Is Baldur's Gate 3 Cross-Platform? Crossplay Explained - Game Scout
Is Baldur's Gate 3 cross-platform?
Yes. Since Patch 8, released on April 15, 2025, Baldur's Gate 3 supports full cross-platform play across PC, Mac, PS5, and Xbox Series X and S. A friend on a PS5 can share a party with someone on PC or Xbox, which was not possible for the first year and a half the game was out. If a guide tells you crossplay is missing, it predates Patch 8.
The one requirement is a free Larian account, which links your platforms and handles the friend list through what Larian calls the Larian Network. Our catalogue lists the game's online party at up to four players, and that cap holds whether everyone is on the same system or spread across three of them.
How Baldur's Gate 3 crossplay works
Crossplay runs through the multiplayer menu rather than a platform invite. You open the multiplayer options, switch on cross-play, and invite friends by their Larian username instead of their PlayStation or Xbox handle. Up to four of you then share one campaign, each steering your own character through the Forgotten Realms, splitting the party to chase separate quests or regrouping for a fight.
One practical catch worth knowing before you start: mods have to match across the party for cross-play to stay stable. Patch 8 shipped alongside official mod support, so if one player is running community content, everyone in a crossplay session needs the same setup. For a straight vanilla campaign there is nothing extra to manage.
Cross-save and cross-progression
Cross-save is the other half of what Patch 8 unlocked, and it is the part that matters if you switch hardware. Turn on cross-save in the settings, link each platform copy to the same Larian account, and your most recent save files sync to the cloud. A campaign you began on PS5 can be picked up on PC, and the reverse, without restarting.
This is genuinely useful for a game this long. Player reviews consistently single out the replayability and the freedom to shape a run, and cross-progression means one of those hundred-hour saves is no longer trapped on the console you first booted it on. Log into your Larian account on another platform and the file follows you.
Split-screen and local co-op on PS5
Crossplay is the online story, but Baldur's Gate 3 also runs local co-op. Our catalogue lists split-screen for two players on a single PS5, so two people can share one console and one screen through the whole campaign, no second copy needed. That local pair can also join two more players online, filling out the four-player party.
As with most online play on PlayStation, the online mode expects an active PlayStation Plus membership; the local split-screen does not. If your co-op partner is on the couch next to you, that is the simplest way in, and it sidesteps the crossplay setup entirely.
Other cross-platform co-op games to play together
Baldur's Gate 3 asks a lot: everyone in the party needs their own copy and the time for a campaign that player reviews describe as a marathon. If your group wants crossplay co-op with a lower barrier, two other games in our catalogue support playing across platforms, and both are built for a group from the ground up rather than bolting co-op onto a solo story. The table lines up their reach against Baldur's Gate 3; the write-ups below go deeper.
Cross-platform co-op at a glance
| Game | Cross-platform play | Online co-op | PlayStation access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baldur's Gate 3 | Yes, PC, Mac, PS5, Xbox (since Patch 8) | Up to 4 | Buy on PS5 |
| No Man's Sky | Yes, PS, Xbox, PC, Switch | Up to 4 | Buy on PS5 and PS4 |
| Sea of Thieves | Yes, PS5, Xbox, PC | Up to 4 | Buy on PS5 |
Featured Baldur's Gate 3 cross-platform
Baldur's Gate 3
The game everyone is asking about, and the answer is now yes. Baldur's Gate 3 is Larian's Dungeons and Dragons RPG and 2023's most decorated game, and since Patch 8 its four-player co-op reaches across PC, Mac, PS5, and Xbox through a free Larian account, with cross-save on top. Review after review comes back to the same thing: the writing and the cast are the reason to play, and they hold up whether you run the campaign solo or share it.
Key Features
- Full crossplay across PC, Mac, PS5, and Xbox Series X and S, added in Patch 8 (April 2025)
- Cross-save syncs your campaign to the cloud so a run can move between platforms
- Online party of up to four; split-screen co-op for two on one PS5
- A free Larian account links platforms and handles the friend list
- Reviews single out the storytelling, companions, and replayability; the common gripe is fiddly combat and inventory
Gameplay Video
Baldur's Gate 3 - Before You Buy
No Man's Sky
The widest crossplay net of the three. No Man's Sky lets PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Switch players explore and build in one shared galaxy, so a friend on any system can land on your planet. Its reviews stay divided on how deep the core loop runs, but they agree on the beautiful atmosphere and the years of free updates that turned a rough 2016 launch into a much fuller game.
Key Features
- Full crossplay across PS5, PS4, Xbox, PC, and Switch
- Online co-op party of up to four inside a shared instance
- Beautiful, atmospheric space exploration players single out in reviews
- Years of free updates; the recurring complaint is repetition in the core loop
Gameplay Video
No Man's Sky in 2025 Is A COMPLETELY Different Game
Sea of Thieves
The crossplay co-op adventure with the most personality. Sea of Thieves puts a crew of up to four on one shared pirate ship across PS5, Xbox, and PC, and the reviews light up whenever friends are aboard. The same reviews flag toxic run-ins with rival crews and thin solo play, so this is a game to bring people to, not to sail alone.
Key Features
- Cross-platform play across PS5, Xbox, and PC
- Crews of up to four sharing one ship, with the whole game built around the group
- Reviews praise the world and chaotic co-op; the complaint is player toxicity and thin solo content
- Arrived on PS5 in 2024 after years as an Xbox and PC title
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Baldur's Gate 3 cross-platform?
- Yes. Since Patch 8 in April 2025, Baldur's Gate 3 supports full crossplay across PC, Mac, PS5, and Xbox Series X and S. It was not cross-platform at launch, so older guides that say no are out of date. A free Larian account is required to use it.
- Can PS5 and PC players play Baldur's Gate 3 together?
- Yes. A PS5 player and a PC player can share the same four-player campaign once cross-play is enabled and both are signed in to a Larian account. Xbox and Mac players can join the same party as well.
- Does Baldur's Gate 3 have cross-save and cross-progression?
- Yes. Turn on cross-save, link each platform to the same Larian account, and your recent save files sync to the cloud. A campaign started on PS5 can continue on PC or Xbox without restarting.
- Was Baldur's Gate 3 crossplay at launch?
- No. Crossplay and cross-save were added later, in Patch 8 on April 15, 2025, roughly a year and a half after the PS5 release. For the first year and a half, co-op was locked to players on the same platform.
- Is Baldur's Gate 3 split-screen co-op on PS5?
- Yes. Our catalogue lists split-screen for two players on a single PS5, sharing one console and one screen through the campaign. Those two can also join two more players online for a full party of four.
- How many players is Baldur's Gate 3 co-op?
- Up to four players online, and two in local split-screen on one PS5. The four-player cap is the same whether everyone is on one platform or spread across PC, PS5, and Xbox through crossplay.