“A Way Out” from Hazelight Studios and published by Electronic Arts has been a co-op game since 2018. It’s unique because of the split-screen gameplay where two players have to work together to progress through the story. But the question on everyone’s mind is can we play with friends on different platforms? Let’s get into the details and see what’s possible in 2024.
What is A Way Out?
“A Way Out” is an action-adventure game where two players have to work together. The story follows two characters, Leo and Vincent, who have to escape from prison and work together to survive. What makes this game different is the split-screen. Even when played online the screen splits, giving each player their own perspective. This design requires teamwork and strategic thinking so communication and sync is key.
Since the game launched it’s been praised for the story, co-op mechanics and the sense of brotherhood between players. But those same features create issues with cross-platform.
Is A Way Out Cross-Platform?
Unfortunately as of 2024 A Way Out does not support cross-platform play. So players on different platforms like PC, Xbox and PlayStation can’t play together. Whether you’re on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S or PC you will need to make sure your co-op partner is on the same platform as you. If you own the game on PlayStation you can only play with other PlayStation players and same goes for Xbox and PC players.
Despite the game being so popular the lack of crossplay has been a major letdown for many fans. Players hoped that future updates would fix this but there’s been no word from Hazelight Studios on any changes. The developers have not made cross-platform play a priority so there’s not much hope for a change anytime soon.
Why A Way Out doesn’t support Cross-Platform Play?
The main reason is the game’s design. “A Way Out” is built around a split-screen format even during online play. This means both players see their character’s perspective on the same screen, requiring zero sync. Implementing cross-platform play would mean dealing with different hardware, network latency and input methods across platforms which would cause performance issues, lag or desync during gameplay.
Additionally creating a stable and lag free environment for players on different platforms would require a lot of technical changes. Since the game is cooperative and real-time any lag or delay would ruin the experience making crossplay hard to implement without sacrificing gameplay quality.
Cross-Generation Play?
While A Way Out doesn’t support cross-platform play it does support cross-generation play. For example if one player has the game on PS4 and the other on PS5 they can still play together. Same goes for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S players. This is possible because of backward compatibility which allows older generation consoles to talk to newer ones smoothly.
But this is not cross-platform play as both players still need to be on the same console family. This is a small consolation for those who want to play with friends across different brands.
How to Play Multiplayer in A Way Out
Playing multiplayer in A Way Out is easy as long as both players are on the same platform. The game has two modes: local split-screen and online co-op. For local play you need two controllers connected to the same console or PC, for online play each player needs to have the game installed on their system. The game also has a “Friend Pass” feature which allows someone who doesn’t own the game to join as long as the host invites them. This is a nice feature that allows friends to try the game without buying it.
Will A Way Out be Cross-Platform in the Future?
As of now there’s no announcement from Hazelight Studios that A Way Out will support crossplay in the future. The game was released in 2018 and despite the fans asking for it, there’s been no word from the developers to implement it. The developers are known for their focus on cooperative play and adding cross-platform would require a lot of changes to the game’s infrastructure.
Though it’s possible, don’t get your hopes up too high. It’s not just adding cross-platform functionality but also making sure it runs without sync issues which is critical in a game like this.
Summary
A Way Out is a great co-op game that many have played for years. But cross-platform is a big miss. For now you need to be on the same platform to play together, local split-screen or online co-op. Cross-generation play is an option but true crossplay is not. Unless there’s an update in the future this will remain the case.
Co-op fans will still love A Way Out but if you want to play across different devices you’ll have to look elsewhere. For now teamwork, communication and same platform is the way to go.
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