No, Dark Souls Remastered does not have cross-play support

ByJames Dorn Last Update on

As a longtime Souls fan who has sunk hundreds of hours into the iconic series, cross-play support would be a dream come true. Playing alongside friends regardless of their console choice seems like an obvious win. Unfortunately, that feature is still missing from the well-received 2018 Dark Souls remaster.

I can confirm from personal experience that Dark Souls Remastered has absolutely no cross-play functionality between Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or PC. Your co-op partners and invasion targets are limited to the same platform.

The Technical and Logistical Hurdles Behind Cross-Play

Enabling seamless cross-play between competing consoles and PC is an enormous technical challenge requiring significant engineering resources. Servers must be tightly integrated, patching and updates need synchronization, and there are often political barriers between platform holders.

According to Digital Foundry, merely linking the more powerful PS4 and Xbox One player bases with Nintendo‘s under-powered Switch hardware would have created balancing issues. FromSoftware likely determined that properly implementing cross-play simply wasn‘t worth the effort or delays for a remaster.

Cross-play is now becoming an expectation for new multiplayer releases. But retrofitting legacy games comes with a different cost-benefit analysis. As a small studio focused on crafting bespoke game worlds, FromSoftware presumably preferred allocating resources towards the next new title like Sekiro or Elden Ring.

The Reality of Solo Platform Silos

Without full cross-play, the Dark Souls Remaster community fragmented back into solo platform silos following the 2018 launch. Xbox One players cannot team up with their PlayStation or PC friends for jolly cooperation. And cheating concerns on PC don‘t spread to console thanks to total separation.

I‘ve seen many fellow fans lamenting this limitation despite understanding the technical challenges. In a perfect world, everyone could play together across Xbox Live, PSN, Steam, and Nintendo Online. But that still seems years away, if ever, for this famously demanding series.

What About Save Transfers Between Platforms?

Another common question around Dark Souls Remastered multi-platform ownership is save data transfers. With no cloud syncing between versions, starting fresh is your only option when switching console families.

I sadly had to abandon my hundred-hour Nintendo Switch character when grabbing the game again on PS5. And there‘s no workaround for importing progress either — your hero, level, gear and world state are forever stranded on one platform.

That stung after the many cumulative hours I‘d invested in my first playthrough. But such is the gloomy way of Dark Souls; the march towards greatness must begin anew after each stumble into a bottomless pit.

My Biggest Source of Frustration

Personally, walled-off platforms remains the most frustrating aspect of owning Dark Souls Remastered across multiple systems. I‘d love to play on my Switch when traveling then pick back up on PS5 at home. But that persistent, interconnected world and personal progress remains elusive.

I often see fellow fans echoing similar sentiments online. We yearn to play Dark Souls anytime, anywhere while retaining hard-fought heroes we‘ve bonded with thanks to countless shared tribulations. Alas, that remaster dream seems destined to die over and over across disconnected platforms.

Could Future Dark Souls Titles Support Cross-Play?

At this point, FromSoftware is fully focused on new original game worlds like Sekiro and Elden Ring rather than extending Dark Souls. However, Elden Ring impressively featured day one cross-play support between consoles and PC thanks to dedicated server architecture.

The runaway 2022 Game of the Year success proved that FromSoftware now recognizes the demand for bridging multi-platform online play. So if the studio ever returned to Lordran for a true Dark Souls 4 sequel, full cross-play functionality feels almost guaranteed given their technical capability today.

Until then, we Dark Souls diehards have no choice other than resigning ourselves to platform-locked adventures in Boletaria, Drangleic, Lothric and beyond. My lonely solo journeys shall undoubtedly continue as I repeatedly push towards each harsh realm‘s thrones. But one day, I hope to see "Summon Sign Detected" alerts that finally unite the entire Dark Souls community.

James K. Dorn, a passionate gamer deeply immersed in the world of video gaming. My journey in gaming is not just about playing; it's about exploring every facet of the games I love. I am particularly fascinated by the intricate worlds of role-playing games like "The Witcher" series and "Elder Scrolls: Skyrim," where every decision shapes the story.

As a strategy game enthusiast, I spend hours devising tactics in games like "Civilization VI" and "StarCraft II," always eager to share my strategies with fellow gamers. I'm also an ardent follower of the ever-evolving landscape of indie games, finding gems like "Hollow Knight" and "Celeste" that offer unique, compelling experiences.

My content isn't just reviews; it's about deep dives into game mechanics, storytelling, and the art of game design. I love dissecting the narratives of games like "The Last of Us" and discussing the innovative gameplay of titles like "Death Stranding."

Being at the forefront of gaming news, I eagerly anticipate and share insights on upcoming releases like the next big open-world adventure or the latest in the "Final Fantasy" series. My goal is to build a community where we not only play games but also appreciate the artistry and effort behind them. Join me in this gaming journey, where every session is an adventure, and every game is a story waiting to be told.

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