PlayerUnknown’s Battleground or PUBG is arguably the best battle royale and multiplayer first-person shooting game out there. Props for newer FPS titles like Apex Legends and Valorant to also make a mark in the genre, but nothing beats PUBG in our opinion. It’s so epic that many PUBG-style games are trying to emulate its success. If there’s one thing that sets it apart from other battle royale games, it’s the wide variety of cards, each requiring a different tactics and play style. This part is something you would want to experience on any gaming platform, which leads us to one question. Is PUBG crossplay compatible?

Before we answer that million dollar question, did you know that there are a myriad of games you can play with people on different platforms? These are the best cross-platform games for you to enjoy.

Is PUBG Crossplay or Cross-Platform?

PUBG battlefield
Photo by PUBG

We’re not going to beat around the bush and instead, we’ll answer the question right away. Yes, PUBG is crossplay compatible – giving players from different platforms the option to play together or against each other. However, this option has its limitations.

PUBG crossplay is only compatible with the console versions of the game, including Google Stadia. If you play on Xbox, PlayStation and Google Stadia, you should have no problem matching with the players on the mentioned platforms.

PUBG Mobile players, on the other hand, can only play with those who are also mobile, namely on Android or iOS. They cannot be compared to players on consoles and PCs.

Enable cross-platform play in PUBG

Enabling cross-platform play in PUBG on consoles couldn’t be easier as it will automatically prompt you to enable it when matchmaking takes too long. That said, you can manually enable cross-platform from scratch before finding a match.

PUBG Crossplay Settings
Screencap on PUBG Battleground

To enable cross-platform play in PUBG, go to the game’s settings and go to the Gameplay tab. Finally, toggle the switcher next to Cross Platform Play to enable it.

There are several ways to know when playing PUBG with players on a different platform. The easiest would be through the custom match lobbies. Here a small dot will appear next to your IGN depending on which platform you are on. Green is for Xbox, blue is for PlayStation and pink is for Google Stadia.

Playing PUBG with friends on consoles

The great thing about PUBG’s cross-platform compatibility is that it not only randomly matches you with players, but also allows you to party with your friends on other console platforms. If you’re friends with an Xbox player, but you’re on PlayStation, for example, you can still send each other invites to a match.

Sending Invitations in PUBG
Screencap on PUBG Battleground

You can invite a friend to a PUBG match from the game’s social screen. Under the Friends tab, you can add them if they are online and enter a matchmaking lobby together. Alternatively, you can use PUBG’s Team Finder feature to let your friends know that you’re looking for a team and ready to join a lobby.

Enable PUBG Cross-Platform Play between Android and iOS

You don’t need to do anything to play PUBG with players on Android and iOS as long as you’re mobile too. Android and iOS are automatically compared with or against each other.

If you want to squad up with your friends while playing PUBG Mobile, you can also add them to a match. However, make sure you are already friends with them before entering the matchmaking lobby. Here’s how to do that.

Add Friend in PUBG Mobile
Screen cap on PUBG Mobile
  1. Go to the main PUBG Mobile dashboard.
  2. Click on the Friends section under your username.
  3. On the friends screen, click the add friend icon and enter their username or player ID in the search bar.
  4. Tap the add friend icon on their profile to send a request. They will receive a friend request to approve.
  5. To invite a friend to a match, go to your friends list and click the plus icon next to their name. If they are free, you can enter the matchmaking pool together.

Download PUBG Mobile

Can Xbox play with PC on PUBG?

PUBG is not crossplay compatible between Xbox and PC. In other words, you cannot be compared to the players on Steam if you play on Xbox One, Series X and Series S. The reason for this is that the matchmaking on these platforms runs on independent servers. There will also be the concept of fair play. It is unfair to put PUBG Xbox and PC players in the same pool because of the different controls the game offers for each platform.

PUBG is also not compatible between PC and PS4/PS5 for the same reason.

Is PUBG Cross-Generational?

Yes – PUBG is cross-generational. Players on older consoles can play PUBG with those using the new ones. This means that PUBG players on PS4 and PS5 can participate in one match.

Is PUBG cross-progress?

Yes – PUBG is Cross-progression. You can take the progress of your game account, including cosmetics, when you move from the current generation to the next generation of consoles, for example from PS4 to PS5. You can also include your progress when moving PUBG from Android to a new mobile device. However, cross-progression does not apply when you need to transfer platforms, e.g. PS5 to Xbox. You have to create a new account and start over.

Conclusion

This is how crossplay works on PUBG. It may seem to have many limitations, especially that playing with players on consoles and PC sounds exciting. However, these restrictions ensure a level playing field for players. Of course, some platforms are more affordable than others in terms of ergonomics and controls. This is why full cross-play compatibility will be difficult to implement in PUBG.