting them to join you. You can also see in the upper corner what regional server you are queuing up for.
How to Know Which Platforms You’ll Crossplay With
When players team up for cross-platform matchmaking, certain platforms will be prioritized over others. Fortnite’s crossplay system works based on a platform hierarchy. PC is at the top of the hierarchy, then consoles, then mobile. This means that if you have someone in your squad who is playing on PC, then your whole squad will be pooled with PC users.
For example, if a player on PS4 or Xbox One teams up with an iOS player, then the squad will be added to a console pool rather than a mobile pool. The only way for your squad to be prioritized for a mobile matchmaking pool is if everyone in the squad is playing Fortnite on mobile devices.
Can PS4 Crossplay with Xbox One on Fortnite?
Sony has finally enabled cross-platform play for Fortnite on PS4 as of September 26. Extended Fortnite cross-play on PS4 is available in open beta while Sony conducts tests on cross-platform functionality. Now that Sony has joined in on cross-play for Fortnite, players can now team up with one another on all platforms. Player progression and purchases on a single account will carry over across platforms as well.
That’s it. Enabling crossplay and playing cross-platform in Fortnite is as simple as joining a party with your friends using your Epic Games accounts. For more Fortnite tips, head over to our Fortnite Battle Royale Guide Hub.
Published: Sep 26, 2018 07:50 pm