Is Rainbow Six Siege Crossplay? PC, Xbox & PS Guide

Ever tried to invite a friend to play Rainbow Six Siege, only to find out they’re on a different console than you? You’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions new and returning players ask: is Rainbow Six Siege crossplay? For years, the honest answer was messy and full of exceptions. Today, things are much clearer, though there are still a few rules worth knowing before you jump into a match with friends.

This guide covers everything you need to know: which platforms can play together, how to turn crossplay on or off, and what to do if it’s not working right.

Quick Answer

• Is Rainbow Six Siege crossplay? Yes.
• PC and console together? Yes, but the console player has to turn it on.
• Xbox and PlayStation together? Yes, on by default.
• Can PC players turn crossplay off? No, it’s locked on.
• Does progress carry over between platforms? Yes, through cross-progression.
• Does rank carry over? No, PC and console ranks are tracked separately.

Does Rainbow Six Siege Have Crossplay?

Yes, it does. You can play with friends across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. But it’s not one giant mixed lobby where everyone gets thrown together automatically. Rainbow Six Siege supports crossplay across its supported PC, PlayStation, and Xbox versions, though the system looks at your platform and whether you play with a controller or mouse before matching you up.

Full crossplay between PC and consoles arrived in December 2024, with the Year 9 Season 4 update called Operation Collision Point. That single update is the reason the answer looks so different today compared to just a couple of years ago. Before that update, a lot of players simply couldn’t play with their friends at all, depending on what they owned.

It’s worth remembering this timeline, because a lot of old forum posts and outdated guides online still say crossplay between PC and console “doesn’t exist.” That used to be true. It isn’t anymore.

How We Got Here: A Simple Timeline

Crossplay in Siege didn’t show up overnight. It came in stages, and knowing this history actually helps explain why there’s so much confusing information floating around.

Stage one: only same-console play. For a long time, you could only play with people using the same type of console. PS4 players matched with PS4 and PS5 players. Xbox players matched with other Xbox players. If your friend had a different console or a PC, you were simply out of luck.

Stage two: PC meets the cloud. In late 2021, Ubisoft let PC players team up with Stadia and Amazon Luna players. This was a small step, but consoles still weren’t part of the mix.

Stage three: Xbox and PlayStation finally connect. After that, Ubisoft merged Xbox and PlayStation players into one shared pool. This was a big deal for console players who’d been separated for years just because of which brand of console they bought.

Stage four: PC and console finally connect. Starting December 3, 2024, console players could freely join PC games whenever they wanted. PC players still can’t join console-only games, though. This is the update that really changed the game, and it’s the reason most current guides, including this one, can finally give a simple “yes” when someone asks if Siege is crossplay.

How Crossplay Actually Works Right Now

Understanding the basics is easy, but the details matter if you want to avoid confusion when you’re trying to squad up.

If You Play on PC

PC crossplay is always turned on, and there’s nothing you can do to change that. You can’t turn crossplay off on PC, and if even one PC player joins a squad, the entire group gets moved into PC matches. On top of that, PC players can never join console-only games, no matter what.

This means if you’re a PC player, you’ll never accidentally end up in a console-only lobby, and you also can’t request to be placed in one. Your matches will always include other PC players.

If You Play on Console

Console players actually get more choice here, which is nice if you like having control over your experience. Crossplay is turned off by default for console players, while it’s turned on by default for PC players and can’t be switched off. This means if you want to play with a PC friend, the responsibility falls on you, the console player, to flip that setting on yourself.

If you leave it off, you’ll only be matched with other console players, whether they’re on Xbox or PlayStation.

What Happens When You Team Up Across Platforms

Here’s the one rule that trips up a lot of players, so let’s keep it as simple as possible: one PC player in your squad moves the whole team into PC matches. It doesn’t matter how many console players are in the group; if even one person is on PC, everyone in that squad plays in the PC pool.

So if you’re on Xbox and you invite three friends who are all on PC, don’t be surprised when your matches suddenly feel a lot faster and more precise. You’ve entered PC territory, aim-wise and skill-wise.

Which Platforms Can Actually Play Together?

Let’s break this down as simply as possible, since this is usually the part people care about most.

Crossplay works the same way across every game mode: Casual, Ranked, Unranked, and Arcade. The one thing that changes is how your rank is tracked, which we’ll get into shortly.

Is Rainbow Six Siege Crossplay Between PS5 and PC?

Yes. A PS5 player just needs to switch on crossplay matchmaking in the settings menu, and they’ll be placed in the PC pool along with their PC friends.

Is Rainbow Six Siege Crossplay Between Xbox and PC?

Yes, the exact same way. Turn the setting on from Xbox, and you’re free to join PC lobbies. PC players still can’t come the other way into an Xbox-only match, though.

Is Rainbow Six Siege Crossplay Between PS4 and PC?

Yes. PS4 works the same as PS5 here: flip the crossplay setting on, and you’re matched into the PC pool.

How to Turn Crossplay On or Off

If you’re on console and want to team up with your PC friends, here’s exactly what to do, step by step:

1. Open Rainbow Six Siege and head to the main menu.
2. Go into Options or Settings.
3. Click on the General tab.
4. Look for Crossplay Matchmaking.
5. Switch it to On.
6. Save your changes before you queue up for a match.

On Xbox, you can also change this setting directly through your console’s own system menu, not just inside the game itself. This gives Xbox players a bit of extra flexibility if they’d rather manage the setting outside of Siege.

