If you’ve ever tried to queue for a casual Rainbow Six Siege match with a friend who owns a different console, you’ve probably wondered: can Xbox and PS4 play together on Rainbow Six Siege? I’ve been in that exact spot a few years back, when my roommate picked up a PS4 copy of Siege and I was still grinding on my Xbox One, and we spent almost an hour messing with settings trying to join the same lobby with no luck. The short answer isn’t a simple yes or no, because it depends on a few key factors like your game version, account settings, and whether you’ve installed the latest patches. We’ll break down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how you can get as close to cross-console play as possible right now.
Can Xbox and PS4 Play Together on Rainbow Six Siege: Official Crossplay Rules
I remember when Ubisoft first announced crossplay for Siege a few years back, and a lot of last-gen players were excited, only to be disappointed when the feature rolled out exclusively for current gen and PC first. Ubisoft explained at the time that the older hardware on Xbox One and PS4 made it harder to implement crossplay without causing performance issues, which makes sense if you’ve ever played a late-season match on a PS4 with a full lobby of players. Crossplay for last-generation consoles (Xbox One and PS4) was never rolled out by Ubisoft, and as of right now, there’s no hidden setting or hack that will let you join a PS4 lobby from an Xbox One, or vice versa.
The only cross-play functionality that works for last gen is within the same console family: you can play with Xbox Series X/S users if you’re on Xbox One, and PS5 users if you’re on PS4, but that’s the extent of it. That means if your friend has a PS4 and you have an Xbox One, you can’t join the same match natively, even if you both have crossplay toggled on in your settings. A lot of players get confused here because cross-progression works across all platforms, so you can access your Siege account on any console or PC, but that doesn’t mean you can play with people on opposite last-gen consoles.
Workarounds to Play With Friends on Opposite Consoles
Just because native crossplay between Xbox and PS4 doesn’t exist, that doesn’t mean you’re totally out of luck if you want to squad up with a friend on the other console. I’ve tested all of these workarounds myself over the years, and they all work depending on your budget and what hardware you already have access to. Upgrading to a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S is the most reliable workaround, but there are cheaper options if you don’t want to drop money on a new console right now.
- Upgrade to a current-generation console: PS5 and Xbox Series X/S support full crossplay between each other, so you can squad up with friends no matter which current console they own. You’ll also get faster load times, higher frame rates, and access to all upcoming exclusive features for Siege.
- Use a PC as a shared platform: If one or both of you have a PC that can run Siege, you can pick up a PC copy of the game and play together without console restrictions. The game often goes on sale for under $10, so it’s a low-cost option if you already have a compatible PC.
- Leverage cross-progression to switch platforms: If you own both an Xbox and PS4, you can use Ubisoft Connect's cross-progression feature to access your account on either console and join your friend's lobby. You won’t lose any of your skins, rank progress, or unlocked operators when you switch.
None of these workarounds are perfect, obviously, but they’re all viable if you really want to play Siege with your friend without waiting for Ubisoft to add last-gen crossplay. I opted for the PC route a couple of years ago when most of my friend group switched to PS4, and it worked great for casual matches, even if I had to get used to mouse and keyboard controls for a few weeks.
Common Crossplay Mistakes to Avoid When Trying to Squad Up
I’ve made every single one of these mistakes myself, so I can tell you first-hand that avoiding them will save you a lot of time and frustration when you’re trying to join a friend’s lobby. First, Don't waste time toggling crossplay settings if you're on last-gen consoles, because the feature for cross-play between Xbox and PS4 doesn’t exist, no matter how many times you turn the setting on and off. A lot of players assume they just have the wrong setting enabled, but that’s not the issue here.
Another common mistake is mixing up cross-progression and crossplay. A lot of people see that they can log into their Siege account on any console, and assume that means they can play with people on other platforms, but that’s not how it works. Cross-progression only lets you carry your progress between platforms, it doesn’t unlock crossplay for last-gen consoles. Make sure all players have the same game version installed too, even if you’re on the same console family, outdated patches will prevent you from joining lobbies together. I once spent 20 minutes trying to join my friend's PS5 lobby from my PS4 just to realize I hadn't updated the game in two weeks.
You also want to make sure everyone has their Ubisoft Connect account linked properly, even if you’re not using cross-progression. A lot of cross functionality for Siege relies on Ubisoft Connect, so if one of your friends hasn’t linked their account, that could be why you can’t send them a friend request or join their lobby.
What to Expect From Future Rainbow Six Siege Crossplay Updates
A lot of last-gen players still hold out hope that Ubisoft will add crossplay between Xbox One and PS4 eventually, so I looked into the latest statements from the dev team to see what’s planned. Right now, Ubisoft has no official plans to roll out crossplay for last-generation consoles, because the player base for Xbox One and PS4 is shrinking as more people upgrade to current gen. The dev team has said they’d rather focus on adding new features for the larger current-gen and PC player base, rather than spending months implementing a feature for a small group of remaining last-gen players.
That said, Ubisoft does regularly survey players about desired features, so if enough last-gen players request crossplay between Xbox and PS4, there’s a small chance it could be added later. Even if it never is, the dev team has confirmed they’ll keep releasing new event content and minor patches for last-gen consoles for at least the next year, so you don’t have to rush to upgrade if you’re happy playing on your Xbox One or PS4.
Cross-progression is also here to stay, so if you do decide to upgrade to a current-gen console or switch to PC later, you won’t lose any of your progress, skins, or rank that you earned on your last-gen console. That’s a big plus for players who have spent years grinding for rare skins or high ranks, and it makes upgrading a lot less painful.
At the end of the day, the answer to can Xbox and PS4 play together on Rainbow Six Siege is no, at least not natively right now. That doesn't mean you can't find a way to play with your friends, though, especially if you're willing to try one of the workarounds we outlined earlier. Whether you choose to upgrade your console, switch to PC for your Siege sessions, or just wait to see if Ubisoft adds the feature later, you can still enjoy all the new operators, maps, and events the game has to offer, even if you're sticking to last gen for now. If you found this guide helpful, make sure to check out our other Rainbow Six Siege content for more tips on getting the most out of your playtime.
