You’ve finally convinced your friends to join you on Petrichor V. The teleporter is charging, hordes of Lemurians are closing in, and you’re ready to unleash chaos together—only to realize you’re on PC and they’re on PlayStation. Your run is dead before it even started.
In 2026, this scenario is still the painful reality for many Risk of Rain 2 players. While the game has become a beloved masterpiece of the roguelike genre, its multiplayer connectivity remains a complicated, and often frustrating, puzzle.
If you’re looking to team up with friends for a chaotic run, this guide covers everything you need to know about Risk of Rain 2 crossplay—who can play with whom, what’s changing soon, and how to actually get a lobby working without pulling your hair out.
Understanding the Crossplay Landscape
Before diving into the details, it’s essential to get the terminology right. Many players confuse crossplay, cross-save, and cross-platform, leading to unnecessary disappointment.
The current Risk of Rain 2 crossplay situation is often misunderstood because it isn’t a simple yes or no answer. The game offers crossplay only within specific ecosystems—not the unified, all-in-one experience players hope for.
How Crossplay Works in Risk of Rain 2
The PC Connection: Steam & Epic Games Store
The only fully functional, official Risk of Rain 2 crossplay exists on PC. In late 2024, crossplay was added between Steam and the Epic Games Store, allowing players from both platforms to join the same lobbies.
This feature is powered by Epic Online Services and is entirely opt-in. If you’re on Steam, you can toggle crossplay on or off in the game settings. Here’s how it works:
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Opt-In Required: Players with crossplay enabled and those without it cannot see each other. Everyone in the group must have the setting toggled on.
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Account Linking (Optional): You can link your Steam and Epic accounts in the Options menu. This makes it easier to invite friends across platforms.
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Lobby ID: If you don’t link accounts, you can still join friends using a Lobby ID code from an open public lobby.
This PC-only crossplay allows Steam users to play with Epic Games Store users.
Console Crossplay: The Walled Gardens
For console players, the news is less encouraging. There is no crossplay between PC and consoles, nor between different console families (e.g., PlayStation and Xbox). The game’s connectivity on consoles is “platform-specific.”
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PlayStation & Xbox: Players can only play with others on the same console family (PS4 with PS5; Xbox One with Xbox Series X/S).
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Nintendo Switch: Switch players can only match with other Switch users.
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PC ↔ Console: No connection exists; the PC build is on a different update cycle from consoles, making crossplay impossible.
The Major 2026 Change: Cross-Gen Play Removal
A significant announcement from 2K affects Risk of Rain 2 crossplay and console players dramatically. In January 2026, 2K announced that they would stop releasing future content for older generation consoles.
The decision directly impacts multiplayer:
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End of Cross-Gen Play: Once the next update for PlayStation and Xbox drops, cross-generational play will end. PS4 players will not be able to play with PS5 players, and Xbox One players will not be able to play with Xbox Series X/S players.
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Why This Matters: Currently, PS4 and PS5 players can play together. This ends with the next update.
This decision, while difficult, allows developers to push the game forward without being held back by older hardware limitations.
Cross-Save and Cross-Progression: A Fresh Start Every Time
On top of the crossplay limitations, Risk of Rain 2 offers no cross-save or cross-progression across platforms. If you unlock a character on Steam, you must earn it again on PlayStation or Xbox.
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The Only Exception: A one-way transfer from PS4 to PS5 exists but doesn’t sync back.
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Manual Workaround: On PC, you can manually copy local save files, but this is not supported and risks corruption.
How to Enable Crossplay on Steam (Step-by-Step)
Getting a crossplay lobby running between Steam and Epic is straightforward:
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Launch the Game and head to the Options menu.
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Check the Enable Crossplay box. A game restart is required for the change to take effect.
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Link Accounts: Optionally, select Link Account in the Options menu. A browser window will prompt you to sign in or create an Epic Games account.
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Invite: You can now invite friends using the Epic overlay or in-game lobby.
Remember: All players need the crossplay setting enabled.
Common Challenges & Solutions
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“I can’t see my friends on Steam!”: Check if all players have crossplay toggled on. If some have it off and some on, they won’t be visible to each other.
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“My Epic friend can’t join.”: If you’re on Steam with crossplay on, you can invite Epic friends. They should find the lobby using the Lobby ID or via the Epic overlay.
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“Should I buy the game on PC or Console?”: If you have friends on different platforms, always default to PC, as it is the only platform where crossplay exists between storefronts.
Pros and Cons of Risk of Rain 2’s Crossplay Approach
Pros
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PC Flexibility: Connecting Steam and Epic Games Store expands the player base on PC.
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Opt-In System: You can choose when to turn crossplay on or off, so you aren’t forced into PC lobbies if you prefer Steam-only.
Cons
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No PC-Console Crossplay: PC and console players cannot play together.
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No Console-Console Crossplay: PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch are isolated from each other.
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No Cross-Save: Every platform requires starting from scratch.
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Cross-Gen Play Ending Soon: PS4/Xbox One players will soon be left behind.
Future Trends and Predictions
The recent policy shift from 2K suggests a divided future. Full crossplay across all platforms is technically challenging due to update parity issues—consoles often lag behind PC. Without achieving version parity, seamless crossplay is unlikely.
Prediction: Full crossplay support will not be introduced. Developers are focused on developing future content without being hampered by older systems. The most likely outcome is that the PC crossplay ecosystem will remain stable, while the console communities will become divided.
Key Takeaways
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Risk of Rain 2 crossplay only exists between Steam and Epic Games Store on PC.
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There is no crossplay between PC and consoles, or between different console families.
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A major 2026 update will end cross-gen play (PS4/PS5 and Xbox One/Series X/S).
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Cross-save is not available, so progress is locked to your platform.
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The best way to play with friends is on PC.
Detailed FAQs
Q: Is Risk of Rain 2 cross-platform between PC and Xbox?
No. The PC and Xbox versions cannot connect due to different update cycles and technical limitations.
Q: Is Risk of Rain 2 crossplay between PC and PS4/PS5?
No. PC players cannot join PlayStation lobbies.
Q: Can Xbox and PlayStation players play together?
No. There is no crossplay between the Xbox and PlayStation ecosystems.
Q: Will PS4 and PS5 players ever be able to play together?
Currently, yes, but 2K has confirmed that this cross-gen play will end with the next console update. After that, PS4 players will be locked out of the PS5 ecosystem.
Q: How do I enable crossplay in Risk of Rain 2?
On PC, open the Options menu and toggle “Enable Crossplay” on. You must restart the game for the changes to take effect. This feature is not available on consoles.
Sources Used in This Article:
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2K Support Official Announcements
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Rec0deD:88 Crossplay Guide
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Eneba Hub Crossplay Guide
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Gamers Lists Crossplay Analysis
