Is Monster Hunter World Cross-Platform? PS5, PS4, Xbox & PC Crossplay Explained

Is this ever going to be true for Monster Hunter World?

By Ali Usama - Senior Editor

Curious and wondering, “Is Monster Hunter World cross-platform?” This guide will explain everything you need to know regarding crossplay and cross-progression in MHW.

Before we move towards the discussion, let me tell you a bit about the game and my wild ride in Monster Hunter: World. If you haven’t yet played this game, I must say you’re missing out on serious monster-slaying action that I have experienced and really enjoyed these years. Capcom outdid themselves with this one. Released back in 2018, it’s available on all the major platforms—that includes PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. Whether you’re playing solo mode or teaming up with friends in multiplayer, the experience is pure, unadulterated adrenaline, with a side of epic battles against tough monsters.

Monster Hunter: World is kind of a big deal for the franchise. It has more features and open-world goodness than any of its predecessors, and to be honest, it’s got more guts than a Kulu-Ya-Ku on a bad day. The environments are constantly shifting and the monsters are terrible and always keeping you on your toes. Every hunt had given me a rollercoaster ride, except with more screaming (mostly from me, let’s be real).

But let’s get to the main question that every hunter worth their salt has asked at some point: “Can I crossplay Monster Hunter: World with my friends?” Cross-platform is a big deal these days and is becoming a standard in video games. Gamers, including myself, intensely want to play together with friends, no matter if they’re on a console or a beefy gaming rig. For all desperate gamers who want to get the answer to this question, here’s what you need to know about MHW crossplay support.

Is Monster Hunter World Cross-Platform or Cross-Progression?

Unfortunately, no, Monster Hunter World is not cross-platform title. If you were hoping to team up with your friends regardless of the gaming platform, I’m sorry to say but you’re out of luck. Monster Hunter World, as popular and expansive as it is, has kept its multiplayer locked within individual platforms—PlayStation, Xbox, and PC players are completely separate from each other, unable to cross the digital seas to hunt together.

Is there Monster Hunter World Cross-Platform Play Available?

Alternatively, Monster Hunter World doesn’t even have cross-progression multiplayer – a feature in many modern video games. As a result, unless players own different game editions, they cannot move their characters and data from one system to the other. Therefore, switching platforms requires purchasing a new copy or starting the game from scratch, which would be extremely tiresome.

Is Monster Hunter: World Cross-Platform Between PlayStation and Xbox?

The answer is no. No matter if you’re playing on PlayStation or Xbox, there’s no cross-console hunting party in Monster Hunter: World. However, if you and your friend have different generations of the same console family (like PS4 and PS5), there’s good news in this case—the consoles from the same company are compatible with each other. But cross-play between PlayStation and Xbox? Not happening.

Can PC Players Play with Console Players in Monster Hunter: World?

There’s no cross-play between PC and consoles in Monster Hunter: World either. So, if you’re wielding your mouse and keyboard or gaming on a high-end rig, your monster hunting grounds are strictly PC-only. You are restricted from joining the same lobby with your console comrades anytime soon. So, if you want to slay monsters together, you’ll need to make sure everyone is on the same gaming system.

Why Isn’t Monster Hunter: World Cross-Platform?

After all that discussion, so why there is no cross-play? It’s one thing I also desperately want to know being as a seasoned MHW player. The answer to that isn’t crystal clear, but a few reasons might explain it. First, Monster Hunter: World is a pretty complex game with a lot of moving parts—different systems operate these in unique ways according to their hardware and this makes the cross-platform feature a technical headache. Moreover, Capcom might have done the math and decided it wasn’t worth the investment for this year’s old title, especially since it was designed without crossplay in mind from the get-go.

Will Monster Hunter World Be Cross-Platform in the Future?

A Brief Discussion on the Future of Monster Hunter World Cross-Platform/Crossplay

As much as I wish I could tell you otherwise, Capcom hasn’t made any announcements about enabling cross-platform play for Monster Hunter: World. It’s one of those things that players, including myself, have been vocal about, but the developers have kept pretty quiet on whether this will ever change. Some fans are holding out hope, but it seems more likely that Capcom is focusing on future games rather than going back to retrofit crossplay into this one.

But there’s good news on the horizon. Capcom has confirmed in a tweet that the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds will include crossplay, letting us finally experience the hunting adventures together with friends that we haven’t been able to enjoy. The game is set to release sometime in 2025, so there’s something to look forward to.

Crossplay CONFIRMED!

As announced at Summer Game Fest, crossplay is coming to Monster Hunter Wilds!

No matter where you are, hunters are stronger together. pic.twitter.com/pmxYOk2Qnt

— Monster Hunter (@monsterhunter) June 7, 2024

In the meantime, if you’re keen to play Monster Hunter: World with friends, you’ll need to make sure you’re all on the same platform. Yes, it is disappointing, but the game’s exciting content and intense multiplayer mode are still a blast, even if you’re all confined to one system.

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