Is Rust cross-platform? It’s a fair question to ask, considering the status Rust holds today in the survival genre.
Rust is one of the most popular multiplayer survival games today. It stands toe-to-toe with titles like DayZ and State of Decay 2.
Launched in Early Access back in 2013, it officially received a full release from Facepunch Studios in Feb 2018 for Windows and MacOS.
Console versions later came out in May 2021, out of Facepunch’s collaboration with Double Eleven. What started as a clone of DayZ later incorporated elements from Minecraft and other survival games.
Rust is generally praised for its PvP and PvE gameplay and equally criticized for its steep learning curve and a punishing grind for materials.
Rust – Steam’s Survival Darling
Rust has consistently topped charts on Steam with its unique blend of survival and crafting elements, taking cues from DayZ and Minecraft.
Rust began its journey from Steam Early Access in December 2013 and continued development for almost 5 years.
This involved a shift from zombies to dangerous wildlife and the game engine being changed to Unity 5.
Players are dropped into a harsh post-apocalyptic world ravaged by an unknown calamity, and need to brave the elements in a procedurally-generated map.
Wild animals like wolves and bears pose an ever-looming threat, but players need to be more worried about other players.
Also see: Is A Way Out Cross-Platform? [Explained]
Mining and crafting make up the rest of the gameplay elements, providing players the tools to craft weapons and survival gear.
PvP combat feels fresh with the inclusion of bows and craftable guns that shoot ballistic bullets instead of straight projectiles.
Players can also build bases and need to be on the lookout for airdrops containing useful supplies.
What is Cross-Platform Play?
‘Cross-platform’ literally means across platforms and hence, cross-platform play refers to a game being playable across multiple platforms like PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, and more.
Cross-platform functionality enables gamers to play with others who’re on a different platform than theirs.
For example, a cross-play enabled game would allow PC users to compete with friends who’re playing on, say, an Xbox One or a PS4.
Cross-platform play is still a rarity in the video game industry even in 2024. Only a handful of major publishers have rolled out this feature for their flagship games.
Titles like Fortnite, Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Rocket League are some examples of cross-platform games.
Cross-play offers gamers a vast player pool to compete with and they’re not limited to the community of their own platform.
Furthermore, it saves your friends the hassle of purchasing an extra device just so you can play together.
Is Rust cross-platform in 2024?
With the rise in its popularity over the past few years, many gamers might naturally be wondering – Is Rust cross-platform enabled?
The ability to play Rust cross-platform with friends and even strangers across consoles and PC is genuinely exciting.
To answer the question: Yes, Rust is a cross-platform game. But there’s a catch.
Cross-play is possible in Rust, but only in a few limited combinations. The Rust console edition is fully cross-platform compatible between all consoles.
This means players logging in from their consoles can play with players on other consoles.
But those on the PC version are limited to other PC players only. So Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S can compete with players on the PS4 or PS5. But PC players cannot play with their cross-platform friends.
PS4 and Xbox One and Series X/S
For PS4 and Xbox One players wondering whether they can play Rust together on the same server, the news is good. Yes, PS4 and Xbox One players can play together in the same game.
All you need to do is add your cross-platform friends to your friend list with the in-game settings and you’ll be all set to drop and begin looting and killing.
Xbox Series X/S is also cross-play compatible with both the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game.
The two major console communities are usually at loggerheads with each other, fighting over which of the two consoles is superior. Well, now they can also bring their arguments to blow up the in-game chat.
PS4 and PS5
With the launch of the next-gen PlayStation 5 last year, expectations were high. Though the Rust console edition is suffering from stability issues on the PS5, players can take heart from the fact that they can still play with their friends using PS4 on the same server.
Fortunately, this means PlayStation users who’re still on the fence about buying the PS5 or aren’t able to find one in stock, need not worry about being able to play with their pals on the next-gen PlayStation console.
PS5 and Xbox One and Series X/S
Fans of the game might have some doubts over whether the Rust console edition on the Xbox One is cross-play compatible with the next-gen PS5.
Facepunch has answered your prayers and yes, the game on the PS5 and Xbox One are cross-platform compatible with each other and with the next-gen Xbox Series X/S too, as long as all those playing are on the same server.
Consoles and PC
Now comes the catch we referred to earlier. Those on the PC cannot play with others on any of the different consoles.
This is because the Rust console edition is not cross-play compatible with the PC version. It leaves PC players out in the lurch.
This might be due to PC players having an inherent advantage over console players due to keyboard and mouse offering vastly superior gameplay compared to the controllers on Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
Will Rust Ever Be Cross-Play On PC?
Fans have long wondered whether Facepunch Studios will bring cross-play to PC players as well.
Though there has been no official announcement or even indication from the studio if Rust cross play is in the works, we can never say never.
After all, COD: Warzone allows those on PC and the consoles to play with each other and it’s one of the most popular games today. But does the Rust community even want cross-platform between PC and consoles?
One reason we talked about Rust not being cross-play on PC is the undue advantage PC gamers will have over console players if the game ever goes cross-platform with PC.
The other major reason is that the Rust console edition is following a vastly different development roadmap compared to the PC edition and it would only get more difficult trying to shoehorn cross-play there as well.
Hence, neither the developers of the game nor users want PC and console cross-platform play. So it’s only natural that it hasn’t seen the light of day. And it possibly never will.
What Is The Difference Between Cross-Platform And Multiplatform?
People often tend to confuse these two terms. While cross-platform refers to the ability to play a game across different devices, multiplatform simply means the availability of a game on different platforms.
A large majority of the games available today have both a PC and a console edition, irrespective of whether they’re cross-play compatible or not.
Exceptions to this are console-exclusive games either on the PlayStation or the Xbox side. Games like Marvel’s Spider-Man, The Last of Series, Uncharted series are console-defining exclusives on the PS platform.
The Xbox camp has titles like the Forza Motorsport series, Forza Horizon series, Halo series, and some other games.
It’s worth noting that the Xbox titles are also available to PC players. And gradually, PS titles have started to make their way to PC as well, like the Horizon: Zero Dawn, God of War, and Death Stranding games.
In conclusion
That’s all we had for you on Rust’s cross-platform availability for the PC and the console version. We hope you’re having fun playing the game, no matter the platform you’re on.
