The long-awaited addition of crossplay in Apex Legends is finally available via the game's version 1.47 patch. Players on EA Play, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One can now party and play with each other, and Nintendo Switch and Steam will soon join the fray. But how exactly do you enable crossplay in Apex Legends and how does the friends system work now?
How to Enable Crossplay in Apex Legends
If you're worried that crossplay is buried under a pile of game settings, you'll be happy to know that crossplay will be enabled by default. If you fancy disabling crossplay, you can access the settings from the main lobby by tapping a button, scrolling down, and then selecting Disabled in the Cross Platform Play (BETA) field. Keep in mind that this feature is still in beta, if the all caps indication hasn't alerted you already.
How to Add a Cross-Platform Friend in Apex Legends
Apex Legends doesn't seem to use an account system or require the use of Origin, which should come as a relief to many. Instead, you'll go to the in-game friends menu and click Add Friend. Simply type in the username of the person you want to add, and their name should appear accordingly, alongside an icon indicating their platform.
PC drives will appear with a computer and monitor icon. Xbox and PlayStation users will see a generic game controller icon for players on the opposite console; otherwise, they would see an Xbox or PlayStation logo next to the names of players on the same platform. You can send a friend request after finding their username, after which they can accept or reject your request, or even block you if they find you really annoying.
What platform are players paired with?
With the integration of crossplay into Apex Legends, console players will all be in the same matchmaking pool. Now that PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players are in the same space, the player base is essentially twice as big now. Unsurprisingly, console players won't be matched against PC players due to controller users having a disadvantage compared to PC mouse and keyboard users.
However, nothing will stop PC and console players from partying with each other via an invitation to play. If you're a console player who chooses to go this route, know that you'll be put into matches on PC.
Is cross-progression in Apex Legends?
With so many characters and cosmetics to buy or earn in Apex Legends, you might be hoping to carry those rewards and purchases across platforms. The version 1.47 patch doesn't add cross-progression, but developer Respawn Entertainment hasn't fully discounted the feature. Despite shutting down the idea previously, Respawn states in their blog post detailing crossplay that they “will talk more about it when we launch Steam later in the year.”
