Risk of Rain 2 crossplay in 2026: Steam and Epic can play together, consoles can't, no cross-save. Full platform matrix and cross-store co-op setup.
Risk of Rain 2 Crossplay Guide — Is It Cross Platform in 2026?
One-line answer: Risk of Rain 2's crossplay only exists inside the PC ecosystem — Steam and Epic Games Store players can join each other, but no console talks to another console, PC never matches a console, and there's no cross-save or cross-progression.
This contradicts a lot of older guides — early coverage claimed "Xbox and PS players can connect," which was never true. When Hopoo hooked the PC version into Epic Online Services in late 2024, the officially confirmed cross-platform scope was Steam↔Epic, full stop. This guide gives you the accurate 2026 platform matrix, the Steam/Epic setup steps, and the real situation for console players (especially Gen 8 owners).
Official resources: Steam store page · IGN game page · Wikipedia · IGN Wiki
The Full Crossplay Matrix (2026)
| Platform pair | Can they play together? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Steam ↔ Epic (PC) | ✅ Yes | Requires enabling Crossplay (EOS) in settings |
| Steam ↔ Steam | ✅ Yes | Native |
| Epic ↔ Epic | ✅ Yes | Native |
| PS4 ↔ PS5 | ✅ For now | Cross-gen, but Gearbox has announced it's being cut (below) |
| Xbox One ↔ Series X/S | ✅ For now | Same story — cut at the next console update |
| PS ↔ Xbox | ❌ No | Console ecosystems are fully separate |
| Any console ↔ Switch | ❌ No | Switch is completely isolated |
| PC ↔ any console | ❌ No | PC and console are two worlds |
| Cross-save / cross-progress | ❌ No | Every platform's progress is independent, no official sync |
Plenty of 2023-2024 articles claim Xbox and PlayStation players can cross-platform together. They're wrong. Steam community and store page discussions kept confirming through 2025: console versions have no cross-brand matchmaking — only PC's Steam↔Epic cross-store play exists (see this Steam discussion thread).
Steam and Epic: Setting Up Cross-Store Co-op on PC
In late 2024 (during the Seekers of the Storm update window), the PC version integrated Epic Online Services, letting Steam and Epic players join each other. Setup:
- Launch the game from Steam (or Epic), open Options
- Find the Crossplay toggle and turn it on
- Follow the prompt to link an Epic account (Steam players need to register/sign into an Epic account)
- Back at the main menu → Play, and use a lobby code or the in-game invite to pull friends in
The Crossplay toggle is two-way: you can only join each other when both players have it on. If a friend can't get in, the first thing to check is both sides' Crossplay settings.
The Console Ecosystem: PS and Xbox Reality
Console is more complicated than PC, and 2025 changed things materially:
- Cross-gen status: PS4 and PS5 players can currently match (both run the same PS4 build), and so can Xbox One and Series X/S — that's "cross-generation," not "cross-platform"
- Cross-brand: PS players cannot match Xbox players, and neither can match Switch
- Gen 8 end of support (important): per the 2K official support page, Gearbox will no longer ship future content for Xbox One, PS4 and Switch (Gen 8) — November 2025's Alloyed Collective was the last DLC for those machines (Switch got it February 5, 2026, see the DLC guide). Cross-gen matchmaking (PS4↔PS5, Xbox One↔Series) gets cut at the next console update too — Gearbox has said it will only maintain PC, PS5 and Xbox Series S/X going forward
So if you're on PS4 or Xbox One, the cross-gen games with your friends on newer hardware are on a countdown. Full platform breakdown in our platforms guide.
Cross-Save / Cross-Progression: No, Almost Completely No
- Steam and Epic: unlocks and achievements are fully independent
- Between consoles: no official cross-save exists anywhere
- The one exception: PS4 → PS5 supports a one-time one-way import (moves your local save to the PS5 version), with no write-back
Every platform is a separate progress copy. Full unlocks mean redoing challenges; Steam and Epic saves can be manually copied (community-unsupported, corruption risk), and consoles have no such option at all.
Buying Advice: Decide Who You're Playing With First
(Character unlocks and item progress are independent per player in co-op — see the characters guide)
| Who you want to play with | What to buy |
|---|---|
| PC friends (Steam or Epic) | The PC version (either store, then enable Crossplay) |
| PS friends | PS4/PS5 version (matches within its own ecosystem) |
| Xbox friends | Xbox version (matches within its own ecosystem) |
| Switch friends | Switch version (Switch only) |
| A PC + console mix | Not possible — everyone goes PC, or everyone picks one console ecosystem |
Will Full Cross-Platform Play Ever Arrive?
The official line is clear: no plans. Two reasons: patch cadence differs across platforms (PC updates usually lead consoles by weeks, which would desync versions in crossplay), and the console lineup itself is narrowing after the Gen 8 cutoff. Don't wait for PC↔console matchmaking — pick your platform once, using the table above, and move on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Risk of Rain 2 cross platform?
Only within PC: Steam ↔ Epic. Consoles don't interconnect, and PC never matches a console.
Can PS4 and PS5 players play together?
Currently yes (cross-gen), but Gearbox has announced that Gen 8 gets no more content and cross-gen matchmaking gets cut at the next console update.
Does Risk of Rain 2 have cross-save?
No. The only exception is a one-time one-way PS4 → PS5 save import.
Can Steam and Epic players play together?
Yes. Both enable Crossplay in settings and link an Epic account, then join via lobby code or invite.
Can Switch players match other platforms?
No. Switch only matches Switch — it's the most isolated ecosystem of the lot.
Do console and PC progress carry over?
No. Unlocks, achievements and saves are completely independent per platform.
Related Guides
- Risk of Rain 2 Beginner's Guide — Items, Loops, Multiplayer & Unlocks
- Risk of Rain 2 DLC Guide — Seekers of the Storm, Survivors of the Void & Alloyed Collective
- Risk of Rain 2 Characters Guide — All Survivors, Unlocks & the Best Picks
- Risk of Rain 2 Items & Bosses Guide — The Best Items, Endgame Bosses & Looping
- Risk of Rain 2 Stages & Maps Guide — Every Environment in Order
Last updated: August 12, 2026.