Playing Games Across Platforms - Possibilities and Challenges

Introduction

While gaming on PC and the latest PlayStation 5 console both offer unique experiences, many players are interested in understanding their options for playing some of the same games across different systems. This post explores several popular titles and examines the technical and developer support needed to enable cross-platform functionality like cross-play and cross-saving between the PC and PS5.

Call of Duty

Long-running first person shooter franchise Call of Duty has supported cross-platform multiplayer matching between PC, Xbox, and PlayStation networks for several recent entries. However, players should note that account progress, purchases, and items are tied specifically to their platform account and cannot transfer between PC and console versions.

Fortnite

The free-to-play battle royale phenomenon Fortnite also allows cross-play across all systems. Unlike Call of Duty, Fortnite progression like purchased in-game items, seasonal battle pass rewards, and V-Bucks currency are connected to a player’s Epic Games account rather than individual platforms. This means that account data seamlessly carries over between playing on PC or a console.

Difficulties Transferring Between PC & PS5

While some games enable cross-play, the technical differences between PC and console make directly transferring save files or compatibility between the two platforms challenging without developer support. Games must be explicitly built with cross-platform functionality in mind to overcome these limitations.

Minecraft Java vs Bedrock Editions

Minecraft is a unique case with separate Java and Bedrock editions targeting different platforms. The Java edition for PC lacks compatibility with Bedrock on consoles like PS5 - meaning cross-play and transferring a world between versions is impossible due to technical incompatibilities between them.

Looking for Cross-Save Support

Unless a game actively advertises and implements cross-save functionality, players generally cannot expect to continue their progression seamlessly between PC and PS5 without any extra steps. Some developers may provide one-time tools for migrating a save, but a universal solution is still missing from the industry.

World Record Hardcore Minecraft Run

In 2021, Twitch streamer PH1LZA sadly lost his five year record for the longest YouTube hardcore Minecraft world after finally falling in battle against an infamous baby zombie mob. While the run highlighted the difficulties of playing for so long without death, it gained the streamer a huge online following from the famously intense streaming moment.

Conclusion

In summary, playing the same games across a PC and the latest PlayStation 5 is possible for some popular multiplayer titles that support features like cross-play. However, options for seamlessly continuing a single-player game or transferring progress between the platforms depends heavily on whether individual games are built with explicit cross-saving functionality and tools.

Takeaways for Gamers

Players hoping to experience their favorite games across PC and console should check support pages to verify if cross-platform play and saving are definitively enabled before expecting a completely seamless experience moving between the two. Functionality tends to be available for more popular multiplayer games but individual confirmation is required for each title of interest.