The Forest made its debut in 2018, first on PC and later on PlayStation 4, quickly earning a devoted fan base. The game drops you into a terrifying survival scenario following a plane crash, where you must gather resources, build shelter, and fend off horrific enemies on a hostile island.
Facing these dangers alone is intense—but what about teaming up with friends? In this article, we’ll break down the multiplayer experience and answer the big question: Is The Forest cross-platform?
Why Is The Forest So Popular?
At first glance, The Forest seems like a straightforward survival game—but its depth is what keeps players coming back. You must scavenge for food, water, and materials, and build shelters to survive. One of the game’s standout features is its flexible building system, which lets players craft everything from basic huts to elaborate fortresses.
This freedom, especially in multiplayer mode, allows for wild creativity. Want to build a floating raft, a network of ziplines, or even a theme park? Go for it. Many players dive so deeply into building and exploring that they often ignore the main storyline altogether.
Its mix of open-ended gameplay and pulse-pounding encounters with cannibalistic enemies gives The Forest a unique edge—it’s both comfortable and chaotic, making it endlessly replayable.
But what about playing with friends on other platforms?
Is The Forest Cross-Platform?
Unfortunately, no—The Forest is not cross-platform. If you’re playing on PC and your friend is on PlayStation 4, there’s currently no way to play together.
Crossplay—a feature that allows gamers on different platforms (like PC, PlayStation, or Xbox) to join the same game—has become increasingly common. But The Forest does not support it. It also lacks cross-progression, meaning your saved game can’t transfer between systems. Switching platforms means starting from scratch.
What About Sons of the Forest?
Looking forward to the sequel, Sons of the Forest? As of now, it’s only available on PC and doesn’t support cross-platform play either.
That said, future updates could change things. If the game gains enough popularity, it may follow in its predecessor’s footsteps and expand to other platforms. And with growing demand for crossplay, there’s hope that it could be introduced down the line.
For now, though, Sons of the Forest is a PC-exclusive experience.
Cross-Platform Alternatives to The Forest
If you’re searching for a survival game to enjoy with friends across platforms, here are a few crossplay-friendly options:
- Minecraft (Bedrock Edition): Supports crossplay between PC, consoles, and mobile devices. Great for creative survival experiences without the horror elements.
- ARK: Survival Evolved: Offers some cross-platform functionality and includes both survival mechanics and thrilling dinosaur battles.
As cross-platform gaming becomes the norm, it’s likely that more future survival titles will support this feature—even if The Forest currently doesn’t.
Summary
The Forest offers a thrilling and creative survival experience, especially in multiplayer mode but it does not support cross-platform play. Players on PC and PlayStation 4 are limited to playing within their respective platforms.
Its sequel, Sons of the Forest, is currently a PC-only release and also lacks crossplay support. If cross-platform gaming is important to you, consider exploring alternatives like Minecraft or ARK: Survival Evolved.
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