If you’ve ever wanted to squad up for a Rocket League match only to realize your best friend games on a different platform than you, you’re not alone. For years, players asked for crossplay support, and Psyonix delivered fully functional cross platform play a few years back, with updates to make the process smoother every few months. A lot of new players still ask how do you play rocket league cross platform without running into weird connection or friend request bugs, and this guide walks you through every step of the process, based on my years of playing the game across three different platforms and helping dozens of friends get their crossplay groups set up.
How Do You Play Rocket League Cross Platform: First-Time Setup Steps
First, the good news: crossplay is enabled by default for all new Rocket League accounts, so you probably don’t have to flip a bunch of hidden switches to get started. The only non-negotiable requirement is that you link your platform account to a free Epic Games account, since all cross platform features run through Epic’s account system now. You can link your account on the Epic Games website, or follow the in-game prompt when you first launch Rocket League after an update.
You don’t need an active platform online subscription (like PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold) for private crossplay matches with friends, but you will need one to join public ranked or casual lobbies. If you only plan to play custom matches with people you know, you can skip paying for those services entirely, which is a nice bonus for casual players.
Once your account is linked, you can confirm crossplay is enabled by opening your settings menu, navigating to the Gameplay tab, and checking that the “Cross Platform Play” box is ticked. You can toggle this on and off any time, which is helpful if you want shorter queue times one day and lower ping matches the next.
How to Add Cross Platform Friends in Rocket League
The biggest mistake new crossplay players make is trying to add friends using their platform gamertag instead of their Epic Games display name. Rocket League’s cross platform friends list only pulls from Epic accounts, so your friend’s Xbox, PlayStation, or Switch username won’t show up if you search for it in the crossplay menu.
You’ll need to ask for their exact Epic display name, including any special characters, capitalization, and number suffixes, to send a friend request that will actually reach them. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had friends type in my old Xbox gamertag and complain they can’t find me, so double check the name you’re searching before you assume the system is broken.
Adding a cross platform friend only takes four simple steps:
- Open the in-game friends menu from the main screen, located in the top right corner next to your notifications
- Select the "Add Epic Friend" option, not the platform-specific add friend button that appears at the top of your platform friends list
- Type in your friend's full Epic display name and hit send, then wait for them to accept the request
- Once they accept, their name will appear in your crossplay friends list permanently, unless you choose to remove them later
If you’re a parent setting up an account for a kid, you can adjust privacy settings to block incoming crossplay friend requests entirely, so only people you approve can send invites. That’s a quick way to avoid random messages or invites from strangers while still letting your kid play with people you know on other platforms.
Common Cross Platform Rocket League Issues and Fixes
Even with all the updates, crossplay still has a few common bugs that pop up for players every now and then. Most of these are super easy to fix without contacting support, so you don’t have to cut your game night short over a small glitch.
The most common issue is not seeing a friend in your list even after they accepted your request. If you can’t find an accepted friend in your crossplay list, fully close and restart your game to refresh the friends sync between your platform and Epic’s servers. This fixes the problem 9 times out of 10, and only takes a minute to do.
Another frequent complaint is cross platform voice chat not working. First, make sure you have in-game voice chat enabled in your audio settings, and that your microphone is set as the default input device for your platform. If it’s still not working, check your platform’s privacy settings to make sure you allow voice chat with players outside of your platform. Some console accounts have this turned off by default for younger users.
You can toggle crossplay on or off at any time in your gameplay settings, no restart required. If you’re experiencing higher than normal ping in crossplay matches, you can turn crossplay off to only match with players on your own platform. Just note that queue times will be longer, especially for less popular game modes like Hoops or Dropshot.
One thing to watch out for if you play in competitive tournaments: some third-party and official Rocket League Championship Series events disable crossplay to level the playing field between controller and mouse and keyboard players. Always check the tournament rules before you sign up with a cross platform team, so you don’t get disqualified before you even play your first match.
Tips for Better Cross Platform Rocket League Matches
Once your crossplay group is set up, there are a few small tweaks you can make to have a more fun, fair experience when playing with people across different devices. First, be aware of input differences: most console players use controllers, while most PC players use mouse and keyboard, and each input has its own strengths. Controllers are better for smooth aerial control and dribbling, while mouse and keyboard lets you turn and aim faster for quick saves and shots.
You can enable cross platform input matching if you only want to play against other players using the same input type as you, regardless of what platform they’re on. This is a great setting for competitive players who don’t want to deal with the advantages of one input over the other, but you can leave it off if you just want casual matches with friends.
Crossplay parties follow the same MMR (matchmaking rating) rules as single platform parties, so the game will average the rank of everyone in your group to find fair lobbies. If you’re a Diamond player playing with a Bronze friend, don’t be surprised if you get matched against Gold and Platinum players, it’s not a bug, it’s the matchmaker trying to keep the game fair for everyone.
So, one fun little bonus of cross platform play most people don’t know about: if you have your Epic account linked across multiple devices, all your car designs, ranked progress, and cosmetic items carry over between platforms. I switch between playing on my PC at home and my Switch when I’m traveling, and all my limited edition decals and rank progress are there no matter what I play on, which saves me from having to grind for items twice.
Figuring out how do you play Rocket League cross platform is way simpler than most new players expect, once you get past the small hurdle of linking your Epic account and learning to add friends via their Epic name. Crossplay has made Rocket League way more accessible for casual players, since you don’t have to convince all your friends to buy the same console or PC just to play together. Next time you log on, send a friend request to that person you know who plays on a different platform, you’ll probably end up with a ton of fun matches and new people to squad up with.
