If you’ve ever tried to queue for a quick play match with a friend who owns a different gaming system, you’ve probably wondered can you cross play Overwatch 2 without hitting annoying barriers. Blizzard overhauled most of its online functionality when it launched the free-to-play sequel, but cross-platform features still trip up new and returning players all the time. I once spent 20 minutes troubleshooting a lobby with my friend who plays on Xbox, only to realize I’d accidentally turned crossplay off when I was testing competitive settings the week before, so I know how frustrating those small mistakes can be. I’ve spent hundreds of hours playing Overwatch 2 across PC, Switch, and PlayStation, so I’ve worked through every quirk of its crossplay system to break down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how to set it up in minutes.
Can You Cross Play Overwatch 2 Across All Supported Devices?
The short answer is yes, crossplay is available for every platform that supports Overwatch 2, including PC (via Battle.net and Steam), PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. Crossplay is enabled by default for all players the first time you launch the game, so you won’t have to dig through settings to use it unless you’ve turned it off manually in the past. It works for every game mode too, from casual quick play and arcade matches to ranked competitive play and paid PvE story missions.
There are a few small caveats to be aware of, though. Console players have the option to opt out of crossplay for competitive matches if they only want to play against other users on their same console family, but this will usually lead to much longer queue times, especially for less popular game modes. Mobile players will also be added to the crossplay pool once the global launch rolls out, though regional beta tests for the mobile version are still ongoing as of now. You also don’t have to worry about unfair matchups between controller and mouse and keyboard players, because Blizzard uses input-based matchmaking to group players with the same control method together, regardless of what platform they’re playing on.
Step-by-Step to Enable and Adjust Cross Play Settings
If you think you might have turned crossplay off by accident, or you want to adjust your settings to opt out of console crossplay for competitive, the process only takes a minute regardless of what platform you’re on. You can follow these simple steps to adjust your settings correctly:
- Launch Overwatch 2 and navigate to the main menu, then select the "Options" tab from the top right corner
- Go to the "Gameplay" section, then scroll down to the "Cross-Platform Play" header
- Toggle the "Cross-Play" switch to "On" if it’s disabled, then save your settings before exiting the menu
- If you’re a console player who wants to opt out of crossplay for competitive matches, toggle the "Console Cross-Play Opt-Out" switch to on
- Restart your game if the settings don’t take effect immediately to sync changes with Blizzard’s servers
It’s important to note that PC players cannot opt out of crossplay, but this doesn’t mean you’ll be matched with console players if you use mouse and keyboard. Input-based matchmaking keeps mouse and keyboard PC players in a separate pool from controller players on any platform, so you’ll only ever face other players using the same control method as you. If you play on PC with a controller, you will be grouped with console controller players, which is a great option if you prefer that control scheme and want faster queue times.
Common Cross Play Issues and Simple Fixes
Even with crossplay enabled, you might run into small issues when trying to play with friends on other platforms, and most of them have really simple fixes once you know what to look for. The most common issue is being unable to join a friend’s lobby, or not seeing their request pop up when they send it. I’ve run into this issue more times than I can count when playing with my little brother, who only plays on Switch, and 9 times out of 10 it’s because one of you has crossplay disabled, or you haven’t linked your console account to your Battle.net profile correctly.
All players need a linked Battle.net account to use crossplay, even if you only ever play on console, so make sure you’ve connected your PSN, Xbox Live, or Nintendo account to your Battle.net profile on Blizzard’s website before you try to play with cross-platform friends. Another common issue is not seeing your friend in your in-game friend list even after you’ve added them. You can’t add cross-platform friends via their console gamertag, so you’ll need to add them using their full Battle.net display name, including the 4-digit number at the end of their username.
If you’re experiencing high ping or lag in crossplay matches, that usually means you’ve been matched with players in a different region. You can fix this by adjusting your region settings in the Battle.net launcher (for PC players) or your console’s network settings to prioritize local servers. For voice chat issues with cross-platform friends, double check that the "Cross-Platform Voice Chat" toggle is turned on in your audio settings, as this is often disabled by default for younger accounts or new players.
Cross Progression vs Cross Play: What’s the Difference?
A lot of players mix up crossplay and cross progression, but they’re two separate features that work together to make the game more accessible across devices. Crossplay refers to playing matches with users on other platforms, while cross progression lets you carry all of your in-game progress, skins, battle pass levels, and rank across every platform you play on, as long as they’re linked to the same Battle.net account.
Cross progression is also enabled by default when you link your console accounts to Battle.net, and any in-game purchases you make will be available across all linked platforms, except for platform-specific exclusives like PlayStation Plus bonus skins or Xbox Game Pass reward items. If you’ve played Overwatch 1 on console in the past, all of your legacy skins and progress will also carry over to Overwatch 2 across all platforms when you link your accounts.
The only catch with cross progression is that Blizzard no longer allows account merging, so you can’t combine progress from two different Battle.net accounts. That means you’ll want to make sure you link all of your console accounts to the same Battle.net profile the first time you launch Overwatch 2, so you don’t lose access to any of your existing skins or progress. You can check which accounts are linked to your Battle.net profile at any time on Blizzard’s official website.
At the end of the day, the answer to can you cross play Overwatch 2 is a resounding yes, and it’s easier to set up than most players realize once you work through the small quirks of Blizzard’s system. Whether you’re playing casual matches with friends across the world or grinding competitive ranks on your preferred platform, crossplay opens up far more match options and shorter queue times for almost every player. Just double check your settings and linked accounts before you queue, and you’ll be grouped up with your squad in no time.