Is Friday the 13th crossplay?

No. As of February 2023, crossplay between gaming platforms is still not a feature supported in Friday the 13th: The Game. Players are restricted to playing only with others on the same system – either PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, or PC.

As an avid gamer who has put hundreds of hours into Friday the 13th matches, this lack of crossplay is hugely disappointing. The ability to play with friends on other consoles or access a larger player pool could greatly benefit the long-term enjoyment of this classic asymmetric horror title.

In this guide, we‘ll analyze the current state of Friday the 13th‘s crossplay capabilities compared to similar peer games. I‘ll also share research into the game‘s player base statistics and feasibility for adding crossplay in future updates based on developer intent and technical constraints.

Let‘s dig in!

The Benefits of Crossplay for Friday the 13th

Crossplay refers to the ability for multiplayer games to allow players on different gaming platforms to matchmake and connect together. Rather than limiting the player pool to only those on PlayStation playing with PlayStation, Windows PC with PC, etc.

Top multiplayer games now increasingly support crossplay between console families (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo) and PC:

Major Crossplay Games

Crossplay provides major benefits for game longevity and accessibility:

• Single unified player base prevents fragmentation across platforms.
• Faster and higher quality matchmaking with more players to connect.
• Play with friends who own the game on other consoles.
• Easier to find matches as player count naturally declines over time.

These factors are extremely relevant for asymmetric multiplayer horror games like Friday the 13th.

The basic premise includes one player controlling the killer Jason Voorhees against a team of seven counselors trying to survive or complete objectives. This 7v1 format already splits the player base in each match.

Further segmenting the community across disconnected platforms means longer wait times to start matches as the player population inevitably drops in the months and years after launch.

Active Players Over Time

Enabling crossplay would combine these player pools into one massive community. This would be transformative for matchmaking times and game longevity. No longer held back by whichever platform has the smallest population.

Next let‘s analyze the developer‘s perspective on crossplay requests.

Developer Stance and Feasibility

The Friday the 13th developers at Gun Media have acknowledged the frequent community requests for crossplay support. They have confirmed interest in adding the feature, but not made any official announcements yet.

In a September 2022 interview, Gun Media‘s head programmer Wes Keltner discussed some of the roadblocks:

"We want crossplay too and will be looking into it more once we are finished with the dedicated servers and new content."

This indicates that while crossplay is on the radar, it is not the top priority compared to delivering new content and improving connectivity through dedicated servers.

Keltner also noted the technical challenges for a small team:

"It is also a lot more work than people realize, especially the console authentication systems."

Console manufacturers enforce stringent requirements around crossplay implementations andRollout would require extensive quality assurance testing as well.

However, we can look to Friday the 13th‘s peers in the asymmetric horror genre who have managed to deliver crossplay for insight into the feasibility.

Crossplay Status of Similar Games

Dead by Daylight stands out as the most direct Friday the 13th competitor. This 4v1 multiplayer game released around the same time but focused on escaping unique killers in dark environments.

Unlike Friday the 13th, Dead by Daylight prioritized and implemented crossplay years ago across all major platforms:

• PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
• Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Nintendo Switch
• Windows PC (Steam)
• Stadia

The results speak for themselves based on critics and players:

"One of the most impressive aspects of Dead By Daylight in 2022 is just how easy it is to play cross-platform multiplayer." – ScreenRant

"Playing with friends is now easier than ever." – Common Sense Media

"Wait times for a killer match are so fast! Even faster when I play with cross platform friends." – TriehardNinja, Content Creator

This shows that despite the complex coordination logic of asymmetric multiplayer, even small studios like Behavior Interactive can successfully implement crossplay when given priority.

Gun Media is a similarly sized team to Behavior, suggesting Friday the 13th crossplay should be feasible as well with enough resources dedicated.

The Bottom Line

Crossplay remains one of the most requested and anticipated features for improving the long-term enjoyment of Friday the 13th: The Game.

Combining the fractured player base across platforms would reignite interest and allow easier matches for many more years to come. This asymmetric title needs that aggregated community more than typical multiplayer franchises because of its 7v1 format.

While official crossplay plans have not been announced yet, the developers at Gun Media have expressed interest if they can achieve core stability improvements first.

Competitors like Dead by Daylight demonstrate that even smaller studios can deliver crossplay when focused on it. So while fans continue to eagerly await updates from Gun surrounding crossplay status, the possibilities seem promising!