🎮 Ultimate Guide to Multiplayer Survival Games [Crossplay Included]

Survival games are at their best when shared with friends. Whether you’re fighting off zombies, building bases, or braving alien worlds, multiplayer survival games allow you to work together (or sometimes betray each other) in order to thrive.

In recent years, crossplay has become a game-changing feature, allowing PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and even mobile players to connect seamlessly. No longer are friendships limited by hardware—now you can survive side by side, regardless of platform.

This ultimate guide explores the top multiplayer survival games with crossplay, from fully cross-platform titles to partial crossplay experiences, along with key considerations for smooth cooperative gameplay.

🌐 Fully Cross-Platform Survival Games

These survival games break down all barriers, offering seamless crossplay across PC, consoles, and sometimes even mobile.

🐜 Grounded

Experience: Shrunk to the size of an ant, you and your friends must navigate the dangers of a suburban backyard. Craft weapons from household items, fight towering insects, and build fortresses among the grass.
Crossplay: PC (Steam & Microsoft Store), Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.
Special features: Shared save files across platforms—pick up your adventure anywhere.

🚀 No Man’s Sky

Experience: Explore an infinite procedurally generated universe with your crew. Survive on hostile planets, mine rare resources, and build bases on alien landscapes.
Crossplay: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.
Special features: Dozens of free updates have transformed the game into one of the most ambitious multiplayer survival experiences ever.

⛏️ Minecraft

Experience: The classic sandbox survival game where creativity meets danger. Build sprawling kingdoms, dig deep for resources, or survive against hostile mobs.
Crossplay: The Bedrock Edition supports PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and mobile. (Java Edition is PC-only).
Special features: Bedrock allows friends across almost all devices to unite in survival mode.

🔪 Dead by Daylight

Experience: A 4v1 asymmetrical survival horror where four survivors must escape from one relentless, player-controlled killer. Fix generators, stay hidden, and make daring escapes.
Crossplay: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.
Special features: Features iconic killers from horror franchises like Halloween, Silent Hill, and Stranger Things.

🎮 Partial Crossplay (PC & Console)

These survival titles don’t support every platform combination, but they do allow for meaningful crossplay between specific ecosystems.

🦕 ARK: Survival Ascended

Experience: Tame dinosaurs, craft futuristic weapons, and survive in a sprawling prehistoric world.
Crossplay: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Special features: Built in Unreal Engine 5, offering upgraded visuals and smoother gameplay compared to the original ARK: Survival Evolved.

🐲 Palworld

Experience: A unique mash-up of monster-catching and survival crafting. Capture creatures called "Pals" to fight alongside you, automate tasks, and defend your base.
Crossplay: Xbox consoles + PC (Microsoft Store version). Steam players currently have no crossplay.
Special features: Use Pals for farming, production lines, and combat, giving it a survival-meets-factory-builder vibe.

⚔️ Valheim

Experience: Set in a Viking-inspired afterlife, gather resources, craft legendary weapons, and conquer mythical bosses.
Crossplay: PC (Steam) + Xbox Series X/S + Xbox One.
Special features: Deep progression system and one of the most atmospheric survival co-op experiences available.

🔥 Rust (Console Edition)

Experience: A hardcore survival sandbox where players must gather resources, build bases, and defend against raiders in a brutal, PvP-heavy environment.
Crossplay: Console-to-console only (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S). No PC crossplay available.
Special features: Full-loot PvP where betrayal is common—trust no one.

⚖️ Crossplay Considerations for Survival Gaming

While crossplay expands opportunities, there are important things to keep in mind when playing across platforms:

💻 Hardware Differences

PC players may have an edge thanks to higher frame rates, graphical fidelity, and the precision of mouse-and-keyboard controls. Console players may benefit from aim assist and simpler matchmaking.

🎙️ Voice Chat

Not all survival games support built-in cross-platform voice chat. In many cases, external apps like Discord are essential to coordinate raids, base building, or survival strategies.

🔄 Cross-Progression

Crossplay doesn’t always mean cross-progression. Some games (like Grounded) let you carry progress across devices, but others lock progress to one platform. Always check before investing hours into a save.

📊 Comparison Table: Crossplay Survival Games

| Game | Platforms with Crossplay | Genre Focus | Special Feature | |-------------------|--------------------------|------------------|-----------------| | Grounded | PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch | Backyard survival | Shared saves | | No Man’s Sky | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | Sci-fi exploration | Huge free updates | | Minecraft (Bedrock) | PC, Consoles, Mobile | Sandbox survival | Massive creative freedom | | Dead by Daylight | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | Asymmetrical horror | Licensed killers | | ARK: Survival Ascended | PC, PS5, Xbox X/S | Dino survival MMO | UE5 graphics overhaul | | Palworld | Xbox, PC (MS Store) | Monster survival crafting | Automated pals | | Valheim | PC (Steam), Xbox X/S, Xbox One | Viking adventure | Boss-driven progression | | Rust (Console) | PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S | PvP survival sandbox | High-stakes raiding |

🔚 Final Thoughts

The survival genre thrives on cooperation—and crossplay ensures that friends don’t get left behind by platform choices. From universal crossplay hits like Minecraft and No Man’s Sky, to platform-specific but exciting adventures like Valheim and Rust, today’s gamers have more freedom than ever to team up and survive.

If you’re looking for casual co-op fun, Grounded and Minecraft are perfect. If you want atmosphere and depth, Valheim and No Man’s Sky deliver. And if you crave tension and danger, Rust and Dead by Daylight will keep your adrenaline high.

Survival is tough—but with crossplay, it’s better together.

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