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If you are new to the world of FPS games, you might not be familiar with Black Ops 4, but you are 100% going to know what Call of Duty is. This iconic game franchise has released a series of sequel versions of the original game, and Black Ops 4 is one of them.

The original version of COD, Modern Warfare, was a massive success for all the right reasons. However, later, COD shifted towards the Black Ops genre with hopes that it would reel in even better gameplay and storyline in the game.

This article will explore one of the most commonly asked questions, “Is Black Ops 4 Cross Platform?”

Understanding Cross-Platform Gaming

As a beginner gamer that doesn’t have a lot of knowledge about cross-platform gaming, let us clear the basic knowledge for you first.

Cross-platform gaming refers to the ability of players to participate in multiplayer games across different gaming platforms or devices. This means it enables gamers with different device set-ups, like PCs, consoles, mobile devices, etc., to play the game together without interruptions.

Following are a few key advantages of cross-platform gaming:

Extensive player base – This particular compatibility increases the player base for the particular game that you are playing. Since it’s not limiting and players can engage in the game across different platforms, it makes the game a lot more accessible and creates a larger pool of players dedicated to the game.

Improved matchmaking – Cross-platform gameplay enhances the chances of matching, making the process much more efficient. Since a larger pool of players is involved, choosing the players to add to teams is a lot easier. The process reduces the waiting time, ensuring the matches can be found much quicker.

Enhanced social interaction – Besides a huge player base, cross-platform gaming also improves social interaction by enabling the players to interact with other players and expand their network. It also enables the players to connect with a larger community of people in the gaming community.

Extended lifespan of games – Not many developers realize this, but introducing cross-platform gameplay also enhances the lifespan of the games, keeping the game active in the gaming community and enhancing its overall outreach.

Simply understanding the concept and advantages of cross-platform gameplay isn’t enough if you don’t understand its impact on the games.

Fortnite – Developed by Epic Games, the introduction of cross-platform gaming has made this one of the most-played games ever.

Rocket League – The main benefit that this game has reaped from being a cross-platform game is creating a large player base and ensuring quick matchmaking without interruptions.

Call of Duty: Warzone – Unlike Black Ops 4, which is also part of the COD franchise and doesn’t have cross-platform support, Warzone does. It has created a diverse and active player community for the former.

Minecraft – Developed by Mojang Studios, Minecraft is a sandbox game that enables players to build and explore virtual worlds. It supports cross-platform play between PC, consoles, and mobile devices, promoting collaborative gameplay and creativity.

Now that you have a good idea about cross-platform gaming and the games that have benefitted from this particular feature let us discuss more in regards to Black Ops 4.

Black Ops 4 Multiplayer Compatibility

Black Ops 4, developed by Treyarch and published by Activision, is a first-person shooter game released in 2018. Let’s explore the multiplayer compatibility, cross-platform support, and the availability of cross-platform play in its various game modes.

Now, let us break down the multiplayer compatibility and associated functionalities:

Multiplayer Platforms

Black Ops 4 is available across different platforms:

• PlayStation 4 (PS4)
• Xbox One
• PC (Windows)

It doesn’t support Nintendo Switch and mobile phone users. This means the game is cross-platform but doesn’t support cross-platform play.

Differences In Multiplayer Experiences

When defining the multiplayer experience in Black Ops 4, the gameplay mechanics, modes, and maps are quite different.

Despite the game’s convenience, it brings many variations in terms of the player population, skills, and community between different platforms. Overall, this influences matchmaking and the online gaming experience.

Cross-Platform Support

Despite the popularity of Black Ops 4, one thing you need to understand is that it doesn’t support cross-platform gameplay between devices like PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

For example, if you access the game from your PlayStation, you can’t play the game with someone who is playing the game on other platforms like Xbox One. Each platform has its separate player base and matchmaking system.

Limitations Or Restrictions Regarding Cross-Platform Functionality

Since Black Ops 4 doesn’t support cross-platform gameplay, it means that the players can’t team up and compete against the other players. It overall limits the players within their respective gaming ecosystems.

Zombies Mode

One of the most popular gameplay modes in Black Ops 4 is the Zombies mode, which also doesn’t support cross-platform gameplay.

This means that players on different platforms cannot join or interact with each other in Zombies matches. The mode is restricted to platform-specific matchmaking and gameplay.

Blackout Battle Royale

Like the Zombies mode, even the Blackout battle royale on Black Ops 4 doesn’t come with cross-platform gameplay. This means that the players playing the game on different platforms like PlayStation, Xbox, and PC can’t play together simultaneously. Cross-platform functionality is unavailable, and each platform has its separate player base for Blackout.

The newer iterations of Call of Duty games, like Modern Warfare, Warzone, etc., support cross-platform gameplay, which can’t be said for Black Ops 4.

Alternatives And Workaround

As we mentioned before, Black Ops 4 doesn’t support cross-platform gameplay. However, you can look through a few workaround tips and sort things out in terms of the gameplay.

PC Version And Third-Party Services

If you own the PC version of Black Ops 4, a handful of third-party services support cross-platform gameplay experience. One such example is using a third-party service like Parsec or Rainway. These platforms enable you to stream the game on other consoles, typically enabling the cross-platform gameplay experience. However, this method isn’t foolproof since it relies on several factors, like internet connection, and often introduces latency.

Console To PC Conversion

Another high-tech workaround you can try is the conversion process. You’d need to use hardware or software solutions that convert console inputs into PC inputs. With these tools, the players can connect their console controller to the PC and play Black Ops 4 with other PC-based players. However, this is again one of those functionalities that violate the game’s terms of service, and you might get banned from ever playing the game in the future.

LAN And Local Network Play

While not a proper cross-platform play solution, you can organize local network play sessions by connecting multiple consoles or PCs on the same local network. This allows you to play with friends who are physically present, but it may not be feasible to play with friends who are geographically distant.

We’d not recommend you try any of these above-mentioned workaround hacks since they can end up dismissing your account and banning you from ever getting to play the game in the future.

Conclusion

Black Ops 4 is hands down one of the most popular renditions of the Call of Duty franchise. If you have been meaning to play this multi-player support game and have wondered about the cross-platform gameplay support, we hope this article gives you all the insights you need. The game currently doesn’t support cross-platform gameplay.