It’s a question every console Siege player has asked at least once when their friend picks up the game on a different system: can Xbox and PS5 play Rainbow Six Siege together? For years, crossplay support for tactical shooters was hit or miss, and Ubisoft rolled out features for R6 in phases that left a lot of players confused about what works, what doesn’t, and how to get their squad in the same lobby without errors. I’ve tested crossplay across Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PS5 for over a year, and I’m breaking down exactly what you can expect, no jargon included.
Can Xbox and PS5 Play Rainbow Six Siege? The Short Answer
The short answer is yes, but there are a few important restrictions you need to know before you send your friend a party invite. Ubisoft rolled out full console crossplay for Rainbow Six Siege in 2022, following years of player requests to break down the wall between Xbox and PlayStation ecosystems. That means if you’re on an Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, or PS4, you can queue for matches together without any extra third-party tools, as long as you have a few settings toggled correctly.
Wait, but there’s a catch: crossplay between console and PC is turned off by default, and you can’t mix console and PC lobbies unless every player in the party manually enables that setting. This is a deliberate choice by Ubisoft to keep competitive play fair, since mouse and keyboard users have a significant aim advantage over controller players. If you only play with other console users, you don’t have to worry about running into PC players unless you opt in.
I’ve run into a lot of players who think crossplay between Xbox and PS5 is still broken, and that’s usually because they have outdated information from before the 2022 patch. The only time you’ll run into issues now is if one of you has crossplay disabled, or you’re trying to play a ranked mode that has separate leaderboards per platform. We’ll cover those edge cases later on.
Step-by-Step Guide to Set Up Crossplay Between Xbox and PS5
If you’ve been frustrated that you couldn’t figure out how to play with cross-platform friends before, these steps will get you up and running in minutes. Setting up crossplay between your Xbox and PS5 for Rainbow Six Siege takes less than two minutes, as long as you follow these steps exactly. I’ve walked dozens of my friends through this process, and the most common mistake people make is skipping the Ubisoft Connect link step, which is required for cross-platform invites to work.
- First, link both of your Ubisoft Connect accounts to your respective console profiles. You can do this by opening Rainbow Six Siege, navigating to the settings menu, and selecting the “Ubisoft Connect” tab. Follow the on-screen prompts to log in or create an account if you don’t already have one.
- Next, enable crossplay in your in-game settings. Go to the “General” tab in settings, scroll down to the “Crossplay Matchmaking” option, and make sure it’s toggled on. You should also enable “Crossplay Invitations” if you want to receive invites from players on other platforms.
- Add your friend to your Ubisoft Connect friends list, not just your console native friends list. You can search for their Ubisoft username directly in the in-game friends menu, and send a friend request. Once they accept, you’ll be able to send them invites to your party no matter what console they’re on.
- Finally, send an invite to your party from the in-game friends menu, and have your friend accept. You’ll be placed in the same lobby immediately, and you can queue for any casual or unranked match together right away.
One thing to note: if you’re playing on an Xbox One and your friend is on a PS5, you’ll still be able to play together, but you’ll be matched in lobbies running at the last-gen console’s performance profile. That means 60 FPS max, instead of the 120 FPS PS5 and Xbox Series X/S can support. It’s not a huge deal for casual play, but if you’re used to higher frame rates, you might notice a slight difference in response time.
If invites aren’t coming through, double check that both of you have crossplay invitations enabled, and that you’re using the correct Ubisoft username (not your PSN or Xbox gamertag) to add each other. 9 times out of 10, that’s the fix for missing invites.
Limitations of Crossplay Between Xbox and PS5 for R6
While crossplay between Xbox and PS5 works for most game modes, there are a few limitations you need to be aware of before you plan a full squad session. These restrictions are in place to keep competitive play fair, and Ubisoft has stated they don’t have plans to remove most of them any time soon.
The biggest limitation is ranked crossplay is not supported between Xbox and PS5 as of the latest patch. Ranked leaderboards are still split by console family, so if you queue for a ranked match with a friend on a different platform, you’ll be placed in a separate crossplay ranked queue with its own MMR and leaderboard. You won’t be able to climb your native platform’s ranked ladder when playing with cross-platform friends, so keep that in mind if you’re grinding for a specific rank this season.
Another limitation is in-game voice chat only works if you’re in a Ubisoft Connect party together. If you’re using your console’s native party chat, you won’t be able to talk to friends on other platforms. I usually recommend using a third party voice app if you have trouble with Ubisoft’s in-game chat, which can be spotty at peak play times.
You also won’t be able to share in-game items or cosmetics between platforms. If you bought a battle pass on your PS5, it won’t carry over to your Xbox account, and vice versa. The only thing that carries over is your Ubisoft Connect level and any cross-platform rewards you earn through Ubisoft’s events, so don’t expect to bring your favorite operator skin over if you switch consoles.
Tips for Smooth Crossplay Sessions Between Xbox and PS5
After hundreds of crossplay sessions with my friends on PS5 (I’m an Xbox Series X user myself), I’ve picked up a few tricks to make sure your matches run smoothly without disconnections or lag. Most of these are small tweaks that make a huge difference in your overall experience.
First, opt out of PC crossplay if you’re only playing with other console users. Unless you specifically want to play with PC friends, leaving PC crossplay disabled means you’ll only be matched with other controller users, which keeps the playing field level. I’ve had far more fair matches since I turned off PC crossplay, and I rarely run into aim-assist cheaters or smurf accounts anymore, which is a big plus.
Second, make sure everyone in your party has the latest game patch installed before you queue. If one person is on an older version of the game, you won’t be able to join the same lobby, and you might get a vague “party error” message that doesn’t explain what’s wrong. I usually ask everyone to restart their game before we start playing to avoid this issue.
Third, if you’re experiencing lag during crossplay matches, try switching your matchmaking region to the closest one to the majority of your party. Crossplay lobbies use a centralized server based on the party leader’s region, so if your friend is hosting from a region 300 miles away, you’ll have higher ping than if you host from your closer region. It’s a simple fix that cuts my average ping by 20ms every time I play with friends who live across the country.
Last, don’t stress about small performance differences between consoles. PS5 and Xbox Series X both run the game at 120 FPS with the same graphics settings, so you won’t have a disadvantage if you’re playing on one over the other. The only time performance differs is if someone in the party is on a last-gen console, as I mentioned earlier, but even then, the difference is barely noticeable for casual play.
At the end of the day, if you’ve been wondering whether you can team up with your friends on different consoles, the answer to can Xbox and PS5 play Rainbow Six Siege is a resounding yes, with only minor caveats to keep in mind. The setup process is quick, the crossplay experience is stable for most casual and unranked play, and Ubisoft continues to roll out improvements to make cross-platform play even smoother. Whether you’re grinding quick matches to unlock new operators or messing around in custom game modes with friends, crossplay makes it easier than ever to play with the people you want, no matter what console they own. Just double check your settings before you queue, and you’ll be in a match together in no time.
