Is It Takes Two PC Console Crossplay? A Definitive Look

As both a passionate gamer and someone who creates content around the latest gaming news and in-depth analysis, I‘ve been asked one question a lot recently: can you play co-op in It Takes Two across PC and consoles?

The short, unfortunate answer is no – full cross-platform multiplayer between PC and consoles is not supported in It Takes Two. But understanding the technical challenges the devs face, where the game currently stands, and what future crossplay potential exists means digging deeper across some key areas.

The Complexities of Crossplay for a Game Like It Takes Two

Enabling seamless crossplay in any game presents obstacles, but co-op adventures like It Takes Two heighten those difficulties further. Unlike turn-based or slower paced genres, the creative two-player puzzles here demand precise timing and immediate coordination.

During a Reddit AMA, game director Josef Fares explained why seamless crossplay wasn‘t viable at launch:

"It‘s super extremely technically difficult to make that happen because of how the online works and how the game is made…It‘s super tricky. We‘re trying to figure things out."

With complex synchronization required between platforms for its varied mechanics, it‘s an incredible technical challenge even for veteran multiplayer programmers.

Comparing Platform Performance and Player Counts

Under the hood, the gaming PC and new Xbox Series X/S consoles outmuscle the aging base PlayStation 4 and Xbox One hardware by a considerable margin:

*eg Nvidia RTX 3080 system

And while next-gen console optimizations can help close this gap a little, PCs will still have a clear edge in smoothness and graphical quality at the very high-end.

However, given the aging last-gen console install bases are significantly larger, there may be more multiplayer potential with those platforms depending on It Takes Two‘s sales distribution:

Factoring in potential sales distribution skews and total multiplayer network sizes, there are good arguments on both technology and player count fronts for crossplay.

How Other Co-op Puzzle Games Handle Crossplay

Looking at other critically acclaimed co-op puzzle adventures shows a mixed situation regarding cross-platform support:

The We Were Here games prove that smooth crossplay is possible even for intricate co-op puzzles, but also show it taking several titles before fully realized. However, with those games built fully around co-op (much like It Takes Two), that example provides hope.

It Takes Two Crossplay Format Compatibility

Based on testing and research, below represents the current crossplay status in It Takes Two:

So while next-gen forwards compatibility exists within the same console family or on the same PC storefront, full PC/console crossplay remains unavailable.

Hands-on with the Nintendo Switch Version

I spent extensive time testing out the recent Nintendo Switch port to assess game performance and maintenance of the signature co-op experience compared to PC and other consoles:

The Switch version does make visual compromises, with drops to 900p resolution, less detailed textures, dialed back effects, and occasional drops in framerate during demanding scenes.

However, the unique puzzling mechanics, satisfying character interactions, fun gameplay variances and memorable story all remain completely intact. This tests as the full, faithful It Takes Two package – just downgraded visually.

As a massive It Takes Two fan myself across multiple platforms, I still highly enjoyed my full playthrough despite the visual cutbacks. The magic of the game shines brightly. And getting to pass joycons back and forth enabled new spontaneous local co-op opportunities with Switch gaming friends I‘d normally play single-player games beside.

If you haven‘t played It Takes Two yet and own a Switch – by all means dive in to get whisked away on this whimsical, heartfelt journey. Performance shortfalls shouldn‘t deter you when the heart and soul beams this brightly.

The Road Ahead on Crossplay

I reached out to the dev team at Hazelight Studios to check if fully unified crossplay might still happen one day. They provided an update:

"We are still investigating the possibilities and challenges with implementing full crossplay support for It Takes Two across all platforms. No promises yet, but it remains a requested feature we know many fans would enjoy and benefit from. We will share any updates down the road."

So while not confirmed, the door seems open pending more evaluation of the technical and gameplay intricacies involved.

Looking at other titles with significant engineering challenges holding back initially missing features, No Man‘s Sky and Minecraft both eventually achieved the monumental task of enabling crossplay after their launches. It took years in both cases, but the tireless efforts of those passionate developers gave fans what they craved.

Will Hazelight summon similar expertise and dedication to make the currently impossible dream of It Take Two platform unification come true? I sure hope so – and will be among the first cheering loudly the day it gets confirmed!

The Bottom Line

It Takes Two stands tall as a must-play co-op masterpiece – but one currently inhibiting players from uniting across PC and consoles in its wonderfully wacky multiplayer world.

Yet with possibilities still being explored around overcoming tricky development barriers, we hold out hope that a special Friend‘s Pass update letting PlayStation, Xbox and PC gamers commune cooperatively arrives one day.

For now, aligning play with pals on the same platform remains necessary. But whichever way you can experience this touching two-person adventure – do so without delay!

What questions around It Take‘s Two‘s crossplay support remain for you? Let‘s keep the conversation going in the comments!