If you have ever played Black Desert Online or plan on getting into it, you may end up wondering if you can just hop in and play with your friends across different devices. This is, in fact, a very popularly asked question since more and more games these days are starting to allow their players to connect to one another no matter what platform they use. Now, let’s dive into where Black Desert is standing on this.
What is Black Desert Online?
So, what exactly is Black Desert Online? Well, it’s an open-world MMORPG short form for Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. In other words, you can create your character, walk through vast lands, fight all sorts of monsters, and even team up or fight other players. This Pearl Abyss-developed game prides itself on beautiful graphics, intensive combat, and deep characterization.
Whether you’re into battling huge monsters, exploring new areas, or just showing off your well-dressed character, there’s something here for everyone.
What does cross-platform really mean?
Now, before getting deep into the subject, let me just give a quick explanation of what “cross-platform” or “cross-play” actually means. It’s the possibility of a game to actually let you play with people on different devices. What that could imply is that when you’re playing on a PlayStation and your friend is on an Xbox, that cross-play allows such a possibility to join the same game session.
And because of that, it’s great since you will not have to actually think about which console you and your friends are using. But sometimes, for the game developers, it’s not always easy to make this work. Each system has a way of doing things, so making them all talk to each other can be pretty tricky.
Is Black Desert Cross-Platform in 2024?
So, the big question is: can you play Black Desert Online with friends on other platforms? The answer’s yes and no.
Currently, Black Desert has enabled cross-play between PlayStation and Xbox. That means you can actually join any friends using any PS4, PS5, Xbox One, or Xbox Series X/S. However, if you happen to be on a PC or the mobile version of the game, well, you’re out of luck. There is no cross-play between PC and consoles, and neither is there for mobile players.
So, console users can have a good time together, but they cannot connect with other people using PCs or phones​.
PlayStation and Xbox Console Cross-play
It’s pretty cool that Black Desert supports cross-play between the consoles of PlayStation and Xbox. This would be an indication that players on PS4 and PS5 are able to join forces with players on Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S.
Whether it is the older generation or the newest, they will end up playing with each other. That is cool, since if all your friends have different consoles, this makes it way easier to team up or go head-to-head in PvP.
Pearl Abyss has done a good job of ensuring that this is seamless so that, in reality, you do not feel like you are at any disadvantage just because you or your friend are using another console.
Why isn’t Black Desert fully cross-platform?
You might ask yourself, “Why can’t they all just play together?” Well, there are a couple of reasons for that. First, the technical issues: actually, getting a game to work on multiple platforms is very complicated and involves a lot of stuff behind the scenes.
Each system has its own way it’s set up, and linking them all together takes months of work. Then there are the various policies and rules put in place by the likes of Sony and Microsoft. Sometimes these corporations have restrictions in place that make cross-play a bit more difficult to pull off. Plus, balancing a game like Black Desert across different devices can be tough: consoles and PCs have different controls and capabilities, which might make gameplay feel unfair if things aren’t handled just right.
Will Black Desert ever be fully cross-platform?
We don’t have any official word, saying “Yes, we’re making this happen,” hope is not lost. Of recent times, the trend has indeed gone the other way in gaming. Just think of such games as Fortnite or Call of Duty: Warzone, each allowing its players to connect from anywhere. Probably, Pearl Abyss will still further extend Black Desert’s cross-play options someday, but that can be a question of demand and ease of implementation.
However, as things currently stand, if you’re looking to play with friends across different consoles, Black Desert has got you covered. But if your friends are on PC, well, you might just need to keep hoping or switch to the same platform they are on.
Wrapping Up: Can You Play Black Desert With Friends Across Platforms?
In short, yes, but only if you’re all on PlayStation or Xbox. Console players have the freedom to join each other no matter which version they’re using, which makes it easier to game with friends.
But, if you’re on a PC or mobile, you’ll need to find other PC or mobile players to team up with. It’s a bit of a bummer, but at least there are some options out there. Maybe one day, we’ll get full cross-play support, and we’ll all be able to play together, no matter what device we’re on.
Until then, we’ll have to make do with what we’ve got. So, grab your controller, call up your friends, and enjoy Black Desert!
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