What does cross platform multiplayer mean on Steam?

Cross platform multiplayer on Steam refers to the ability of players using different video game hardware to play with each other simultaneously, allowing for a more inclusive and vibrant gaming community. This means that players on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and other platforms can join the same online servers and play together in real-time, breaking down the barriers between platforms and expanding the player pool.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

1. What is cross-platform play?: Cross-platform play is the ability to allow different gaming platforms to share the same online servers in a game, allowing players to join regardless of the platform they own.
2. What does cross-platform mean in gaming?: It’s a simple concept – games that are cross-platform basically allow players to connect with other players on different platforms, such as playing a game on an Xbox platform and connecting with someone playing the same game on a PlayStation platform.
3. What does cross-platform friends mean?: Cross-Play means that you can add friends who play on a different platform to your friends list and play together.

Steam-Specific Questions

4. How does multiplayer on Steam work?: To play multiplayer on Steam, launch your game, make sure your friend is logged in to Steam from a supported device, open your Steam Overlay in-game, and right-click your friend to select ‘Remote Play Together‘.
5. Can 2 people play on Steam at the same time?: No, a shared Steam library may only be accessed by one user at a time, and a Steam account may authorize Family Library Sharing on up to 5 accounts and on up to 10 devices in a 90-day period.
6. Can I play my Steam games on Xbox?: Yes, Nvidia’s GeForce Now service has been extended to Microsoft Edge browsers, which opens the door to Steam libraries being played through the cloud on Xbox.

Cross-Platform Play Questions

7. What is cross-platform with PC?: It is commonly applied to the ability for players using a game on a specific video game console to play alongside a player on a different hardware platform such as another console or a computer.
8. Why is cross-platform popular?: Cross-platform games are a revolutionary way to unite as many players as possible, allowing game developers to build huge online communities.
9. Can you turn off cross-platform?: Yes, you can turn off cross-platform play in Settings, under the Account And Privacy tab, by setting Allow Cross Platform Play to No.

Technical Questions

10. Does Crossplay affect connection?: While there may be some latency issues, the actual experience tends to be fairly consistent, especially if it’s between PlayStation and Xbox players.
11. How do I play games together on Steam?: To play games together on Steam, launch any of your games with support for Remote Play Together, invite anyone to play from your Friends List, and they can accept and join the game.
12. Why can’t I see shared games on Steam?: Check Steam Family Sharing settings to ensure that both accounts have enabled Family Sharing and that the shared library is visible to the other account.

Security and Account Questions

13. Is it against Steam rules to have 2 accounts?: Yes, you can access different Steam accounts from one computer, but you may only access one account at a time, and the accounts will share the core files for any games the accounts have in common.
14. Can I play Steam games offline?: Yes, Offline Mode allows you to play games through Steam without having an active connection to the Steam Network, but any Steam client feature that requires a connection will be unavailable while offline.
15. What is Steam guard?: The Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator is a feature of the Steam Mobile App that provides an additional level of security to your Steam account, generating a code that you need to enter every time that you log on to your Steam account.