Is Minecraft Multiplayer Cross-Platform?

Minecraft is a vast, infinite sandbox game which takes all your imagination and creativity to experience a fun time planning and constructing various projects. The fun is amplified when you play with your friends in the same Minecraft world.

However, sometimes you and your friends have different devices that you use to play video games with. One may be playing Minecraft on a Windows or macOS PC. Another may be playing on a console, such as a PlayStation 4/5 or the new Xbox Series X/S.

Fortunately, the quick answer to this question is YES, Minecraft has available cross-platform play. The rest of the article explains all the details of Minecraft multiplayer.

All Platforms You Can Play Minecraft On

According to Mojang, listed below are all the platforms you can play the different editions of Minecraft on.

For Minecraft: Java Edition:

• Windows 10/11 PC
• macOS PC
• Linux PC

For Minecraft: Bedrock Edition:

• Windows 10/11 PC
• iOS (Mobile)
• Android (Mobile)
• Microsoft Xbox (Console)
• Nintendo Switch (Console)
• Sony PlayStation 4 (Console/VR)
• Fire Devices (VR)
• Oculus (VR)
  

Overview of Minecraft Cross-Platform Play

In general, Minecraft players can play with their friends using different devices. They just need to make sure that the edition that they will be playing on is the same.

As seen in the table above, only players using the Java Edition can enjoy cross-platform play with the other devices. Since the Java Edition of Minecraft is only available in PC, they can only connect with the other platforms or operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linus).

Similarly, the Bedrock Edition of Minecraft can accommodate other players that uses different devices. In this case, PC players, specifically on Windows 10/11 can play with console players (Xbox One/Series S/Series X, PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch) and mobile players (iOS and Android). Aside from that, virtual reality (VR) players of Minecraft can also join servers of their friends using the Bedrock Edition of Minecraft.

All of these available devices for the Bedrock Edition makes you think that it is far superior to that of the Java Edition in terms of cross-platform compatibility. However, the main downside with the Bedrock Edition of Minecraft is that the updates come a lot slower to Bedrock. Hence, PC players still play on the original Java Edition.

Other Methods Of Multiplayer In Minecraft

Aside from cross-platform play, there are other methods that can be used to play multiplayer Minecraft. These are the following:

• Split Screen Multiplayer (Local Area Network)
• Minecraft Realms (Wi-Fi Network Access)
• Hosting Your Own Server (Local Area Network/Wi-Fi Network Access)
  

Split-Screen Multiplayer

In terms of split-screen multiplayer, this method is usually used when playing with older devices. These devices generally include older generation consoles such as the legacy consoles: Xbox 360 Edition, Nintendo Wii U Edition, and PlayStation 3.

Nevertheless, it also includes the newer generation consoles such as the Xbox One/Series X/Series S for Microsoft, PlayStation 4/5 for Sony, and the Nintendo Switch.

Note: You will be needing multiple controllers to have as many as 4 players in a single screen in the same Minecraft world. Controller and touch support is available for all devices that can run the Bedrock Edition of Minecraft.

Minecraft Realms

On the other hand, you can play with your friends online with different devices, as seen from the overview table above. You only need to make sure that you play on the same edition, either Java or Bedrock only.

However, the main downside is that Minecraft Realms is a paid subscription service. This means that you will need to pay a fee to be able to play with your friends online.

Hosting Your Own Server

Finally, if you are an advanced or a veteran Minecraft player, you can set up your own server. With this server, your friends and your family can join you in the same Minecraft world.

This can be both played using a Local Area Network (Offline) or a Wi-Fi Network Access (Online). However, hosting a server needs a beefy computer or a separate one as well as an advanced knowledge in Minecraft, especially on how to set up a server.