Payday 2 is a co-op first-person shooter game developed by Overkill Software and published by 505 Games. Originally released in 2013, Payday 2 allows players to team up for heists and robberies in a crime-filled world.
The game is focused on multiplayer co-op gameplay, allowing between 1 to 4 players to work together pulling off various jobs. Players get to take on the role of one of the original Payday gang members or a completely custom created character. There are a variety of robberies to take part in, ranging from banks, jewel stores, casinos and more.
The co-op aspect is a core part of Payday 2, requiring players to coordinate and use teamwork to be successful. Each mission requires careful planning, scouting, preparation, execution, and getaway. Players need to collaborate and utilize their unique skills to get the job done right. With new content and expansions added regularly since launch, Payday 2 offers engaging co-op FPS action.
The ability to play co-operatively with friends is a key draw of Payday 2. This makes crossplay capabilities an important consideration, especially for players looking to team up with others across different platforms.
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Payday 2 Platform Availability
Payday 2 is available on a variety of gaming platforms:
PC – Payday 2 can be played on PC via Steam or the Epic Games Store. The PC version supports mods and custom player-created content.
PlayStation – On PlayStation, Payday 2 is available on PS3, PS4 with PS5 backwards compatibility. The PlayStation versions do not support mods.
Xbox – For Xbox platforms, Payday 2 can be played on Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S via backwards compatibility. No mod support on Xbox.
Nintendo Switch – Payday 2 released on the Nintendo Switch in 2018. This version does not have feature parity with other platforms and is behind on updates.
Linux – There is a Linux native port of Payday 2, enabling the game to be played on Linux operating systems.
Virtual Reality – Payday 2 supports VR headsets including HTC Vive and Oculus Rift for an immersive VR gameplay experience.
Payday 2’s availability across these various gaming platforms and console generations provides players with ample choice on where to play based on their platform of access. However, crossplay capabilities between platforms is limited as we’ll explore in the next section.
Is Payday 2 Cross Platform?
Payday 2 does not offer full crossplay capabilities between all platforms and versions. While the game is available on a variety of systems, there are limitations in terms of cross-platform multiplayer. Players cannot simply play with their friends on other platforms freely.
Crossplay refers to the ability to play multiplayer games across different systems. For example, a PlayStation player being able to play with a friend on Xbox or Nintendo Switch. Full crossplay means the game allows players on any supported platform to matchmake and play together online.
Unfortunately, Payday 2 does not have unrestricted crossplay between all platforms. The multiplayer options are limited depending on whether you are playing on PC, PlayStation, Xbox or Switch. Not all platforms can connect to each other for co-op heists.
This is an important restriction to note if you were hoping to play Payday 2 with your friends who own different systems. Before coordinating multiplayer sessions, you will need to verify that your platforms can actually crossplay together. Overall, the crossplay capabilities are segmented and there are divides between the major systems.
PC-PC Crossplay
One of the few types of crossplay available in Payday 2 is between different PC platforms and stores. Players on PC can crossplay together regardless of whether they own the game on Steam or the Epic Games Store.
This cross-store crossplay opens up the player pool so gamers can play together even if they didn’t purchase the game through the same storefront. As long as both own the PC version, Steam and Epic Games players can join up and play co-op seamlessly without issue.
This is a useful capability since Payday 2 is frequently discounted on one platform over the other. Friends may have bought the game on different stores based on sales and promotions. PC cross-store crossplay ensures they can still play together online.
The ability to crossplay between Steam and Epic Games exists because they are both the PC version of Payday 2. The core game and servers are the same regardless of storefront. This makes crossplay straightforward compared to enabling it across different platforms.
So in summary, PC players can take advantage of Payday 2 crossplay between Steam and Epic as long as they both own the PC version of the game. This gives more options when purchasing and allows playing with friends who bought it on another PC store.
Is Payday 2 Cross Platform Between PlayStation Cross-Generational Play
The PlayStation family of consoles allows for crossplay between the newer and older generations. Specifically, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 owners can play Payday 2 online together despite being on different console hardware generations.
This means if you have friends or crew members who own Payday 2 on PS4, you’ll be able to join up and pull heists together even if you upgrade to a PS5. And if you or your friends haven’t upgraded yet, you’ll still be able to play co-op between the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles.
Sony has enabled cross-generational multiplayer for many of their first-party PlayStation titles as well as allowing third-party developers like those behind Payday 2 to add this feature. So PlayStation players don’t have to worry about being separated if their friends upgrade consoles or are waiting to get a PS5.
While PlayStation cross-gen play is great for PS4 and PS5 owners, keep in mind there is still no crossplay between PlayStation and other platforms like Xbox or Nintendo Switch. But at least PS4 and PS5 friends can heist together in Payday 2’s online co-op!
Is Payday 2 Cross Platform Between Xbox Cross-Generational Play
The Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S versions of Payday 2 allow for crossplay between the two platforms. Players on Xbox One can join up and play with players on Xbox Series X/S and vice versa.
