Far Cry 5 is the fifth main installment in Ubisoft’s popular Far Cry franchise. The open-world first-person shooter was released in 2018 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows.
With its expansive open world, co-op gameplay, and competitive multiplayer, many gamers wonder if Far Cry 5 supports crossplay between platforms.
What is Crossplay?
Crossplay refers to the ability of players on different gaming platforms to play together. For example, crossplay means someone on an Xbox One could squad up with a friend on PlayStation 4 for online multiplayer.
Crossplay breaks down the barriers between platforms, allowing gamers to play together regardless of what system they own. This brings together the player base and makes it easier to find online matches.
Crossplay support has become an increasingly popular feature as more multiplayer games launch across multiple platforms. Top titles like Rocket League, Call of Duty, and Fortnite all incorporate crossplay.
Does Far Cry 5 Have Crossplay Support?
Unfortunately, Far Cry 5 does not support crossplay between different platforms.
If you’re playing Far Cry 5 on Xbox One, you can only play cooperatively or competitively with other Xbox One players. The same goes for PlayStation 4 and PC.
There is no ability to group up with or against players on other platforms. The Far Cry 5 communities are segregated based on the system you play on.
This is a bit disappointing, as crossplay would have allowed friends to play together even if they owned different consoles. It also would have expanded the multiplayer matchmaking pools.
However, the lack of crossplay is not entirely surprising. Crossplay is still a relatively new concept and not all developers have implemented it yet. Plus, there are political and technical hurdles to overcome.
Why Doesn’t Far Cry 5 Have Crossplay?
There are a few reasons why Far Cry 5 does not support crossplay between platforms:
1. Developer Decision
First and foremost, crossplay is a choice made by the game’s developers at Ubisoft.
Enabling crossplay requires extra development time and resources to program the functionality into a game and maintain it post-launch.
Ubisoft likely evaluated the costs and benefits and decided to focus resources elsewhere for Far Cry 5. The co-op and PvP experiences were designed around platform-specific matchmaking.
However, public demand for crossplay is growing. It’s possible Ubisoft could add crossplay to future Far Cry titles now that it has become more of an industry standard.
2. Pushback from Platform Holders
Sony and Microsoft have historically been resistant to allowing crossplay between their consoles and competing platforms.
There are business incentives for platform holders to keep their ecosystems more closed off. Enabling crossplay means they lose control and exclusivity.
While this stance has softened over the years, there is still negotiating that has to happen between publishers and platform holders before crossplay can be greenlit.
3. Technical Limitations
There are also technical challenges involved with syncing up different platforms for a seamless crossplay experience.
For example, what if the Xbox One version of a game runs at 60 FPS but the PS4 version only runs at 30 FPS? This could create imbalances in competitive multiplayer.
Developers have to put additional effort into optimizing games to run consistently across all platforms that will be crossplay compatible.
Does Far Cry 5 Have Cross Progression and Account Linking?
Cross-progression takes crossplay a step further by allowing you to carry over progression and purchases between platforms through a linked account.
For example, with cross-progression, you could start playing Far Cry 5 on Xbox, then pick up where you left off on PC without losing anything.
Unfortunately, Far Cry 5 does not support cross-progression between platforms. Your saves, progression, and purchases are locked to the platform you played on.
You cannot link your Ubisoft account to transfer Far Cry 5 progress or purchases across platforms. Everything is isolated based on the system.
Again, this is likely due to technical limitations and Ubisoft’s design decisions when developing the game initially. Cross-progression was not as common of a feature back in 2018.
Is Far Cry 5 Crossplay on Xbox One and PC?
Crossplay between Xbox One and PC is a common question since Microsoft publishes both platforms. However, Far Cry 5 still does not support crossplay between Xbox One and PC.
Even for first-party Microsoft games, crossplay between Xbox and PC is not automatic. The developer has to explicitly enable crossplay support.
Far Cry 5 treats Xbox One and PC as completely separate ecosystems. Players on each platform stay separated in terms of co-op and competitive multiplayer.
Having Xbox/PC crossplay likely wasn’t a priority for Ubisoft when developing Far Cry 5. Resources were focused on making sure each version of the game worked well on individual platforms.
In the future, there is a possibility Ubisoft will add Xbox/PC crossplay since those platforms are tied more closely together. But as of now, it is not possible with Far Cry 5.
Is Far Cry 5 Crossplay on PS4 and PC?
Crossplay between PlayStation 4 and PC is another common question among fans. Unfortunately, Far Cry 5 is not crossplay compatible between PS4 and PC either.
Sony has been traditionally very restrictive when it comes to crossplay with competing platforms like Xbox and PC. So even if Ubisoft wanted to enable PS4/PC crossplay for Far Cry 5, there would have likely been obstacles on Sony’s end.
As mentioned previously, publishers have to get approval from the platform holders before enabling cross-play. In the past, PlayStation has not been as open to crossplay support.
The good news is Sony has become more receptive to crossplay in recent years. So it’s not out of the question for future Ubisoft games to have PS4/PC crossplay capabilities. But it is not available for Far Cry 5.
Is Far Cry 5 Crossplay on PS4 and Xbox One?
