Best Cross Platform Games to Play With Friends (Free & Cheap)

Your friends are scattered across PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch, and nobody wants to buy a second console just to squad up. Good news: crossplay has quietly become the norm, so the right game lets everyone join the same lobby no matter what they own. Below are the best cross platform games to play with friends, sorted by budget and group size, with real entry prices so you can pick fast. This guide is part of our wider Best Games to Play With Friends hub.

Last updated: June 7, 2026.

Prices checked: June 2026. Sources: Steam, Epic, publisher pages and partner stores. We refresh prices and sale notes regularly.

Best picks at a glance

• Best free crossplay: Apex Legends (PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch)
• Best cheap party game: Among Us (PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, mobile)
• Best cheap horror co-op: Phasmophobia (PC, PlayStation, Xbox)
• Best premium shared world: Call of Duty (PC, PlayStation, Xbox)
• Best for 2 players: Dead by Daylight duo or a survival run in ARK: Survival Evolved
• Best for big groups (5+): Among Us and Destiny 2
• Best free-to-keep grind: Destiny 2 (PC, PlayStation, Xbox)
• Best cross-save flexibility: Call of Duty, Apex Legends, Destiny 2

Quick list

Best free cross platform games

If the goal is getting everyone in fast without a single purchase, free crossplay is your friend.

• Apex Legends is the cleanest pick. It costs nothing, the gunplay and movement are some of the sharpest in the genre, and crossplay lets a PC player party with friends on PlayStation, Xbox or Switch. Squads are 1-3, so it suits small, tight groups.
• Call of Duty gives you Warzone for free, which means a big-map battle royale and a constant rotation of modes. Console and PC players share lobbies, and progression carries across platforms if you link an account.
• Destiny 2 has a free base game that hands you years of content. Strikes suit 1-3, while the headline six-player raids are some of the best cooperative encounters in any shooter. Crossplay covers PC, PlayStation and Xbox.

Best cheap cross platform games (under $25)

When a small spend buys a lot of nights, these are the value champions.

• Among Us is the cheapest social glue around. It runs roughly $5 on PC and is free on mobile, supports 4-15 players, and the crossplay net is enormous (PC, console, Switch and phones all in one lobby). Perfect when half your group are not really gamers.
• Dead by Daylight lands around $20 and frequently dips lower on sale. One player is the killer, four are survivors, and full crossplay means your mixed PC and console crew all fit. It is the best asymmetric horror going.
• Phasmophobia also sits near $20 and finally added console crossplay, so PC, PlayStation and Xbox friends can ghost-hunt together. The voice recognition (ghosts react to what you actually say) makes for unforgettable group panic in 1-4 player teams.
• PAYDAY 2 is regularly under $10 with a mountain of heists. It is a few years old now, so treat crossplay as same-platform in most cases, but for a cheap 1-4 player co-op shooter it punches far above its price.

Best premium cross platform games

Sometimes you want depth, polish and a world worth sinking weeks into.

• ARK: Survival Evolved is a full survival sandbox with dinosaurs, base building and long shared campaigns for 1-8+ players. It crossplays across PC, PlayStation and Xbox, and it drops under $15 on sale surprisingly often, so it straddles cheap and premium depending on timing.
• Call of Duty at full price adds the campaign and multiplayer suite on top of free Warzone. If your group wants the complete package with crossplay throughout, it is the safe premium buy.
• Helldivers 2 (PC and PlayStation crossplay) is the modern co-op standout. Four players, friendly fire on, and chaos guaranteed. It is the best example of a game where the rough edges are part of the joke.

Best cross platform games for 2 players

• Dead by Daylight works beautifully as a duo, with two of you teaming as survivors against a killer while the public fills the rest.
• ARK: Survival Evolved suits two players who want a long-haul project, taming dinosaurs and building a base together over many sessions.
• Deep Rock Galactic scales cleanly to two dwarves and stays excellent. The crossplay covers PC, PlayStation and Xbox.

Best cross platform games for 3-4 players

This is the sweet spot for co-op, and most of the list lives here.

