The Outlast Trials Crossplay: PC, PS5 and Xbox Guide

Does The Outlast Trials support crossplay?

The Outlast Trials Crossplay answer is yes for supported current PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S builds, which are intended to let players form parties across those platforms. The exact toggle names and account prompts can change after a patch, so the reliable source of truth during a session is the in-game Social menu. Red Barrels' official game page lists the supported storefronts and describes the game as co-op multiplayer; Steam lists online co-op as a feature.

Crossplay answers two separate questions: whether two platform versions can play in the same party, and whether the two accounts can find each other. A positive answer to the first does not fix a missing friend connection. Use the setup order below so a privacy or version problem does not look like a network failure.

Platform combinations

The table describes the supported online-party path for current builds, not a guarantee that every legacy version or regional account combination will remain available. For a purchase decision, use the official game page and your platform's current store listing.

How to play with friends across platforms

1. Update before inviting. A patch that is installed on one account but pending on another is the quickest way to create a version mismatch. Fully close and reopen the game after the update finishes.
2. Complete the initial account flow. Let the game finish its sign-in and onboarding screens. A player who is visible in the platform network but has not completed the game's account flow may not be searchable in the Social menu.
3. Open the in-game Social menu. Use the game's friend or party search, enter the identifier exactly as shown, and wait for the request to be accepted. Do not rely on a display name that is shared by multiple accounts.
4. Create the party after the friend is visible. Invite the friend from the in-game list, confirm the lobby shows the correct player, and only then select a Trial. This makes it easier to see whether the problem is discovery or matchmaking.
5. Check the player count. The player count guide explains the four-player limit and why a fifth invite cannot join a full lobby.

Before you invite: separate account, platform, and lobby checks

Crossplay troubleshooting is faster when the group checks three layers separately. First confirm that each player has completed the game's current sign-in and account flow. A person can be online through Steam, PlayStation Network, or Xbox network and still be missing from the in-game friend list. Search with the identifier shown by the game, not only a console profile name that may be duplicated or hidden by privacy settings.

Next confirm the platform layer. Each console account must be allowed to use online multiplayer under its current family and privacy settings, and any platform subscription requirement is controlled by that platform. The requirement can differ by account type, region, product tier, or policy change; this wiki does not promise that a subscription is or is not required for every player. Check the live PlayStation or Xbox store and account policy before buying a plan.

Finally confirm the lobby layer. The party must have an open place, everyone should see the same selected activity, and the host should be able to return to the Social menu without a connection warning. If a friend appears in the list but cannot enter the party, that is a different signal from a friend who cannot be found at all. Start with the layer that failed instead of changing router settings immediately.

This table is a diagnostic order, not a claim that every error message has one cause. Record the exact text and which step fails before retrying; changing one condition at a time makes the result easier to interpret.

What to do after a patch

A game update can change the displayed menu, require all party members to download the same build, or briefly affect online services. Close and reopen the game on every platform, wait for pending downloads to finish, and compare the version shown by each client before sending a new invite. Do not assume that a friend is on the same build because the launcher says it is up to date; console downloads may still be queued or paused.

If the update has just gone live, check Red Barrels' announcement and the platform's service status before repeating the same invitation. A temporary service incident can resemble a crossplay defect. Once services are normal, remove a stale request and send a new in-game request. If only one account still fails, keep that player's platform, region, game version, and error message together when contacting official support.

For platform-specific planning, the PC requirements page answers whether a Windows machine meets the listed Steam baseline. Meeting those hardware requirements does not guarantee a successful lobby: online access, account privacy, an active service, and a compatible game build remain separate conditions. If the game launches correctly but the group cannot connect, keep troubleshooting the Social and platform layers rather than lowering graphics settings.

Crossplay not working: a short diagnostic order

First, compare versions. Check the title screen or update prompt on every account. If one player was returned to the menu after a hotfix, restart the launcher or console and verify again.

Second, check privacy and online access. A child account, a platform privacy setting, or an expired console multiplayer subscription can hide invites even when the game itself is installed correctly. The subscription requirement is a platform policy, not a setting this wiki can override.

Third, rebuild the in-game connection. Remove the pending request, restart the game, and send a new request from the current Social menu. If the friend appears but the party invite fails, have the other player host once; this separates account discovery from lobby creation.

Fourth, check service status and the network. A platform outage, strict NAT, VPN, or blocked firewall can affect one player while the other remains online. Do not change router settings until the official platform status pages are clear.

Finally, record the exact error. A screenshot of the message, both platform names, game versions, and the time of the failure gives official support something actionable. Reinstalling should be the last step, because it rarely fixes an account or service-side restriction.

Crossplay and Rigs

A mixed platform party does not require a special Rig. Choose the loadout around the objective and the players who are actually present. The Rigs and builds page compares information, control, healing, and escape roles; the beginner guide covers the first-session version of the same decision.

Sources and scope

This page uses the official Red Barrels game overview for the platform list and co-op positioning, plus the Steam store page for its online co-op feature. Crossplay menus and platform subscription policies are time-sensitive; check the live game and platform policy on the day you troubleshoot a party.