Is Sons of the Forest Crossplay? The Honest Answer
Sons of the Forest is PC only, so there is no second platform to cross to. What that means, and how PC groups should actually host it.
Short answer: no — because there is nothing to cross to. Sons of the Forest is a PC game. There is no PlayStation version, no Xbox version and no Switch version, so the crossplay question has no second platform to answer for.
The short version
Platforms: PC (Steam) only. Endnight released the game into Early Access in February 2023 and to 1.0 in February 2024, PC both times. Every player you meet is on PC, which means multiplayer is simply multiplayer — and a dedicated server works for everyone.
If you are here because a friend on console wants to join, the honest answer is that they cannot buy the game at all. What follows is the useful half: how PC players actually play together well.
Is Sons of the Forest Cross-Platform?
No, and not for the usual reason. Most "no crossplay" answers mean two platforms exist and are walled off from each other. Here, only one platform exists.
| Platform | Available? | Plays with |
|---|---|---|
| PC (Steam) | ✓ | Every other PC player |
| PlayStation 5 | ✗ | — |
| Xbox Series X|S | ✗ | — |
| Nintendo Switch | ✗ | — |
Endnight has said in the past that it would be interested in a console release, but no version has been announced with a date, and none has shipped. Treat console rumours accordingly.
This is genuinely good news for multiplayer
A single-platform game has no version-fragmentation problem across ecosystems, no input-parity debate and no console build lagging behind. Everyone gets the same patch on the same day from the same place.
How PC Players Play Together
Two options, and they are not equivalent.
Host from your own game. Quick to start, but the world only exists while you are in it. Your friends cannot carry on building without you, and your machine carries both the game and the server.
Run a dedicated server. Sons of the Forest ships a dedicated server, and a hosted Sons of the Forest server stays online independently of anyone's PC. For a group that wants a base to still be there next weekend, this is the difference between a save and a world.
Keep clients and server on the same version
The game checks versions on connect. After a patch, a player who has not let Steam finish updating will be refused. If exactly one person cannot get in, that is the first thing to check.
Common Questions
Will Sons of the Forest come to PS5 or Xbox?
Nothing is confirmed. Endnight has expressed interest in consoles before, but there is no announced version or date.
Can I play with someone on the original The Forest?
No — they are separate games. The original is on PC and PlayStation; this one is PC only. The Forest's own crossplay situation is a different question with a different answer.
Is there cross-progression?
There is only one platform, so your save simply lives with your PC install. Server worlds live on the server.
How many players can join?
Considerably more on a dedicated server than in a host-and-invite session, which is the main practical reason groups move to one.
What to Read Next
- Sons of the Forest console commands — the admin commands for your server
- Getting started with your Sons of the Forest server — first boot and connecting
- The Forest console commands — the original game, which does have a console version
Made with 💜 by GameServerKings
Playing with friends?
Your own Sons Of The Forest server is a world that stays up when you log off — nobody has to host it from their own PC, and it's there whenever your group wants to play.
From $12.60 /month