In the unforgiving world of 7 Days to Die, survival isn't just about scavenging, building, or shooting your way out of trouble. It's also about who you can count on. And when friends are spread across platforms, one question always rises from the ashes: can we actually play together?

7 Days to Die has built a loyal player base over the years, but for a long time, that loyalty came with caveats—especially when it came to multiplayer. PC players had their version, console users had another, and the idea of uniting forces across platforms felt more like fiction than feature. But things have changed.

Here’s everything you need to know about cross-platform support in 7 Days to Die—and how to actually make it work.

Let’s clear this up first. Crossplay isn’t universal in 7 Days to Die—but it does exist in very specific conditions.

PC users playing via Steam and Microsoft Store can connect and play together. That’s a green light if you and your squad are on different PC platforms. As long as you're both on the latest version and have the correct settings enabled, you're good to go.

Console users, however, face a more complicated situation. The legacy console versions—PlayStation 4 and Xbox One—were developed by a different studio and are locked to an old version of the game. These editions are no longer updated, and they don’t play nice with PC or even next-gen consoles. That means crossplay here is essentially off the table.

Now, the good news: with the full release of version 1.0 in July 2024, a new door opened. The next-gen versions of 7 Days to Die for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC are now in sync feature-wise. This opens the door for meaningful crossplay across these systems. While it wasn’t fully enabled at launch, the roadmap has made it clear—cross-platform play between PS5, Xbox Series, and PC is coming, and in some cases, already functioning through dedicated servers.

If you're planning to join friends across different platforms, here’s a quick walkthrough:

1. From the game’s main menu, go to Settings.

2. In the General tab, locate the “Crossplay Enabled” option.

3. Toggle it to ON.

4. From there, adjust server visibility, and if you're hosting, set your server type (public or friends only).

5. Share the server name and password (if set) with your friends.

Players on consoles will need an active subscription—Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus—to access online multiplayer. PC players are exempt from this but will need to make sure firewall or antivirus settings don’t block server traffic.

Once the game is set up, joining is straightforward:

• Select “Join A Game” from the main menu.

• Use filters to search for your friend’s server name.

• Make sure you’ve selected “Crossplay Servers” in the filter options.

• Enter the password if needed.

If your game doesn’t show up, double-check that both players are on the same version, and that no one is using a guest or offline account.

While it’s exciting to see the walls between platforms come down, there are still a few caveats:

• Legacy consoles are stuck. If you're on PS4 or Xbox One, you're on an outdated version. There's no crossplay available.

• Mods and PC-exclusive features won’t translate across platforms.

• Dedicated servers offer the best experience for cross-platform gameplay, but not every player will want to run one.

Still, what’s available now marks a massive improvement over past years. And if you’re running the most recent version of the game on a modern platform, crossplay is not just possible—it’s the future.

With the release of version 1.0 in July 2024, 7 Days to Die hit a new chapter. Visual upgrades, performance improvements, and console feature parity made the game feel more cohesive than ever. Most importantly, it laid the foundation for a unified player base.

While true cross-platform play wasn’t fully functional at launch, developer notes made clear that the intention was to roll out this functionality as a priority. That means future patches may expand and refine the experience even further.

In a game where you’re just as likely to be attacked by hunger as by zombies, teamwork is king. And having the freedom to play with anyone, regardless of where they game, turns the survival sandbox into something much bigger.

Crossplay brings in more friends, more strategies, and more unpredictable fun. It keeps communities together and makes the game far more accessible.

As of now, the crossplay situation in 7 Days to Die is promising but still in motion. Steam and Microsoft Store users on PC can link up without issue. Next-gen consoles and PC crossplay is on the roadmap and slowly rolling out.

For players willing to run dedicated servers or adjust a few settings, the experience is smooth. For everyone else—especially those on last-gen consoles—things might feel a bit more restricted. But time is on your side. The developers are actively closing the gaps.

So if you’re looking to fortify a base with a buddy on a different platform, keep your eyes on future updates, and make sure your setup supports the latest build. The apocalypse may not play fair—but with crossplay, you at least get to choose your team.

Grab your gear. Rally your crew. The horde doesn’t care what platform you’re on—but now, you don’t have to either.