How cross-play works, and how to link your accounts
Checked 19 October 2026
In most big games, cross-play works through an account from the game’s publisher.
You link it to your PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo or PC account.
Cross-play lets players on different systems join the same match, for example PS5 with Xbox or PC.
Cross-play and cross-progression are different
One is about playing together, the other about keeping your progress.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Cross-play | Playing together across systems |
| Cross-progression | Your level, unlocks and items follow you to another system |
Not every cross-play game offers cross-progression, and some only share part of your progress.
The accounts most games use
Each big publisher has its own account.
| Account | Games |
|---|---|
| Epic Games account | Fortnite, Rocket League, Fall Guys |
| Activision account | Call of Duty |
| EA account | EA Sports FC, Battlefield, Apex Legends |
| Ubisoft account | Most Ubisoft games |
| Microsoft account | Minecraft (Bedrock), many Xbox Game Studios games |
Steps
Follow these in order.
- Sign in to the publisher account inside the game on your first system; it usually asks the first time you start.
- On the publisher’s website, open account settings and link each system you play on.
- Turn on cross-play in the game’s settings, because some games have it off by default.
- On Xbox, also allow cross-network play in Settings, Account, Privacy and online safety, or the game cannot match you with other systems.
- Add your friends by their publisher account name, not their console name.
Each system can usually be linked to only one publisher account, and unlinking can be limited, so pick the account you will keep before you link.