Does Grounded Have Crossplay Between PS5, Switch, & Xbox?

Obsidian Entertainment's survival action-adventure game, Grounded has finally arrived on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch after years as a PC and Xbox exclusive title. Grounded's story heavily resembles that of the classic 1989 movie, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and sees a quirky scientist, Wendell Tully, accidentally shrinking a group of kids and looking for a way to "de-shrink" them using "Raw Science". Players assume control of the four shrunken children, Pete, Max, Willow, and Hoops, as they have to survive their own backyard as spiders and other normally small creatures now tower over them and pose a much greater threat than before.

The announcement of Grounded and three other Xbox-exclusive games - Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, and Sea of Thieves, being released on other platforms was made following Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer on February 15, 2024 following rumors and speculation among the Xbox player base. Here, Spencer discussed the benefits of a multi-platform release for some of Microsoft's first party titles, especially with some more community-driven titles like Grounded and Sea of Thieves, the latter of which was the most pre-ordered game on PS5 at one point and went on to crash its servers on the console upon launch due to high demand.

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Will Grounded Have Crossplay Now It's A Multi-Platform Release?

Crossplay Functionality Has Become Extremely Popular In Multiplayer Titles

As online multiplayer titles have grown in popularity over the years, crossplay has become a much-requested feature in modern gaming, allowing players the opportunity to play alongside or against others regardless of what gaming platform they're on. Major titles such as Fortnite were some of the first to push crossplay into the limelight due to the sheer number of platforms it was on, and now most major AAA multiplayer games release with at least partial cross-platform support. Therefore, as Grounded becomes a multi-platform release, Obsidian confirmed it will have crossplay functionality, allowing players to team up with their friends across Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo consoles.

Grounded can be played both in a single-player and co-op mode with up to four players, with each assuming control of one of the different kids as they work together to survive.

How To Set Up Crossplay In Grounded?

Players Will Need A Free Xbox Live Account Regardless Of Their Chosen Console

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Obsidian has explained that to access the cross-platform multiplayer, Shared Worlds, and the ability to upload and download Playgrounds, players will need a free Xbox Live/Microsoft account, which can be set up on the Xbox website. Additionally, players will require a subscription to their platform's specific online service, be it PlayStation Plus or Nintendo Switch Online, as is the case with most online multiplayer titles on those platforms.

Once this has been set up, upon starting the game, players will be able to find their Xbox Gamer Tag, PlayStation Online ID, or Nintendo Account Nickname at the top right of the screen under the game version number to ensure they're logged in successfully. From here, go into Options from the main menu, scroll down to the Online section, and ensure "Enable Crossplay" is turned on. This will then guide players through to a screen on which they can link their Microsoft/Xbox Live Account. Once this has all been set up, PlayStation and Nintendo players will also be able to see their Xbox Live gamer tag in the top right of the main menu screen. It's worth noting that players can only link one Microsoft/Xbox account to the game, so it's best to make sure it’s the correct one before continuing.

Obsidian also recommends that when playing multiplayer with crossplay, that Nintendo Switch players don't host the game to ensure the best experience for all.

While this does seem like more steps compared to some other titles' crossplay functionality, it's good to see this feature included. With the variety in ways to play over the years, gaming is more accessible than ever before, and so crossplay functionality seems like an essential feature for online titles to let players play on their preferred console and still team up with whoever they choose, and therefore, as it goes multi-platform, full crossplay can only enhance a title such as Grounded.

Source: Obsidian Entertainment, Xbox