“Is UNO cross platform?” is a question that gets asked a lot. We’re talking about the video game, and not the card game, of course.
It’s the exact kind of game which you hope should enable crossplay support, allowing you to hold intense virtual UNO matches with your friends, irrespective of the different gaming platforms they might be on.
We’re sure you already know that the UNO video game has been derived from the eponymous card-based game has been around since 1992.
For those who’ve been living under a rock – playing UNO usually involves distributing an equal number of cards to all individuals present at the table.
The goal is to get rid of the cards in your hand as soon as possible, while playing in turns. The first person to exhaust all their cards wins.
The basic rules of getting rid of your stack works on the principle of colors, numbers, or symbols.
A person next to you can only play if their card is the same color as yours or if they have the same number as that of your card in a different color.
Symbol cards allow for some crazy punishments that have seen innumerable friendships break over decades.
A Draw Two or a Draw Four card forces the person next to you to pick extra cards from the deck, leading to frustrating scenarios, especially when they are just about to exhaust their cards.
The popularity of UNO blossomed all throughout the 1990s and by the turn of the millennium, its video game debut seemed certain.
But it took until 2006 for gaming hardware to be suitable enough for an UNO game to work online.
The game was initially released for the Xbox 360 by Carbonated Games and Microsoft Game Studios.
Gameloft brought it to the iPhone and iPod in 2008, while the following years saw it hitting the PS3, PSP, Wii, and DSi.
Ubisoft then joined the party by releasing PS4, Xbox One and PC versions in 2016, and a Nintendo Switch version in 2017.
This has helped UNO establish a massive presence across platforms, which begs the question, “Does it offer the crossplay feature?”
Is UNO Cross Platform In 2024?
No, UNO does not feature cross play integration between any of the platforms it’s available on.
This means anyone playing on the PS4 will not be able to play UNO against someone who’s playing it on the Xbox One.
Also see: Does Rec Room Feature Cross Platform?
One would have thought that a game as simple as UNO could have easily incorporated crossplay, but the makers have not made UNO cross platform over the years, stating the need to ensure a fair and convenient gameplay experience for each player.
This makes little sense since there’s so little chance of unfair gameplay cropping up in a game like UNO.
But alas, the fact remains that you can only play UNO with your friends if they own it on the same machine as you do.
What Is Cross Platform Play?
In any game that uses the online multiplayer feature, the presence of cross platform support allows players on different platforms to play with or against each other.
This means there are no platform restrictions on the game.
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As opposed to that, a game like UNO that does not feature crossplay support forces players who wish to play with one another online to own it on the same platform.
Cross platform games have been around for a long time, but they have always been too few and far in between.
That has changed in a big way recently, with more and more developers, especially of free-to-play online games, making the facility available for gamers.
This not just increases the influx of active players into their game but also allows them to compete better with rivals. That’s not to say there aren’t any caveats attached to crossplay.
Read: Can PS4 and PS5 Gamers Play Stardew Valley Together?
One major factor that deters developers from offering cross platform gaming is the disparity in controls between consoles and PC.
The keyboard and mouse method of the latter can provide a significant advantage to its players.
In such cases, a lot of work goes into ensuring that there’s absolute parity between all the different gaming platforms with which a particular title is compatible.
To enable UNO cross platform gaming wouldn’t be a problem given that it is largely time-insensitive, giving no serious advantage to PC gamers.
Is UNO crossplay between:
PC and PS4?
No, its developers have not made UNO cross platform between the PS4 and PC despite the fact that the game is available on both platforms and has been created by the same development team at Ubisoft Chengdu.
Xbox One and PS4/PS5?
Sony and Microsoft are huge rivals in the console business. So there’s a whole history of the two companies not allowing native cross platform between them.
Needless to say, cross platform play in UNO cannot be experienced between the Xbox One and the PS4 or the PS4.
Xbox One and PC?
Xbox One and Windows PC are both platforms owned by Microsoft, yet UNO cross platform compatibility does not exist between these two different gaming platforms.
PS4/PS5 and PC?
No, there is no UNO cross platform gameplay support between the PS4/PS5 and PC.
Nintendo Switch and PC?
No, anyone playing on the Nintendo Switch console cannot play UNO with or against someone who owns the game on PC.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What Are Card Games?
As the term suggests, card games are those games that are played with packs of cards. Traditional card games involve the common 52-card deck that can be used to play innumerable different games.
A title UNO is different. It can only be played with special UNO cards and doesn’t have too many variations.
Is The Game Cross Generation?
UNO may not offer cross platform compatibility, but it does support cross generation play.
So people on the PS4 can play with those on the PS5 since the latter version is basically working with backwards compatibility. The same goes for the Xbox One and the Xbox Series X/S.
Does It Offer Cross Progression Support?
No, there is no cross progression support for UNO, which means your saved data from one platform cannot be carried over to another.
Does It Offer Cross Save Support?
Since cross save and cross progression are the same, the feature is not available on UNO.
Will UNO Offer Cross Platform Play In The Future?
So far, there hasn’t been any announcement from the makers of UNO about crossplay being introduced in the future.
However, we can always hope there’ll be a change of heart in the coming years.
Can I Play Uno Online With Friends?
Yes, UNO can be played online with friends as long as they are on the same machine as you.
Wrapping Up
It’s quite disappointing to know that the much-demanded UNO cross platform feature has not been enabled by the makers of the game. We can now only hope that this changes in the future.
At the moment, this game can be played on a variety of platforms, including iOS, Android, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
It also works on legacy platforms like the PS3, PSP, DSi, and more.
There’s also the possibility that the game might get developed natively for new-gen consoles like the PS5 and the Xbox Series X/S.
Let us wait and watch if or when that happens.
But perhaps the best way to play UNO is to actually buy the cards and get together with friends and family.
There’s tons of fun to be had when UNO is enjoyed in person and there isn’t even a need to worry about whether UNO is cross platform or not.
