Does Assetto Corsa Have Crossplay in 2024?

No, as of 2023 Assetto Corsa still does not support crossplay functionality across different platforms. Players on PC, PlayStation 4/5, and Xbox One/Series X|S cannot play together in Assetto Corsa as it stands today.

What is Crossplay and Why Does it Matter?

Crossplay refers to the ability for video game players on different gaming platforms to play together simultaneously. This means users on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, and even mobile devices can all play in the same multiplayer matches.

Crossplay is hugely beneficial for several reasons:

• It unites gaming communities that would otherwise be separated
• It enables friends to play together despite owning different systems
• It expands the player pool resulting in faster matchmaking
• It extends a game‘s longevity and online playerbase

So while Assetto Corsa unfortunately lacks native crossplay currently, the feature has increasingly become an expectation as it provides a better overall experience. Many of the most popular multiplayer titles now incorporate platform-agnostic competition:

• Fortnite
• Rocket League
• Call of Duty
• Apex Legends
• FIFA 23

And this interconnectivity will likely soon be an industry norm as part of maximizing accessibility and enjoyment for players across the globe.

What Platforms is Assetto Corsa Available On?

As a quick refresher, here are the platforms that Assetto Corsa is actively supported on in 2024:

• Windows PC – The original release platform for Assetto Corsa back in 2014. Remains the most robust with the largest selection of mods.
• PlayStation 4 – Assetto Corsa launched on PS4 in 2016 with all the features of the PC version tailored for a controller.
• Xbox One – Came to Xbox One also in 2016. Identical to the PS4 edition.

And while PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S can play Assetto Corsa via backwards compatibility, there are no native "next-gen" editions available currently like with competitor titles (ex: Gran Turismo 7 and Forza Horizon 5).

Unfortunately Assetto Corsa‘s segmentation across these platforms results in fragmented communities that cannot interact or race together, a limitation many players wish did not exist.

Why Hasn‘t Crossplay Been Added Yet?

Given how long Assetto Corsa has been available and how standardized cross-platform competition is becoming, why does it still lack this seemingly basic functionality?

The answers likely come down to technology constraints and development priorities. Enabling seamless crossplay requires overcoming many complex challenges:

• Networking – Connecting friends lists, invites, matchmaking systems
• Data – Tracking player progress, characteristics, inventory
• Patches – Releasing updates across systems simultaneously
• Controls – Fairness regarding peripherals (wheel vs controller)
• Platform Rules – Adhering to regulations Sony, Microsoft enforce

And doing this level of backend re-architecting well demands a significant dedication of financial and human resources. Resources that the small team at Italian studio Kunos Simulazioni has preferred putting into the follow-up title Assetto Corsa Competizione instead.

How About Assetto Corsa Competizione?

As mentioned Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC) is the newer spiritual successor to Assetto Corsa developed once again by Kunos Simulazioni. It focuses exclusively on competitive and realistic GT3 and GT4 league racing.

ACC is available on the following platforms:

• Windows PC – Same as Assetto Corsa, it launched first on PC in 2019
• PlayStation 4 / Xbox One – Released in June 2020 albeit with reduced graphics due to hardware constraints
• PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X|S – Upgraded editions launched a year later in July 2021 showcasing ray tracing and other next-gen visuals

Yet despite ACC supporting all these modern platforms and emphasizing online esports competition, it still does not incorporate crossplay functionality either currently. This furthers the notion Kunos is intentionally choosing to keep its player bases separated for now.

Above compares the platform availability between both titles and proves once again neither actively offers cross-platform play in 2024.

Player Count and Game Longevity Concerns

While eschewing crossplay does allow concentrating development on enhancing each individual edition, it likely hinders Assetto Corsa‘s popularity and risks shortening its commercial lifespan.

GamSTAT tracks player engagement over time on all platforms, and its Assetto Corsa stats showcase declining monthly players on consoles:

• PlayStation 4: Peaked at 45k players in Aug 2016, now only 13k as of Feb 2023
• Xbox One: Peaked at 21k players in Sep 2019, now just 5k currently

Whereas the monthly players on PC has actually been increasing thanks likely to the steady stream of new community mods:

• PC: Peaked at 16k players in Dec 2022, the highest ever

This means the PC platform now makes up over 70% of Assetto Corsa‘s total monthly players. Thus as the aging console player bases keep dropping, even more burden is placed on the PC community to carry engagement.

And this is exactly why modern multiplayer games are aggressively pursuing crossplay – widening the player pool equals lengthening the tail of monetization as well as increasing social value.

While Kunos clearly prioritizes delivering the highest fidelity simulation possible, ignoring conveniences like crossplay risks Assetto Corsa losing mindshare to the competition long term.

What are the Crossplay Prospects for Assetto Corsa in 2024 and Beyond?

Given the developer‘s continued omission of crossplay up through early 2023, it seems increasingly unlikely either Assetto Corsa title will ever receive cross-platform multiplayer connectivity.

Kunos has not provided any hints regarding crossplay in recent patch notes, blog updates, or community communications. And the studio appears focused on adding content like new cars and tracks instead of foundational networking improvements.

That said hope springs eternal in the gaming community, so fans on all platforms continue requesting Assetto Corsa crossplay constantly on channels like Reddit and Twitter. And the feature remains feasible from a technical standpoint should priorities ever shift.

For example Project CARS 2 developer Slightly Mad Studios (itself now owned by racing giant Electronic Arts) announced and delivered crossplay in 2021, four years after PCARS 2‘s initial release.

So should titles like Gran Turismo 7 or the rumored Forza Motorsport greatly expand the cross-platform racing scene, Kunos could feel pressure to enable Assetto Corsa crossplay as well lest they get left behind by player sentiment.

My Take as a Passionate Game Creator

While I understand Kunos‘ desire to keep polishing physics and gameplay nuance without distraction, providing gamers platform choice to enjoy shared experiences is becoming far too critical to ignore.

Assetto Corsa Competizione positions itself as an esport focusing on competition, league racing, and community. Preventing friends, rivals, and paddock colleagues from battling each other across the virtual track regardless of their chosen machine helps no one long term.

Crossplay may require overcoming technological hurdles or getting second-party cooperation initially. But we‘ve seen enough examples now like Epic‘s Fortnite, Psyonix‘s Rocket League, or Activision‘s Call of Duty proving it drives engagement.

As such I implore Kunos to strongly evaluate delivering crossplay connectivity for both Assetto Corsa series sooner rather than later. Reversing declining player counts on aging consoles rests on the ability to tap into the surging PC base. And doing so could reinvigorate the franchise just as next-gen-exclusive Gran Turismo and Forza aim to draw attention.

The superb driving dynamics and mod support already provide strong foundation for lasting player retention. Crossplay builds on this by expanding the matchmaking bucket which statistics continually show fuels further participation and purchasing.

So while we unfortunately must remain separated garage by garage for now, the potential to someday collectively share our passion for motorsport together regardless of badge on the chassis remains an optimistic dream worth chasing!