Can You Play Fortnite With Just Xbox Players? A Deep Dive into Crossplay Options

Yes, you can tailor your Fortnite experience to primarily play with just Xbox players, but it’s not a straightforward ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. While Fortnite inherently supports cross-platform play, allowing you to connect with friends on PlayStation, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile, you have options to limit your matchmaking pool, focusing more on the Xbox ecosystem. This article will unpack how you can achieve this and delve into the nuances of Fortnite’s crossplay functionality, along with answers to common questions.

Understanding Crossplay in Fortnite

Fortnite’s universal appeal is significantly boosted by its cross-platform compatibility. This feature enables players using different devices to join forces and compete, irrespective of their chosen gaming platform. However, this can lead to concerns about skill disparities or preference for specific input methods (controller vs. keyboard and mouse). Consequently, Epic Games has provided some level of control to manage these preferences.

The core premise is that, by default, Fortnite’s matchmaking algorithm seeks to put players into matches as quickly as possible, drawing from the widest possible player base, which means all platforms. However, if you wish to reduce your exposure to non-Xbox players, you will have to navigate through the game’s settings and your Xbox’s privacy configurations.

How to Limit Play to Primarily Xbox Players

The key to minimizing crossplay and favoring Xbox players involves a dual approach:

1. Fortnite’s In-Game Crossplay Setting:

   • Within Fortnite’s settings, navigate to the Account and Privacy tab.
   • Under Gameplay Privacy, you’ll find the Allow Cross Platform Play option.
   • Setting this to “No” disables crossplay within the game itself. This does not entirely remove the possibility of facing non-Xbox players, particularly if they’re playing in a mixed-platform squad, but it will prioritize Xbox players.

2. Xbox Console Privacy Settings:

   • On your Xbox console, go to Settings.
   • Navigate to Account, then click Privacy & online safety.
   • Select Xbox privacy then View details & customize.
   • Go to Communication & multiplayer.
   • Here, you will find the option labeled “You can join cross-network play”. Set this to “Block”.

By implementing both of these adjustments, you’ll significantly decrease the likelihood of encountering players from other platforms when playing solo or in Xbox-only squads. However, remember that if you team up with friends on other platforms, or if those friends are using mixed platform groups, you’ll be matched according to the crossplay settings of the group leader. Therefore, the experience will primarily consist of Xbox players only if the entire squad is composed of Xbox players and has their crossplay setting disabled.

Important Considerations

It’s vital to remember that even with these settings changed, you might still encounter some players on non-Xbox consoles. This is because the matchmaking system will sometimes prioritize match speed or the availability of players. If you are in a squad with players on other platforms, you will play with all servers regardless of these settings.

However, if your goal is to increase the number of Xbox only players you match with, these settings are a must.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Limiting Crossplay

Disabling crossplay has its pros and cons that you should consider:

Advantages:

• Familiar Input Methods: By primarily playing with other Xbox players, you’ll mostly be facing opponents using controllers. This can level the playing field, eliminating concerns about keyboard and mouse advantages.
• Reduced Concerns about Hacking: While not exclusively a PC problem, hacking tends to be more prevalent on the platform. By limiting crossplay, you could potentially reduce exposure to this.
• Community Preference: Some players simply prefer sticking with a consistent console community.

Disadvantages:

• Longer Matchmaking Times: By narrowing the pool of potential opponents, you could experience longer wait times before a match begins.
• Missed Opportunities: You might miss out on the chance to play with or against your friends using different platforms.
• Varied Playstyles: Although controllers are the most used input on Xbox, some Xbox players may use keyboard and mouse. You may be more used to the playstyles on consoles in general, however.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify Fortnite’s crossplay, matchmaking and related aspects:

1. Can I play Fortnite with PlayStation players if I’m on Xbox?

Yes, cross-platform play is enabled between Xbox and PlayStation consoles. You can team up with and compete against players from both consoles.

2. Can I play Fortnite with Nintendo Switch players on my Xbox?

Yes, Fortnite supports crossplay with Nintendo Switch as well.

3. Can PC players play with console players in Fortnite?

Yes, PC players can play with Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch players.

4. What happens if I turn off crossplay?

Turning off crossplay in both Fortnite’s settings and your Xbox’s privacy settings will limit, but not entirely eliminate, your matchmaking to other Xbox players, increasing the likelihood of matching with other Xbox players

5. Why is crossplay enabled by default in Fortnite?

Epic Games has enabled crossplay by default to allow players to easily play with friends on any platform and to improve the player base for matchmaking.

6. Can I disable crossplay temporarily?

Yes, you can enable and disable crossplay anytime through Fortnite’s in-game settings and your Xbox’s privacy settings. This is useful if you only want to play with players on other platforms every once in a while.

7. Is it possible to play with only Xbox players in Arena Mode?

Yes, just as with the regular Battle Royale game modes. You will need to use the recommended settings above to increase the likelihood of this.

8. Does turning off crossplay affect my skill-based matchmaking?

While turning off crossplay can change the pool of players available, the skill-based matchmaking is based on your performance history and remains generally unaffected.

9. Will I have to redownload Fortnite if I disable crossplay?

No, disabling crossplay does not require a redownload of Fortnite. These settings are toggles within the game and system settings.

10. Does input affect matchmaking when crossplay is enabled?

Yes, in general. The game uses input based matchmaking which means players using controllers are more likely to be matched with players using controllers, and players using a mouse and keyboard are more likely to be matched with players using a mouse and keyboard. This however isn’t perfect and you may be placed with players who use a different input type, even on the same platform.

11. Do I need Xbox Live Gold to play Fortnite?

No, you do not need an Xbox Live Gold subscription to play Fortnite.

12. Can I see what platform my teammates are using in-game?

Yes, there is a small icon beside the players’ names in the lobby and in game that indicates which platform they’re using.

13. Are there more PC players or console players on Fortnite?

Although statistics can change, there are more console players than PC players in Fortnite.

14. Does crossplay affect the performance of the game?

In general, crossplay does not significantly affect the performance of the game. However, issues such as lag and connection issues can occur regardless of crossplay settings.

15. How long does a typical Fortnite match last?

A typical Fortnite match lasts around 20-30 minutes. This can vary greatly depending on how long you live in the match and the skill level of players you encounter.

Conclusion

While Fortnite’s core experience is built around a cross-platform world, you do have the flexibility to prioritize Xbox players when playing solo or with friends, as described above. By adjusting both the in-game settings and your Xbox privacy settings, you can largely tailor your experience. Understanding these settings allows you to have more control over who you play with and ultimately improve your overall gaming experience. Experiment with these settings and discover the playstyle that suits you best!