Is Battlefield 1 Cross Platform?
When a new video game has a fantastic multiplayer mode that you’ll want to spend hours in with your friends, it can be frustrating when you’re all kept apart because you’re playing on different platforms.
For example, you might play on a PlayStation 4, while one friend might be a PC gamer, and another is using an Xbox One.
This is where cross-platform gaming comes in, which allows gamers to play with each other in the same games and matches, even if they’re all on different consoles.
Also known as “cross-play,” this can be a really handy feature for games and brings the multiplayer community closer.
Battlefield 1 offers a great multiplayer mode full of massive, destructive online battles. Naturally, it’s a trendy game among players, but is Battlefield 1 cross-platform?
We’ve got the answers! In our useful guide below, we’re going to look at whether Battlefield 1 is cross-platform. On top of that, we’ll look at what Battlefield 1’s multiplayer offers, what other Battlefield video games might be cross-platform, and more. Read on!
What Is Battlefield 1?
Although its name might suggest that it’s the first entry in the Battlefield video game series, Battlefield 1 is the tenth game from the franchise.
It carries a “1” in the title because the game is set in World War 1, with players using weapons and vehicles from the time and taking part in conflicts of this famous battle.
Like most other Battlefield games, Battlefield 1 was developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts. The series got its first release in 2002, but Battlefield 1 came out in 2016.
The game is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 (via backward compatibility), Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S (via backward compatibility).
Though it has a great single-player campaign, many players spend most of their time in the massive online multiplayer mode.
This mode offers 9 different maps to enjoy and 6 game modes to play, and matches can have as many as 64 players, allowing it to be large-scale war. Players can also buy various pieces of DLC, adding new maps and game modes.
During matches, players can either go it alone or join a small squad of other players, allowing them to work together and survive the battlefield much longer.
On top of that, each player gets to pick a class, which changes their play style and influences the weapons and items they have during the match.
As you can guess, this varied and large online multiplayer mode has been a big hit with gamers and continues to be popular today. As a result, you might wonder if Battlefield 1 is cross-platform.
It would be especially useful because squads would allow you to work closely with your friends during each match.
Is Battlefield 1 Cross Platform?
Unfortunately, however, Battlefield 1 is not cross-platform. If you’re playing on one of the Xbox consoles that it can be played on, and your friend is playing on PS4, PS5, or PC, then you won’t be able to jump into the battlefield with them.
Even years after its original release, the game still does not have cross-platform features. Worse still, since the series has moved on since then, with two new Battlefield games, it’s unlikely that the developers would go back and add the feature.
Why Isn’t Battlefield 1 Cross Platform?
While there is no definite answer for why Battlefield 1 does not offer cross-platform features, there are various reasons that it could be.
Controls
For one, each platform has its own controls. While the controls between PlayStation and Xbox are practically the same, with different names for the controller’s buttons, a player on PC will be using a keyboard with a completely different setup for the game.
This difference makes it difficult for the game to be played cross-platform.
Development Time
On top of that, it takes much more development time for the developers to implement cross-platform features. It isn’t as easy as flicking a switch, it’s a process that will take time, and the developers may not have had the time to do it.
Servers And Licenses
Additionally, there is the problem of servers. Online matches are played on servers, and different developers can maintain servers. This makes it difficult to connect them all and allows players to play cross-platform.
Add to that the problem of content licenses being different across each platform, and it’s even harder to get cross-platform play working.
Exclusive Content
Finally, you’ll also notice that platforms often get exclusive content and features for many games.
For example, PS4 might have an exclusive weapon. These exclusives make it even more difficult to have cross-platform features because you can’t have players from one platform using their exclusive content against players from another platform – it unbalances the game.
What Battlefield Games Are Cross-Platform?
Since Battlefield 1 is sadly not cross-platform, you might be wondering if any other entries in the video game series do offer cross-platform features. Since Battlefield 1, there have been two more Battlefield games: Battlefield V and Battlefield 2042.
Unfortunately, Battlefield V doesn’t offer cross-platform play, but Battlefield 2042 does! Gamers can play together no matter what platform they’re using – though PS4 and Xbox One have some gameplay and grouping restrictions.
Battlefield 2042 also offers a Portal mode where you can use old weapons. Although World War 1 weapons haven’t been added yet, it is a possibility, and it would allow you to (kind of) play Battlefield 1 cross-platform!
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, Battlefield 1 doesn’t offer cross-platform play, but Battlefield 2042 does.
