Overwatch just turned five years old not long ago and during that span, the game has been supported on various platforms. Unfortunately, people can only play with others on the same platform. If you're on PS4, you can only play with other PS4 players.
However, Blizzard seems to turn on a new leaf by providing fans a functionality they have been waiting for. The devs are now planning to launch the cross-play feature very soon.
What is Cross-Play?
Cross-play is a functionality allowing players to be matched with others on various platforms. For example, those on PC can be matched up with people who play on Xbox One and vice versa.
Players have been clamoring for this feature for years and it is a good thing that the devs are about to implement it.
Although you can get paired up with people on different platforms, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First is that a party of console players will be paired up with other console players by default. Second, those playing on the PC, on the other hand, will be paired up with both console and PC players.
Third, while cross-play can be disabled in any console, PC players have to live with it as it is always enabled. Lastly, there is no cross-progression available at launch but it may be introduced at a later time. This means that your current progression on one system will not carry over to another.
How to Prepare Your Account for Cross-Play?
Now that you know what cross-play is, how do you prepare your account for it? Here are the steps:
- Create a Battle.net account.
- Go to Account Settings > Connections > Select your console to link it.
- For console players, you will be presented with an alpha-numeric code and a QR code at the launch of cross-play. The first one can be linked here while the QR code will lead you to a website that already has the code pre-populated for you.
- Log in with your Battle.net account credentials so that a connection between your PC/console and your Battle.net accounts can be established.
- You will receive a prompt that tells you that the linking process is successful.
If you’ve linked your accounts successfully, you will be rewarded with a golden loot box on every platform you’re going to use. You have to do this process before December 31, 2021, to receive the free gift.
It is also worth noting that some features will be disabled by default. For instance, aim-assist on consoles will be disabled if you party up with PC players.
Overwatch cross-play beta will launch very soon, though no specific date has been mentioned yet. It will be available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Are you excited to pair up with players from different consoles?
