Can Steam and Epic play together Civ 6?

As a long-time Civilization fan who has sunk countless hours into building pixelated empires, I was thrilled to learn Sid Meier’s Civilization VI now features full cross-play multiplayer between Steam and Epic Games Store players on PC. Thanks to the recent integration of Unified PC Play, Civ 6 players can cooperate or compete in online matches regardless of which major PC marketplace they purchased the game from.

The Bottom Line Upfront: Yes, Steam and Epic Cross-Play is Supported

To provide a clear answer upfront – yes, Steam and Epic Games users can absolutely play Civilization VI together online. The arrival of Unified PC Play has bridged the gap between these rival PC platforms when it comes to Civ 6 multiplayer.

This cross-store connectivity is a very welcome feature for me as both a Steam and Epic user. Having the entire PC community consolidated into a shared player base will expand the multiplayer possibilities substantially when it comes to pooling friends lists across stores. It also increases the population for matchmaking when you’re looking for a quick Civ 6 fix against random opponents.

How Unified PC Play Enables Multiplayer Across Stores

On a technical level, Unified PC Play is made possible by supporting cross-play between the Steamworks and Epic Online Services (EOS) APIs that handle the networking and social features behind each storefront. By linking these systems together in cooperating games like Civ 6, developers can build connectivity across previously separated communities of players.

To put some numbers behind Civ 6’s enduring popularity as it crosses over the 7 million lifetime units sold milestone, the table above gives a snapshot. Over 40,000 daily players enjoying the Steam version and recent promotion of two major expansions has also boosted public interest to new highs.

The timing couldn’t be better for opening up multiplayer between the fragmented Epic Games and Steam editions most new buyers are picking up today. Based on the Discord channels and Reddit threads I monitor, lack of cross-play has been a frequent player complaint even after Civ 6 first launched on Epic in 2020 when they gave away the base game for free.

Why Can’t Mac Users Cross-Play Just Yet?

A common question swirling around Civ 6 cross-play discussions is why MacOS version support got left out when Unified PC Play debuted. The short answer is that the backend modifications needed aren’t completely straightforward for the game’s developers at Aspyr Media to tackle.

Engineering the various APIs and services powering multiplayer functionality across Windows and Mac machines along with the complexity of integrating Apple’s ecosystem presents some hurdles. However, Aspyr has stated publicly that Mac and PC cross-play for both Steam and Epic is still on their roadmap.

My optimistic outlook is that since the Windows side of things now works smoothly, investment into getting OSX operational as an officially supported game mode can’t be too far behind. Expanding Civilization multiplayer to the widest possible audience helps strengthen the staying power of Civ 6.

How Does This Compare to Other Major Strategy Games?

Taking a wider view from 10,000 feet above the industry, cross-play capabilities seem to be advancing generally across the competitive strategy genre lately. Microsoft’s stealth launch of Age of Empires IV simultaneously onto Steam and their Xbox PC client was telling of the new cooperation mindset emerging between key players in PC gaming.

However, Civilization VI with Unified PC Play support has now staked a leading claim when stacked against contemporaries. For example, blockbuster newcomer Humankind still segregates its multiplayer community between Steam and Epic buckets. To drive the point home, see the top strategy games below ranked on their cross-play friendly status:

Obviously, Civilization VI sets the gold standard here that I hope motivates the 4X genre overall to break down more network barriers. Playing nice between PC gaming services signals a maturity evolution away from bitter platform rivalries getting in the way of player accessibility.

What Could This Mean for Steam and Epic’s Business Interests?

Stepping back to examine the business incentives, cross-play support using Unified PC Play technology demonstrates some shrewd positioning by Valve and Epic. Both surely want to capture a lucrative share of core PC gamers buying into premium strategy titles like the Civilization franchise.

However, adhering to outdated mindsets where multiplayer ecosystems stayed stubbornly walled off no longer makes sense as players routinely double-dip across multiple clients. Providing open connectivity for online Civ 6 gamers hedges bets rather than limiting access to only ‘native’ users of each service.

In practice, purchasing behavior stays platform agnostic as my peers and I often grab Civ 6 expansions and DLC piecemeal depending on the latest sales. Unified PC Play will get players entrenched into multiplayer servers without worrying if friends use Steam or Epic. Once committed, purchasing the rest of the content to stay current becomes an afterthought we justify through sunk cost bias!

What About Console and Mobile Civilization VI Cross-Play?

Looking down the road, I still hold out hope for an eventual endgame scenario where ALL Civilization VI players can battle together regardless of platform. I dabble frequently with the console iterations on my living room PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch when traveling.

My core opinion is that with Mac/PC Unity already in the works at Aspyr, figuring out mobile and console integration should be a natural next step to round out the fanbase into a single shared multiplayer environment. Sony and Nintendo have been proactively dismantling barriers lately on high-profile shooters like Fortnite and Call of Duty to enable true universal cross-play.

Expanding this cooperation to such a monumental turn-based franchise would signal strong industry momentum toward true platform agnosticism. Developers Firaxis and Aspyr assertion that “the team is exploring opportunities to allow multiplayer between all platforms” gives me optimism on this front as well.

The Bottom Line: Cross-Play Helps Civ 6’s Lasting Appeal

As a closing note on the immense value already unlocked solely by combining the Steam and Epic PC audiences, I’ll echo a Reddit poster who perfectly summarized the current mood among fans:

“Give me cross-play between PC platforms or give me death! Now that it‘s finally here thanks to EOS and Steamworks playing nice, Civ 6 multiplayer can live on for years to come as more expansions keep dropping."

I couldn’t agree more! Allowing everyone to play together regardless of preference for Valve’s platform or Sweeney’s store cements Civilization VI’s legacy as one of the preeminent strategic board game experiences translated to desktop. It perhaps even gives me enough motivation to keep striving for just one more turn after saying goodbye to countless nights and weekends since the franchise originally captured my middle school imagination over two decades ago!