This cross-generational support means that if you have friends or crew members who have upgraded to Xbox Series X/S, you can still play Payday 2 with them even if you remain on Xbox One. The same applies if you have upgraded to Xbox Series X/S but your friends are still on Xbox One.
So Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S players do not need to be on the exact same console version to play Payday 2 together online. The Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S ecosystems are connected for Payday 2 crossplay.
However, there is no crossplay or connectivity between Xbox consoles and other platforms like PlayStation or PC. Crossplay is limited to matching Xbox generations only.
No Crossplay Between PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Unfortunately, there is no crossplay between PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms for Payday 2. This means that:
Players on PC (Steam or Epic Games Store) cannot play with friends on PlayStation or Xbox.
PlayStation players (PS3, PS4, PS5) cannot join games with players on PC or Xbox.
Xbox players (Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S) cannot crossplay with PC or PlayStation.
So if you are on PC and your friends are on PlayStation or Xbox, you won’t be able to play Payday 2 together. Or if you are on Xbox and want to play with your friend on PlayStation, crossplay won’t allow you to join the same game.
The different platform ecosystems of PC, Xbox Live, and PlayStation Network essentially isolate players to their own platforms. This segmentation prevents true cross-platform multiplayer for Payday 2.
Hopefully crossplay support will be improved in the future Payday 3 release, but currently players are limited to playing only with others on the same system when it comes to PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.
No Nintendo Switch Crossplay
Unfortunately, the Nintendo Switch version of Payday 2 does not support any crossplay capabilities with other platforms. This means Switch players are limited to only playing with other Switch players.
The Switch port was released in 2018, after other platforms had already established their own multiplayer populations and ecosystems. Bringing the Switch into the crossplay fold would have required significant development resources to integrate the new platform.
As it stands, the Switch version operates in its own silo, unable to interact with the larger Payday 2 multiplayer community across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Friends who own the game on Switch can play together online, but they can’t join up with their buddies who have it on other systems.
This is an unfortunate limitation for Switch owners who were excited to potentially play Payday 2 co-op with friends on PC or consoles. Nintendo’s platforms have historically not always been the most crossplay-friendly, so the walled off Switch version continues that trend.
Hopefully if a new installment like Payday 3 introduces more robust crossplay systems, Nintendo will be supportive of including the Switch. That would finally allow the platform’s userbase to join the cooperative heisting action alongside everyone else. But for now with Payday 2, Switch players are multiplayer persona non grata.
No Cross-Progression Between Platforms
Unfortunately, Payday 2 does not allow any cross-progression or account linking between platforms. Your progression and unlocks are locked separately to each platform account.
This means that any progress, experience levels, cash, inventory items, weapon/armor upgrades, and other unlocks do not carry over if you switch between playing on PC, PlayStation, Xbox or Switch. You have to start over from scratch on each platform.
For example, if you play Payday 2 on PC and unlock a high level character, those unlocks and progression will not transfer over if you go to play the game on your PlayStation. You’ll have to level up the character again from the beginning.
The lack of cross-progression can make switching platforms frustrating, as you lose all your existing progress and have to re-grind everything. This fragmentation can discourage players from trying the game on new platforms or switching where they play.
Unfortunately there is currently no way to link your progress or accounts across different platforms when playing Payday 2. Your progression is fixed to the platform you earned it on.
Hopefully in the future there may be opportunities to enable cross-progression and account linking in Payday 2 or Payday 3. This would make the experience much more seamless when playing across multiple platforms. For now though, keep in mind your progress is locked when switching between PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch.
Playing with Friends Requirements
Given the limited crossplay capabilities in Payday 2, playing with your friends has some requirements and limitations depending on platforms.
To play together, you and your friends need to be on the same platform, whether PC, PlayStation, or Xbox. There is no crossplay between these platforms.
The exception is cross-generational play between PlayStation and Xbox platforms. For example:
PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 players can play together.
Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S players can play together.
However, there is still no crossplay between PlayStation and Xbox consoles. A PlayStation 5 player still cannot join an Xbox Series X/S player.
There is also no Nintendo Switch crossplay at all. Switch players can only play with other Switch players.
VR platforms like HTC Vive and Oculus Rift are considered part of the PC platform. PC VR players can join regular PC players.
So in summary, you need the same platform as your friends to play Payday 2 together, with the exception of cross-generational play on PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Hopefully full crossplay comes in the future to Payday 3 or through updates to Payday 2.
Payday 3 Crossplay Hopes
The developers of Payday 3 have stated their intention to include full cross-platform play in the next installment of the franchise. While not yet confirmed, they aim to allow players on all platforms to play together in online co-op.
This would be a major improvement over Payday 2’s limited cross-generational play. Friends could squad up regardless of being on PC, PlayStation, Xbox or even Switch.