• Phasmophobia is built for a full four-player ghost-hunting van.
• Destiny 2 fireteams are three, perfect for strikes and most activities before you go raid-sized.
• No Man's Sky lets four friends roam a shared galaxy at a relaxed pace, with crossplay across PC, console and Switch.
• PAYDAY 2 is a four-mask heist crew through and through.

Best cross platform games for 5+ players

Big groups need games that scale without falling apart.

• Among Us is the obvious king, comfortably handling up to fifteen across every platform.
• Destiny 2 raids and dungeons give six players a genuinely demanding shared goal.
• Rocket League fits 3-on-3 or larger casual lobbies, and full crossplay means nobody is left out.
• Fortnite and Overwatch 2 both swallow large friend groups easily and cost nothing to enter.

Honourable / adjacent picks

These are great with friends, but they do not offer full crossplay, so they sit just outside the core list.

• Baldur's Gate 3: superb online co-op for up to four, with cross-save between PC and console, but no live crossplay between platforms. Brilliant if your whole group is on the same family of hardware.
• Elden Ring: cooperative boss runs are unforgettable, yet summoning only works within the same platform, so PC and console friends cannot join each other.
• Grand Theft Auto V Legacy: GTA Online is a classic group hangout, but lobbies are platform-locked rather than crossplay.
• Dota 2: a deep, free five-player team game, but PC only, so it cannot bridge console friends.
• Euro Truck Simulator 2: the convoy multiplayer is a lovely chill hangout, though it is a PC-only experience.
• Don't Starve Together: excellent survival co-op for up to six, but co-op stays within the same platform family.
• Dying Light: four-player zombie parkour is a riot, with co-op limited to matching platforms.

FAQ

What are the best free cross platform games to play with friends? Apex Legends, Among Us on mobile, Fortnite, Rocket League, Overwatch 2 and Destiny 2's free base are the strongest no-cost crossplay options. They cover shooters, party games and looters, so most friend groups will find a fit without spending anything.

Do cross platform games let PC and console players play together? Yes, that is the whole point of crossplay. Titles like Call of Duty, Apex Legends and Dead by Daylight put PC, PlayStation and Xbox players in the same lobbies. A few games even add Switch and mobile, like Among Us and Fortnite.

What is the difference between crossplay and cross-save? Crossplay means players on different platforms can join the same match live. Cross-save means your progress and characters carry between platforms, but it does not guarantee you can play together at the same time. Baldur's Gate 3 has cross-save without full crossplay, which trips people up.

What is the best cheap cross platform horror game? Dead by Daylight for asymmetric one-versus-four scares, and Phasmophobia for cooperative ghost hunting. Both hover around $20 and dip lower during sales, and both now support console plus PC crossplay. Browse more in our horror hub.

Which cross platform game is best for a big group of 6 or more? Among Us handles up to fifteen and runs on everything, making it the easiest big-group choice. For something with more depth, Destiny 2 raids give six players a serious shared challenge.

Do I need to pay extra for crossplay on consoles? Crossplay itself is free in these games. You will still need an active online subscription on console (PlayStation Plus or Xbox equivalent) for most paid multiplayer titles, though many free-to-play games like Fortnite and Apex Legends skip that requirement.

Are older co-op games still worth buying if they lack crossplay? Absolutely, if your group shares a platform. PAYDAY 2 and Dying Light are cheap, deep and a blast, they just cannot bridge PC and console. Check current prices before buying, since these go very low on sale.

Where can I find the cheapest prices for these games? Prices swing a lot between Steam, Epic and partner stores, so compare before you buy. Our full catalog tracks live prices, and the deals page flags active discounts and bundles. Keep an eye on free giveaways too.

The bottom line

Crossplay finally means your friends list, not your console, decides who you can play with. For zero spend, Apex Legends and Among Us get a mixed group going in minutes. For a cheap, memorable night, Dead by Daylight and Phasmophobia deliver. For the long haul, Call of Duty, Destiny 2 and ARK: Survival Evolved give you worlds worth living in.

Pick the one that matches your group's size and budget, then compare live prices in our catalog and check the deals page before you check out. The right price is usually a few clicks away.

Alex, Scout Team