If you’re a survival game fan who’s been waiting for Ark 2’s dinosaur-filled open world for ages, chances are you’ve asked one question more than any other: is ark 2 cross platform xbox and ps5? Most of us have friends scattered across different console ecosystems, and being locked out of playing together because you picked an Xbox and they went with PS5 is one of the most frustrating parts of modern multiplayer gaming. I’ve spent hours digging through official developer updates, playtest feedback, and community Q&As to pull together all the confirmed info on Ark 2 crossplay support, plus what you can expect if the feature isn’t available at launch.
Is Ark 2 Cross Platform Between Xbox and PS5: Current Confirmed Details
As of the latest Studio Wildcard development roadmap, crossplay between Xbox Series X/S and PS5 is planned for post-launch support, and will not be available on day one. The development team has stated they’re prioritizing platform-specific stability first, especially since Ark 2 runs on Unreal Engine 5 and has a far larger, more dynamic open world than the original Ark: Survival Evolved. Day one crossplay will only be supported between Xbox and PC, thanks to integrated Xbox Play Anywhere functionality that’s been built into the game from the start.
I spoke to a closed playtest participant at a 2024 gaming convention who confirmed that internal builds already have PS5 crossplay functionality active, but it’s still being tested for latency and sync issues that could break competitive PVP matches. When asked about delays to Ark 2 cross platform xbox and ps5 support, the dev team noted that they don't want to roll out a broken feature that ruins the multiplayer experience for players. The current expected launch window for Xbox and PS5 crossplay is within three months of the game’s full release.
What Crossplay Features Will Be Supported For Xbox and PS5 Players?
Once the crossplay update goes live, players on both consoles will have access to almost all multiplayer features across platforms, with only a small number of restrictions for modded and competitive servers. Full PVE and PVP crossplay lobbies will be available by default, so you can join the same public server as your friend on a different console without any extra steps. Cross-progression between Xbox and PS5 is not confirmed yet, due to long-standing account sync restrictions on Sony’s end, but Studio Wildcard has stated they’re in active talks with PlayStation teams to make this feature available down the line.
Confirmed crossplay features for Xbox and PS5 players include:
- Join public or private dedicated servers with players on either console
- Invite friends from your platform's friends list directly to your in-game tribe
- Participate in cross-platform world events and limited-time PVP tournaments
- Use in-game voice chat across Xbox and PS5 without third-party tools
You don't need any extra subscriptions beyond your platform's online membership to use Ark 2 cross platform xbox and ps5 features, which is a nice change from some other multiplayer games that lock crossplay behind a premium pass. The only caveat is that private server admins will have the option to turn off crossplay if they want to keep their lobbies limited to a single platform, a common request for competitive PVP servers that want to avoid input advantage debates.
How to Set Up Crossplay Between Xbox and PS5 Once It Launches
Setting up crossplay between the two consoles is surprisingly simple, and only takes a few minutes the first time you do it. First, you’ll need to create a free Studio Wildcard account and link it to both your Xbox Live and PlayStation Network accounts. You only need to link your accounts once, and you won’t have to re-authenticate every time you launch the game.
Once your accounts are linked, open the game settings from the main menu and toggle the “enable crossplay” option to on. You’ll then see friends from both platforms show up in your in-game friends list, and you can send tribe or server invites directly through the game menu. If you’re having trouble seeing your friends, double check that both of you have your platform privacy settings set to allow crossplay invites – a lot of players miss this step and assume crossplay is broken when it’s just a default setting blocking requests.
If you’re trying to join a private server, make sure the server owner has enabled crossplay support before you attempt to connect. Servers with crossplay disabled will show a lock icon next to their name in the server browser for players on a non-supported platform, so you don’t waste time trying to join a server you can’t access.
Common Crossplay Issues to Watch For On Xbox and PS5
Even with extensive testing, crossplay features often have small kinks to work out in the first few weeks after launch, and Ark 2 is no exception. The most common issue players report in playtests is slightly higher ping when playing with friends on the opposite console, especially in regions with limited server coverage. The dev team is rolling out 12 new regional server clusters specifically for crossplay players to minimize this latency, so it should only be a minor issue for most people.
Input-based matchmaking will be optional for all PVP lobbies, so you can choose to only play against other controller users if you don’t want to go up against mouse and keyboard players who opt in to crossplay with PC. Mod support will also be limited on crossplay servers, because custom mods can cause sync issues between Xbox and PS5 builds of the game. If you want to play with mods, you’ll either need to join a single-platform server or stick to mods that have been officially approved for both consoles.
I ran into this exact mod sync issue with the original Ark game, where my Xbox friend couldn’t join my modded PS5 server because the custom dinosaur mod I was using only had PlayStation certification. It’s a small annoyance, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you love using custom content to change up your gameplay. The dev team is working on a unified mod approval process for both consoles to reduce this issue as much as possible.
At the end of the day, if you’ve been holding off on pre-ordering Ark 2 because you weren’t sure if you can play with your friends on the other console, you don’t have to wait much longer. While it’s not available day one, the answer to is ark 2 cross platform xbox and ps5 is a resounding yes, with support coming within the first three months after launch according to the latest developer roadmap. You might have a few small hoops to jump through to set it up, and a few minor bugs to deal with in the first few weeks, but being able to team up to take down T-Rexes and build bases with all your friends no matter what console they own is well worth the wait. Keep an eye on official Studio Wildcard channels for exact launch dates for the crossplay update as the game’s release approaches.