Full crossplay would unite the Payday community and playerbase. It would ensure multiplayer remains active and thriving years after release. No longer splitting the community across platforms unable to interact.
The developers recognize crossplay’s importance for Payday’s co-op focused gameplay. Playing with your friends is core to the experience. Crossplay enables this across all platforms.
Payday 3 crossplay would allow pulling together a 4 player squad from any mix of platforms. Teaming up with friends who own different systems.
Crossplay’s inclusion would provide confidence in Payday 3’s longevity and continued support. Allowing players to stick with their platform of choice while still playing with others.
Full crossplay capabilities seem to be a development priority for Payday 3. While not guaranteed, the outlook is positive for an integrated cross-platform multiplayer experience.
Payday 2 Crossplay Summary
In summary, Payday 2 has very limited crossplay capabilities. The game does not support full crossplay between all platforms.
Crossplay is only available in the following cases:
- Between PC platforms (Steam and Epic Games Store)
- Across PlayStation generations (PS4 to PS5)
- Across Xbox generations (Xbox One to Xbox Series X/S)
There is no crossplay between:
- PC and PlayStation
- PC and Xbox
- PC and Nintendo Switch
- PlayStation and Xbox
- PlayStation and Nintendo Switch
- Xbox and Nintendo Switch
Additionally, there is no cross-progression or account linking in Payday 2. Player progress and unlocks are locked to the platform accounts.
This means that players looking to play together in Payday 2 multiplayer need to be on the same platform, with the only exceptions being PC-to-PC, PlayStation cross-gen, and Xbox cross-gen. The limited crossplay severely restricts the ability to play with friends on other platforms.
Payday 3 Crossplay Outlook
With Payday 2’s crossplay functionality being limited, many fans are hoping for expanded cross-platform support in Payday 3. Payday 3 is currently in development by Starbreeze Studios and slated for release in 2023.
Though full details have not yet been revealed, Payday 3 is expected to include improved crossplay capabilities based on comments from the developers. In a 2021 Reddit AMA, Starbreeze CEO Tobias Sjögren stated that crossplay is something they want to achieve with Payday 3.
Starbreeze has also said that Payday 3 will use the Unreal Engine, which provides strong cross-platform support. The developers are clearly aware of the demand for expanded crossplay features.
Payday has always been focused as a co-op multiplayer experience. Allowing players on different platforms to play together will be key for Payday 3’s success. Fans hope that Payday 3 at minimum will include crossplay between PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.
With the technology available, there are high expectations that Payday 3 won’t be as limited for playing with friends across platforms. More unified crossplay would strengthen the co-op experience and help keep the community engaged. Fans eagerly await more details from Starbreeze on exactly which platforms will be able to play together in Payday 3.
Crossplay Importance for Co-Op
Crossplay allows friends to play together even if they are on different gaming platforms. This is especially important for a co-op focused game like Payday 2 where the fun comes from teaming up with others to pull off heists.
Without full crossplay support, Payday 2 players are limited to only playing with friends who have the same platform. For example, someone on PS4 can’t join up with their friend on Xbox One or Nintendo Switch for some cooperative multiplayer.
Crossplay tears down those barriers and opens up more opportunities to assemble your ideal Payday crew regardless of platform. You can take advantage of each system’s unique strengths like superior graphics on PS5 or portability on Switch without giving up the ability to play with your contacts.
For a co-op PvE game like Payday 2 that emphasizes online multiplayer, crossplay is an incredibly valuable feature to allow more gamers to band together. That’s why many fans are hoping to see expanded crossplay support in the upcoming Payday 3. The more platforms can join forces, the better for sustaining an active playerbase and enabling rewarding teamwork across all systems.
Conclusion
The limitations of crossplay in Payday 2 mean playing with friends across different platforms can be difficult or impossible in many cases. This guide covered the key points on crossplay in Payday 2:
Payday 2 is available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch, but no full crossplay exists between all platforms.
PC players can crossplay between Steam and Epic Games. PlayStation has cross-generational play between PS4 and PS5. Xbox similarly allows Xbox One owners to play with Series X/S.
There is no crossplay capability between PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch. As well, no cross-progression exists between platforms.
The lack of full crossplay means playing with friends requires you to be on the same platform, with a few exceptions like PC-PC or PlayStation and Xbox cross-gen.
Information on planned crossplay for Payday 3 points to more open crossplay between more platforms. This would allow playing with friends no matter the platform.
Overall, Payday 2 has very limited crossplay support. For the best multiplayer experience with friends on different systems, players will want to look forward to the crossplay improvements coming in Payday 3.
I’m a writer, artist, and designer working in the gaming and tech industries. I have held staff and freelance positions at large publications including Digital Trends, Lifehacker, Popular Science Magazine, Electronic Gaming Monthly, IGN, The Xplore Tech, and others, primarily covering gaming criticism, A/V and mobile tech reviews, and data security advocacy.