If you’ve ever been mid-exploration of a neon pink alien planet and wanted to bring your friend along who plays on a different console, you’ve probably asked: can you play No Man's Sky cross platform? I’ve tested crossplay across every major system over the last two years, from PC to Switch to PS5, so I’m breaking down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how to avoid the most common headaches that pop up when playing across devices. No Man's Sky has come a long way since its launch, and crossplay support is one of the most requested features the team finally rolled out to make exploring the shared universe easier for everyone.
Can You Play No Man's Sky Cross Platform Across All Device Types?
The short answer is yes, crossplay is fully supported for all official, up-to-date copies of No Man's Sky, regardless of what device you’re playing on. Hello Games rolled out full crossplay support back in 2022, and it has been updated regularly to fix bugs and add support for new hardware as it launches. Every platform that currently has an official, supported copy of No Man's Sky can play with every other supported platform, no extra purchases or upgrades required.
- PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG Galaxy, and Microsoft Store versions)
- PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, including both physical and digital copies
- Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox Game Pass subscribers on console and PC
- Nintendo Switch, both the original and OLED model versions of the game
How to Set Up a Cross-Platform No Man's Sky Lobby With Friends
The process of setting up a crossplay lobby is almost identical no matter what device you’re using, with only a few small platform-specific differences to keep in mind. First, you’ll need to create or log into a free Hello Games account, which is linked to your game copy when you first launch it. This account is what makes crossplay possible, as it lets you connect with players outside of your platform’s native friend list. You don’t need a paid online subscription to join crossplay lobbies if you’re playing on PC, but console players will need an active PS Plus, Xbox Live Gold, or Nintendo Switch Online membership to access multiplayer features, crossplay included. To start a lobby, load your save file, open the pause menu, and navigate to the Network tab. From there, you can set your lobby to public, friends only, or invite only, then send invites to friends either via their platform ID or their unique 16-digit Hello Games friend code. I prefer using the Hello Games friend code over platform IDs because it eliminates confusion if your friend has a different display name on their console vs their Hello Games account. If you want to join random players instead of friends, you can browse public crossplay lobbies directly from the Network menu, no friend add required. Cross-platform play works the same for both story missions and limited-time expeditions, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on exclusive content when playing with friends on other systems.
Common Cross-Platform No Man's Sky Issues (And How to Fix Them)
No crossplay feature is perfect, and I’ve run into my fair share of glitches when playing No Man's Sky across PC, PS5, and Switch over the years. If you’ve ever asked can you play No Man's Sky cross platform only to run into constant connection errors, these fixes will get you back in the game in minutes. Most issues are easy to fix without contacting support, as long as you know what to look for. The most common crossplay issue is mismatched game versions – if one player is on an older patch, they won’t be able to connect to anyone running the latest update. Double check that everyone in your group has installed all available game patches before trying to connect. Second, Switch players often run into performance drops when joining lobbies with players on high-end PCs or PS5s, since the Switch version has reduced graphical settings to run on the portable hardware. If you’re playing on Switch and keep getting kicked from crossplay lobbies, try turning off base sharing and multiplayer building in the Network menu to reduce the load on your system. If you keep getting “connection failed” errors, try restarting both your game and your router before troubleshooting further – I can’t tell you how many times this simple step has fixed crossplay issues for my friend group. If you can’t see crossplay friends at all, double check that you haven’t accidentally disabled crossplay in your account settings. Some console players turn off crossplay by default to avoid playing with mouse and keyboard users on PC, so it’s an easy setting to miss. Cross-save is only supported between PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch at this time, so PlayStation players are limited to keeping their saves on PS4/PS5 only, even if crossplay works perfectly across platforms.
Tips for a Smooth Cross-Platform No Man's Sky Playthrough
Now that you know crossplay works, there are a few small adjustments you can make to ensure your sessions are fun and glitch-free for everyone in your group, no matter what device they’re on. These tips come from hundreds of hours of crossplay sessions with friends across every supported platform, and they eliminate 99% of the most common frustrations with cross-platform play. First, if you’re playing with a mix of Switch players and high-end hardware users, avoid building overly complex bases with thousands of parts, as they’ll cause lag and even crashes for Switch players. Stick to smaller, functional builds if you’re exploring together with a Switch user in your group, or agree to build large bases in separate systems that Switch players don’t have to visit unless they want to. Use in-game voice chat instead of platform-specific voice chat if you’re playing across different systems – it’s integrated directly into the multiplayer menu, so you don’t have to set up a third-party call to talk to your friends. If you don’t want to use in-game chat, you can always use a universal app like Discord, but the in-game option is far more convenient for casual groups. If you’re doing a shared mission or expedition, make sure the host is on the most stable internet connection in your group. The host’s connection determines the stability of the entire lobby, so if someone has spotty mobile internet or a slow DSL line, they shouldn’t be the one hosting the session. I’ve had entire expedition runs get ruined because the host was on a weak Wi-Fi connection that kept cutting out, so it’s worth taking 30 seconds to confirm who has the best connection before you start playing.
At the end of the day, asking can you play No Man's Sky cross platform gets a resounding yes, and the feature works better than most other crossplay implementations for open world games. I’ve put hundreds of hours into crossplay sessions with friends across every supported device, and aside from a few small glitches here and there, it’s a seamless way to explore the universe with people no matter what system they own. The only real limitations are the lack of PlayStation cross-save and the occasional performance hit for Switch players, both of which are minor tradeoffs for the ability to play with anyone, anywhere. If you’ve been holding off on playing with friends because you thought crossplay wasn’t supported, now’s the perfect time to jump in and start exploring together.
