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Is Sea of Thieves cross-platform?

Learn about how cross-platform play works in Sea of Thieves and how to tailor your experience on Xbox.

Sam Chandler

May 5, 2020 9:35 PM

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Would-be pirates looking to the waters are wondering whether Sea of Thieves is cross-platform. The reason for this is a simple one: they have friends on Xbox One and friends on PC and want to know if the fun transcends platforms. There’s some good news for once when it comes to cross-platform, as well as some information for those that aren’t keen on the idea.

Is Sea of Thieves cross-platform?

Yes, Sea of Thieves is cross-platform. Since its launch back in 2018, Sea of Thieves lets players on PC and Xbox play together. The game also features Play Anywhere, which allows a player to shift back and forth from PC and Xbox with the same file save.

Playing Sea of Thieves cross-platform is as easy as inviting your friend. You don’t need to select any special option or change any setting. When Sea of Thieves eventually comes to Steam, cross-platform play may work a bit differently between Steam, the Windows Store, and Xbox. We’ll be sure to keep you up to date when the time comes.

How to turn off cross-platform

For some Xbox players, having the option to disable cross-platform play in Sea of Thieves is essential. The reason for this is that PC players have a distinct advantage when it comes to load times and hand-to-hand combat.

Thankfully, Xbox players can disable cross-platform play through the in-game settings. This will allow them to further tailor their experience so as to only verse other console-based players. When playing Arena, this option is already activated. However, if the game cannot find a match, it will override this decision in order to widen the search parameters.

For those on Xbox that have disabled cross-platform play with PC, if you choose to crew up with your friend who is on PC, your decision will also be overridden.

When you load into an Outpost, look to the top of your screen to see who you’re sailing with. The game will let you know whether it’s all players or just those on console.

Now that the details of Sea of Thieves’ cross-platform play have crystalized, make sure you sail over to the Shacknews Sea of Thieves guide and walkthrough. This article contains a great wealth of seafaring information to help you on your voyages and adventures.

Sam Chandler

Guides Editor

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as a Guides Editor. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler