The Forest was released in 2018, first for PC and then for PlayStation 4, and quickly gained popularity. It throws players into a dangerous situation, where they have to survive on a hostile island after a plane crash.
The game is already scary, but with multiplayer options, you don’t have to face the terror alone. In this article, we’ll explore the multiplayer features and answer the question: is The Forest cross-platform?
Why Is The Forest So Popular?
At its core, The Forest is a simple game, but it gives players a huge amount of freedom. As a survival game, it has you looking for resources like food, water, and materials to build your base. One of the main reasons people love the game is its building system, where you can create almost anything from scratch.
This mechanic allows players to build large bases with friends, limited only by how fast they can gather resources and fend off constant attacks from cannibalistic enemies. You can build everything from simple structures to vehicles like rafts, and even crazy creations like ziplines and rollercoasters.
While the game’s story is intense, players often ignore it just to focus on building—yes, you can even create a theme park if you want to! The Forest is popular because it’s familiar and comfortable while still offering thrilling, heart-racing battles. It’s a game you can come back to time and time again, but is it crossplay?
Is The Forest Crossplay?
Unfortunately, The Forest is not cross-platform. If you’re playing on PC and your friend is on PlayStation 4, there’s no way for you to team up. Crossplay is a feature in some modern multiplayer games that lets players from different platforms (like Xbox, PlayStation, or PC) play together.
Sadly, The Forest doesn’t support this feature, and there’s no cross-progression either. This means if you switch from PlayStation to PC, your saved game doesn’t transfer—you’ll have to start all over again.
What About The Forest 2?
Looking forward to the sequel, Sons of the Forest? As of now, it’s not expected to be cross-platform either, since it’s only launching on PC. However, there’s always a possibility that future updates or expansions could introduce crossplay, especially if the demand from players is strong enough.
While it may start as a PC-only title, the success of the game could lead to a wider platform release, similar to how The Forest eventually expanded to PlayStation. For now, though, PC players will have the exclusive experience of diving into the next chapter of this survival horror saga.
Are There Cross-Platform Alternatives to The Forest?
If you’re looking for games to play with friends on different platforms, there are other options. For example, Minecraft offers crossplay through its Bedrock Edition, allowing players on different devices to build together. If you enjoy survival but want to avoid terrifying creatures, Ark: Survival Evolved also supports some cross-platform mechanics and lets you battle dinosaurs.
Cross-platform gaming is becoming more common, and hopefully, more games like The Forest will support this feature in the future.
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Summary
The Forest is a popular survival game that lets you build and fight with friends. However, it doesn’t support crossplay, meaning players on different platforms can’t play together.
While the sequel, Sons of the Forest, is on the way, it won’t offer cross-platform play either. If you’re looking for crossplay games, alternatives like Minecraft and Ark might be what you need.