Yes, Borderlands 3 has full crossplay in 2026. Developed by Gearbox Software and released in 2019, the game supports cross-platform play across PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Mac and PC (Steam and Epic Games). All platforms can play together. Crossplay is opt-in and requires a free SHiFT account.
Quick Overview
| Feature | Status |
|---|---|
| Crossplay | Yes (All Major Platforms) |
| PC + Console Play | Supported |
| PlayStation + Xbox Play Together | Supported |
| Cross-Progressions | Not Supported (Steam and Epic only) |
| Nintendo Switch | Not Supported |
Is Borderlands 3 Crossplay Between PC and Console?
Yes. Borderlands 3 supports crossplay across PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Mac, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, all powered by SHiFT Matchmaking.
PC players on both Steam and Epic Games Store can freely join sessions with console players once crossplay is enabled.
Is Borderlands 3 Cross-Platform Between PlayStation and Xbox?
Yes. You can party up with friends across Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 as long as crossplay is enabled via SHiFT.
PlayStation support came later than Xbox and PC. PlayStation crossplay was added on June 1, 2022, after the parties involved reached an agreement. PlayStation owners had previously been excluded from the feature.
Is Borderlands 3 Crossplay Between PC and PlayStation?
Yes. PC players on Steam or Epic can join PlayStation players without any restrictions, as long as both have crossplay enabled and a SHiFT Crossplay Display Name set up.
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Is Borderlands 3 Crossplay Between PC and Xbox?
Yes. Crossplay between Xbox, Steam, and Epic was the first wave of crossplay support added to the game, and has been stable since 2021.
How to Enable Crossplay in Borderlands 3?
Crossplay in Borderlands 3 isn’t automatic โ you have to opt in. After installing a recent update, the game displays a crossplay prompt. Choosing Enable generates a Crossplay Display Name, which must be unique (3โ16 characters, starting with a letter). Once crossplay is enabled, matchmaking uses SHiFT servers rather than platform-specific ones.
You can add friends and send invites through the Social menu using their SHiFT Display Name.
Is Cross-Progression Available?
No, not across different platform families. There is no way to transfer your character between any platforms except between Steam and Epic Games, which isn’t useful to most players. There’s no method for moving your character off of any console onto another.
You can, however, transfer loot between platforms using the in-game mail system via SHiFT, useful if you’re rebuilding a character on a new platform.
About Borderlands 3
Borderlands 3 is a first-person shooter RPG developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K Games. It released on September 13, 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Crossplay was not available at launch. The first crossplay update launched on June 24, 2021, bringing support across Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Mac, Stadia, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
PlayStation was deliberately excluded from that update. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford confirmed the publisher required them to remove crossplay support for PlayStation consoles before the update could pass certification.
Full crossplay including PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 arrived in a second update in June 2022, nearly a year after every other platform had the feature.
How Multiplayer Works in Borderlands 3?
Borderlands 3 is a co-op looter-shooter built around 4-player sessions. Here’s how the multiplayer actually functions:
Player Count:
Up to 4 players can play online co-op with full drop-in/drop-out support throughout the entire campaign. 2-player local split-screen is also available, and two split-screen players on one console can join two players on another console online, creating a 4-player mixed session.
Matchmaking:
Matchmaking pairs you with players near your level and main story mission progress. Someone significantly further ahead or behind in the story won’t match into your session.
Players must also be on the same playthrough mode โ those in True Vault Hunter Mode only match with other TVHM players.
Two co-op modes:
Cooperation mode scales enemies and loot to each player’s individual level, and loot drops are instanced, meaning each player gets their own unique drops. Co-opetition uses classic rules where enemies scale to the host’s level and loot drops are shared, so only one player can pick up each item.
Difficulty scaling:
When playing with multiple people, enemy difficulty scales up to match the party size, keeping the game challenging regardless of how many Vault Hunters are in a session.
No dedicated servers:
Borderlands 3 uses a peer-to-peer host model, not dedicated servers. The session host’s connection quality affects all players in the lobby โ worth keeping in mind when crossplay matchmaking pairs you with players from different regions.
Conclusion
So, does Borderlands 3 have crossplay?
Yes, but limited to supported platforms.
PC, Xbox, and PlayStation players can play together, but crossplay depends on game version and platform compatibility.
Full universal crossplay is not guaranteed for all systems.
Does Borderlands 3 have crossplay on Nintendo Switch?
No. Borderlands 3 is not available on Nintendo Switch and therefore has no Switch crossplay support.
Do I need PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass Core for crossplay?
Standard online service subscriptions (PlayStation Plus, Xbox Game Pass Core) are still required on their respective platforms, but no additional subscription is needed specifically for crossplay.
Can I turn crossplay off?
Yes. If you toggle crossplay off, matchmaking is restricted to players on your own platform.
Will Borderlands 4 have crossplay?
Yes, Borderlands 4 launches with full crossplay across PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 from day one, with cross-save and cross-progression planned for future updates.
