If you’ve been dying to jump into Palworld’s chaotic blend of creature-collecting, base-building, and occasional Pal-powered factory construction with friends, you’ve probably wondered is Palworld cross platform PS5 and PC. It’s a super common question, especially since so many long-time players picked up the game on Steam first before the PS5 release rolled out. I’ve put over 250 hours into the game across both platforms, and tested crossplay with three separate friend groups, so I’ve got all the up-to-date details you need without the vague rumors you’ll find on random forum threads. You don’t want to have to buy a second copy just to team up with your crew, right? All info here is tested firsthand, no guesswork or outdated claims.
Is Palworld Cross Platform PS5 and PC: The Official Answer
Pocketpair, the developer of Palworld, confirmed full crossplay support between PS5 and PC (both Steam and Microsoft Store PC versions) when the PS5 port launched, and that support has been active ever since. That means if you own the game on PS5, you can play with any friend who owns it on PC, and vice versa, no extra steps required beyond a quick account link. I tested this the day the PS5 port came out with a group of 4 Steam friends, and it worked seamlessly right after I linked my account. You don’t need to purchase any additional DLC or pay extra fees to access crossplay between PS5 and PC, which is a nice change from a lot of other multiplayer games that lock crossplay behind premium subscriptions or paid upgrades. There was a short 2-day period right after launch where crossplay was disabled due to a patch mismatch, when PC got an update 12 hours before PS5, but that’s the only extended outage we’ve seen since launch.
How to Set Up Crossplay Between PS5 and PC in 3 Simple Steps
Setting up crossplay between the two platforms is way easier than you might think. I’ve walked multiple friends who barely touch their game settings before, and even they got it set up in less than 5 minutes. You don’t need any third-party apps or workarounds, just access to your game and your Pocketpair account details. Follow these three steps to get connected:
- First, link your Pocketpair account on both devices: on PS5, go to the in-game Settings > Account tab, then select Link Pocketpair ID, and follow the prompts to log in or create an account. On PC, open the same in-game settings menu to log into the exact same Pocketpair account you used on PS5. You only have to do this once per device, not every time you play.
- Second, make sure both you and your friend are running the latest game version: mismatched patches will block crossplay connections every time, so double-check for updates on both PS5 and PC before you try to join a lobby. Pocketpair rolls out patches for all platforms within 24 hours of each other, so you’ll rarely run into this issue unless you have game auto-updates disabled.
- Third, either send a friend request via the in-game Pocketpair friend list, not your platform’s native friend system. PSN friends and Steam friends won’t show up in your crossplay friend list, so you have to add each other using your unique Pocketpair ID, which you can find under the Account tab in settings.
Once you’ve added each other, you can join each other’s lobbies directly from the Pocketpair friend list, no invite codes needed unless you’re joining a private world. PS5 hosted worlds have a lower max player count of 8, while PC hosted worlds can support up to 32 players if you’re using a dedicated server, so if you’re planning a big group play session, have your PC friend host the world to fit more people. I usually host on my PC when we have 12 friends playing at once, and it works perfectly with a stable internet connection.
Limitations You Should Know Before Playing Cross-Platform
While crossplay works really well most of the time, there are a few limitations you should be aware of before you jump in, so you don’t end up frustrated. The biggest one is mod support. PC players can install all kinds of mods to change gameplay, add new Pals, or tweak graphics, but PS5 does not support user-created mods at all. If you’re a PC player who uses mods, you won’t be able to join a PS5-hosted world, and if you host a modded world on PC, no PS5 players will be able to join you, either. You’ll have to disable all your mods if you want to play cross-platform with PS5 friends.
Another big limitation is save transfer. Your character progress, Pals, and base progress are tied to the platform you first created them on, so you can't switch between PS5 and PC and pick up where you left off. I learned this the hard way when I tried to access my 100-hour Steam save on my PS5, only to find out I had to start all over again. It’s a bummer, but Pocketpair has said they have no plans to add cross-save support between PS5 and PC right now, so you’ll have to pick a main platform if you don’t want to split your progress.
Cosmetic items you purchase are also platform-locked, so if you buy a skin for your character on PS5, you won’t have access to it on PC, and vice versa. You also won’t be able to use any Steam Workshop content you bought on PC on your PS5 account, so keep that in mind before you spend money on in-game purchases.
Troubleshooting Common Crossplay Issues Between PS5 and PC
Even if you follow all the setup steps correctly, you might run into a few issues every now and then. I’ve run into almost all of these myself while playing with friends, so I’ve got fixes for the most common problems. The most frequent issue is not being able to see your friend’s lobby. 9 times out of 10, this is because one of you has crossplay disabled in your settings. Crossplay is enabled by default, but if you have a younger age-restricted account or you accidentally turned it off, you won’t be able to see cross-platform lobbies. Just go to Settings > Gameplay > Enable Crossplay and make sure the box is checked.
If you get a connection error mid-game, it’s almost always an issue with your NAT type. Open NAT type is required for stable crossplay connections, so adjust your router settings if you have a strict or moderate NAT. You can find guides for adjusting your NAT type for both PS5 and PC easily online, and it only takes a few minutes to fix. Another common issue is invites not coming through. A lot of people try to send invites via PSN or Steam, and those don’t work for crossplay. You have to send invites through the in-game Pocketpair friend list, that’s the only way cross-platform invites work.
If you’re playing on a shared PC or family shared PS5 account, you won't be able to access crossplay at all, as Pocketpair only supports primary accounts for cross-platform features. I had a friend who was using his brother’s PS5 account to play, and he couldn’t join any crossplay lobbies until he made his own primary account and bought the game for himself. If none of these fixes work, check the official Palworld social media accounts to see if there’s ongoing maintenance or a patch rollout. When patches roll out to PC first sometimes, so you’ll have to wait until the PS5 patch goes live before crossplay works again. That usually only takes a few hours, so it’s not a long wait.
At the end of the day, the answer to is Palworld cross platform PS5 and PC is a resounding yes, as long as you follow the simple setup steps and keep the limitations in mind. You don't have to miss out on raiding dungeons, breeding rare Pals, or building massive factories just because your friends play on a different device. Just remember to link your Pocketpair ID first, double check you’re both on the same patch, and you’ll be teaming up in no time. If you run into any snags, the fixes are almost always simple, so don’t stress if it takes a minute to get connected. It’s one of the best parts of Palworld that you can play with almost anyone, no matter what platform they prefer, and it works surprisingly well for a game that’s still getting constant updates.