If you’re playing on PC, there’s genuinely nothing to change here — the setting is locked on permanently. And if you’re on console and you’d rather stick to playing with other console players only, just leave the setting off. One small thing to keep in mind: doing this can mean slightly longer wait times for matches, since your pool of available players shrinks.

Crossplay and Cross-Progression Are Not the Same Thing

This mix-up happens constantly, so let’s clear it up in the simplest way possible.

• Crossplay is about who you can play with or against in a match.
• Cross-progression is about whether your stuff skins, currency, unlocked characters follows you when you switch to a different platform.

Rainbow Six Siege has both features, but they work independently of each other. You could technically have one without the other, though thankfully, Siege gives you both.

What Actually Carries Over

Things like your Operators, cosmetic customizations, weapon skins, Battle Pass progress, R6 Credits, and Renown all carry over between platforms. In plain terms: everything you’ve earned through hours of gameplay stays tied to your account, not to whichever console or PC you happen to be using that day.

How to Link Your Accounts Together

To make cross-progression work, you need every platform you play on connected to the same Ubisoft account. You can do this from the Account Information page, under the Linked Accounts section, by selecting the platform you want to connect.

A Word of Caution Before You Link Anything

Take your time with this step; don’t rush it. Linking an account is permanent, and you can only ever relink the same account you originally used. There are plenty of stories from players who accidentally linked the wrong account and ended up losing access to skins, currency, and progress they’d spent years building up. Double-check everything before you hit confirm.

Why Doesn’t Ubisoft Just Mix Everyone Together?

It’s a completely reasonable question. If crossplay exists, why not just throw everyone into one big pool and be done with it? The answer comes down to fairness.

Mouse and Keyboard vs. Controller

Siege is a game built around extremely precise aim. A single headshot can end a round in an instant. Players using a mouse and keyboard usually have a natural advantage in games like this, so Ubisoft tries to separate mouse-and-keyboard players from controller players whenever it can. To help level the playing field a bit more, console players also receive aim assist.

It’s Also About Cheating

Fairness isn’t only about input devices; it’s also about keeping the game honest. The December 2024 update that brought full crossplay also introduced better anti-cheat tools, specifically aimed at reducing PC cheaters. So this expansion wasn’t just about letting friends play together. It was also a chance for Ubisoft to tighten things up behind the scenes.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

Even with everything working as intended, a few hiccups pop up from time to time. Here’s how to handle the most common ones.

• Cannot Be Invited Due to Crossplay Settings

This message usually pops up when your crossplay setting and your friend’s setting don’t line up. If restarting your game and checking your settings doesn’t clear it up, check Ubisoft’s official support page for any known issues.

• Friend Invites Just Won’t Go Through

More often than not, this isn’t actually a crossplay problem at all; it’s an account linking issue. Make sure both you and your friend are properly connected through Ubisoft Connect before assuming crossplay is broken.

• Can’t See Messages From an Xbox Friend

Text chat doesn’t work on Xbox, so if someone in your squad is playing on Xbox, they may not be able to see messages typed by the rest of the team. Voice chat is a much more reliable option if your squad includes Xbox players.

• Settings Reset After a Game Update

This one catches people off guard. Sometimes a fresh patch quietly resets your crossplay setting back to its default state. It’s a good habit to double-check your settings after every major update, just to be safe.

Does Rainbow Six Siege X Have Crossplay?

Yes, it absolutely does. Crossplay works in Siege X too, and it’s turned on by default for PC players; they can’t turn it off, just like the original game. Console players, meanwhile, still need to switch it on themselves, since it remains off by default on console.

The good news is that once it’s turned on, everything just works smoothly. Crossplay functions the same way across casual, ranked, and most other modes in Siege X, so you can jump into games with friends right away without any extra setup.

Wrapping Up

So, is Rainbow Six Siege crossplay? Yes, and it’s better and more open than it’s ever been. Xbox and PlayStation players are automatically grouped together, and console players now have the freedom to join PC games whenever they want, simply by flipping a setting. Just keep two things in mind: PC players can never join console-only games, and your rank works a little differently depending on which pool you’re playing in at the time.

Before you squad up with friends next time, take a quick second to check your crossplay setting. It barely takes any effort, and it’ll save you the headache of wondering why you can’t invite your friend to a match.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Is Rainbow Six Siege crossplay between PS5 and PC?

 Yes. PS5 players can turn on crossplay and join matches with PC players anytime they want.

Q2. Is Rainbow Six Siege crossplay between Xbox and PC?

 Yes, the process works the same way. Xbox players simply switch on crossplay to join PC games. Just remember, PC players can never join Xbox-only matches.

Q3. Can I turn off crossplay on PC? 

No. It’s permanently turned on for anyone playing on PC.

Q4. Does crossplay change how my rank works?

 Yes, slightly. Console and PC ranks are kept separate from each other, so if you join a PC match while on console, you’re playing under a different rank than your usual console rank.

Q5. Does all of my progress carry over between platforms? 

Most of it does; things like skins, currency, and unlocked Operators all transfer over, as long as your accounts are properly linked. The one exception is game ownership itself. You’ll still need to own Rainbow Six Siege separately on each platform you plan to play it on.

Q6. Can I play with friends who use Rainbow Six Mobile?

 No. Rainbow Six Mobile is a completely separate game and doesn’t connect to the PC or console version in any way.

Q7. Can two people play on the same screen together?

 No, unfortunately. Every player needs their own device and their own copy of the game running to join a match.