Out of all the potential crossplay combinations, PS4 and Xbox One crossplay for Far Cry 5 seems most likely on paper. However, despite sharing the console space, the two platforms still do not support crossplay in Far Cry 5.
Again, this comes back to Ubisoft’s original design decisions and getting approval from both Sony and Microsoft to support crossplay.
Based on statements from the platform holders, it seems Sony was more reluctant to allow crossplay during the time Far Cry 5 launched. This closed-off approach prevented PS4 and Xbox One users from playing together.
Now that Sony and Microsoft seem more open to crossplay, Ubisoft may explore enabling PS4/Xbox crossplay in future titles. But currently, it is not possible between PlayStation 4 and Xbox One for Far Cry 5.
Is Far Cry 5 Arcade Crossplay?
Far Cry 5 Arcade is the custom map creation mode in the game that allows users to build their own solo, co-op, and competitive multiplayer levels.
These custom maps can then be shared online for others to download and play. However, there is no crossplay support even within the Far Cry 5 Arcade mode.
Arcade crossplay would have allowed console gamers and PC gamers to play user-created maps together. But similar to the main campaign, Arcade keeps the communities segregated.
Maps made on PS4 can only be shared and played with other PS4 users. The same goes for Xbox One and PC. There is no mixing between platforms in the Arcade mode.
No clear reason was given by Ubisoft for the lack of Arcade crossplay. It likely just wasn’t a priority compared to getting the mode functioning smoothly on each individual system.
Does Far Cry New Dawn Have Crossplay?
Far Cry New Dawn is the standalone sequel to Far Cry 5, featuring a post-apocalyptic Hope County 17 years after a nuclear war.
Like Far Cry 5, Far Cry New Dawn does not support crossplay between any platforms. There is no ability to group up with or against players on other systems.
This was expected since New Dawn was built off the existing framework of Far Cry 5. The same technical limitations and design decisions carried over from the previous title.
Hopefully in future installments like Far Cry 6, Ubisoft will consider implementing full crossplay support now that the feature is more standard in the industry. But Far Cry New Dawn remained platform segregated like its predecessor.
What Games Have Far Cry 5 Crossplay?
Since Far Cry 5 itself does not have crossplay capabilities between any systems, there are no other games it can crossplay with.
The lack of crossplay applies solely to Far Cry 5’s cooperative campaign mode and competitive multiplayer offerings.
Some key things to remember:
- You cannot play co-op or PvP crossplay between any platform such as PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
- There is no crossplay between the Xbox One and PC versions published by Microsoft.
- The custom user-created maps in Arcade mode are also restricted and do not support crossplay.
Hopefully in the future popular franchises like Far Cry will begin incorporating full crossplay support. But as of now, Far Cry 5 itself has no crossplay abilities with any other games or platforms.
Would Far Cry 5 Crossplay Be a Good Idea?
While the lack of crossplay in Far Cry 5 is disappointing for fans, there are arguments on both sides about whether it would be beneficial overall or not.
Potential Benefits
Enabling full crossplay could improve the experience in several ways:
- Friends could play together regardless of whether they own PS4, Xbox One, or PC.
- Matchmaking pools would be larger, reducing wait times and improving connections.
- The custom map community could share content with more players.
- Could extend the lifespan and replay value.
Potential Drawbacks
However, there are some downsides to consider with introducing crossplay:
- PC players could have an advantage over console players in PvP with unlocked frame rates and precision mouse/keyboard controls.
- Crossplay invites more potential for cheating and hacking that could ruin the experience.
- Platforms often get updates and patches at different times, which could cause syncing issues.
- If not implemented properly, could introduce more technical problems and instability.
Overall introducing crossplay support for Far Cry 5 has tradeoffs on both sides. While it sounds great on paper, the execution has challenges.
Ubisoft would need to evaluate if they can deliver a fair, stable, and safe crossplay environment before adding the feature to future releases.
The Future of Crossplay in Far Cry
Given the increased acceptance of crossplay from developers, publishers, and platform holders, it is very possible future Far Cry games could implement the functionality.
The technical hurdles are being worked out and the public expectation for crossplay is growing. Big franchises like Call of Duty and Fortnite have proven crossplay can work well and benefit the community when executed properly.
For upcoming titles like Far Cry 6, Ubisoft may start exploring true crossplay between consoles and PCs for the co-op campaign, arcade mode, and competitive multiplayer.
If they take the time to test crossplay extensively and implement strong anti-cheat systems, it could work well and take the franchise to the next level.
Crossplay for future Far Cry games isn’t guaranteed, but the door is certainly more open than it was when Far Cry 5 originally launched. Fans may finally get their wish for interoperability between platforms in the coming years.
Conclusion
While crossplay support would have some clear benefits for the community, Far Cry 5 unfortunately does not work across platforms.
You cannot play co-operatively or competitively with friends on other systems due to technical limitations and business decisions at the time of launch.
But now that crossplay has gained traction in the gaming industry, there is hope that future Far Cry titles will adopt the feature and connect the player bases across consoles and PCs.
For now, fans will have to wait and see if Ubisoft decides to implement full crossplay for the next mainline Far Cry game and deliver the interconnected experience players have been longing for.