How to Find Games Everyone Can Play on Different Platforms

The platform problem nobody talks about

You've probably been there. Someone in the group chat drops a game suggestion. Looks great. You Google it, check the trailer, everyone's getting excited. Then someone asks the question.

"Wait, is it on PS5?"

And just like that, the conversation stalls. Half the group is on PC, one person has an Xbox, and your mate who only has a Switch is already typing "never mind, I can't play that."

This happens constantly. Gaming groups rarely have everyone on the same platform. Mixed-platform friend groups are the norm now, not the exception. But most of the time, picking a game still involves manually checking each suggestion against everyone's hardware and hoping crossplay actually works.

Here's how to skip all of that.

Step 1: Know what platforms your group actually has

Before you even start looking at games, get a clear picture of who has what. This sounds obvious but most groups have a vague idea at best.

Make a quick list:

• Who has PC (Steam, Epic, etc.)
• Who has PS5
• Who has Xbox (Series X/S)
• Who has Nintendo Switch

Some people have multiple platforms. That matters because it gives you more overlap. If someone has both PC and Xbox, they can join either pool.

Once you know the platform mix, you know which crossplay combinations you need to check. A group with 2 PC players and 2 PS5 players only needs games that support PC-to-PS5 crossplay. A group with all four platforms needs games that support crossplay across all of them (much rarer).

Step 2: Understand how crossplay actually works

Crossplay isn't a simple yes or no. There are three levels:

Full crossplay means everyone can play together regardless of platform. PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch players are all in the same lobbies. Games like Fortnite and Rocket League do this well. Partial crossplay means some combinations work but not others. A game might support PC-to-PlayStation crossplay but not include Xbox or Switch. Or it might allow crossplay in co-op modes but not competitive modes. No crossplay means each platform is its own island. You can only play with people on the same hardware.

The tricky part is that most game store pages don't clearly spell this out. They might say "crossplay supported" without specifying which platform pairs actually work. That's where you end up on Reddit threads from 2023 trying to figure out if the information is still current.

Step 3: Use the right tools

There are a few ways to check crossplay compatibility:

Crossplay databases

Sites like crossplaygames.com maintain lists of games with crossplay support. You can filter by platform pair and see what's available. These are useful for quick lookups.

The limitation is that they're reference databases. You can check one game at a time, but they don't help your group decide together.

Game-specific wikis and forums

For individual games, the community wiki or subreddit usually has current crossplay information. This is the most reliable source for specific questions like "does game X support crossplay between PS5 and PC in co-op mode?"

The downside is it's slow. Checking 10 potential games one at a time across Reddit and wikis takes forever.

Group decision tools

PickThe.Games takes a different approach. Instead of checking games one at a time, your whole group joins a board. Everyone picks their platforms, then swipes through games. The app already knows which games are on which platforms and which crossplay combinations are supported.

After everyone swipes, it ranks games by group compatibility. You see which games everyone voted yes on, which platforms everyone has, and whether crossplay works between your specific combination. The answer just appears without anyone having to Google anything.

Step 4: Filter by what matters

Once you have a way to check compatibility, narrow down the options:

Player count

If you've got 6 people, a game that maxes out at 4 players online won't work. Check the maximum online player count before getting excited about a title.

Game type

Does your group want co-op or competitive? A survival game like Valheim hits different than a battle royale like Apex Legends. Some groups want to work together, others want to fight each other.

Price

If you're suggesting a $60 game to five people, that's $300 the group is spending on a bet. Free-to-play games like Fortnite, Rocket League, Apex Legends, and Destiny 2 remove that barrier entirely. Everyone can download and try without anyone feeling pressured.

Check out free multiplayer games if budget is a factor.

Crossplay quality

Some games technically have crossplay but the experience isn't great. Input-based matchmaking (separating controller from keyboard/mouse players) matters in competitive games. Voice chat compatibility across platforms matters for co-op. Look for games where crossplay is a core feature, not an afterthought.

Step 5: Let the group decide together

The biggest mistake groups make is one person doing all the research and then presenting a shortlist. That person's taste dominates the decision, and everyone else just goes along with it.

A better approach is to let everyone vote independently. When people swipe through games on their own, they're more honest about what they actually want to play versus what they'll agree to because someone else is pushing for it.

The quiet person in your group who never speaks up in the chat? They might have strong opinions that never surface in a text conversation. Give them a way to vote and you'll discover games the group would never have considered.

Common crossplay combinations and what to expect

PC + PS5

The most common crossplay pairing. Most major multiplayer games released since 2020 support this. Strong options: Fortnite, Rocket League, Apex Legends, Call of Duty, Destiny 2, Minecraft.

Browse the full list: PC and PS5 crossplay games

PC + Xbox

Also well-supported, partly because Microsoft owns both platforms. Many Xbox games also launch on PC through Game Pass. Strong options: Halo Infinite, Sea of Thieves, Forza Horizon, Grounded.

Browse: PC and Xbox crossplay games

PS5 + Xbox

Less common than either platform's pairing with PC, but growing. Games that support all three (PC, PS5, Xbox) usually do this well. Notable: Fortnite, Rocket League, Overwatch 2.

Browse: PS5 and Xbox crossplay games

Anything + Nintendo Switch

The Switch is the hardest platform to include in crossplay. It has less processing power, which means some games that exist on Switch don't support crossplay with other platforms. When it works, it's usually for lighter titles: Fortnite, Minecraft, Rocket League, Among Us.

Browse: PC and Switch crossplay

The fastest way to find your next game

If you just want an answer without doing all this research manually:

1. Go to pickthe.games and create a board

2. Pick which platforms your group plays on

3. Share the link

4. Everyone swipes through games for 2-3 minutes

5. Check the results

The app handles the crossplay checking, platform filtering, and vote counting. You skip straight to the answer.

If you want to try the swiping without creating an account, the try mode lets you swipe through games anonymously.

Quick checklist

Before suggesting a game to your group:

• What platforms does everyone have?
• Does the game support crossplay between those specific platforms?
• Is crossplay full or partial? (co-op only? competitive only?)
• Does it support enough players for your group size?
• Is the price reasonable for everyone or is it free?
• Has anyone in the group already vetoed it?

If checking all that sounds like too much work, that's exactly why tools like PickThe.Games exist. Let the software do the legwork so your group can spend time playing, not planning.