There is no denying that one of the most satisfying feelings in the world is landing a headshot at over 200m away. Or sliding into a room and getting a triple kill, all before reloading your gun. For many FPS fans, these are the John Wick moments that make FPS games incredibly fun.
However, what’s even more fun is being able to play with your friends, even if they aren’t using the same platform as you. This is something that has been a barrier in gaming for many years. Fast forward to 2021, and now you can enjoy your beefy supercomputer playing at ultra-graphics, while your friends are using an Xbox or PlayStation.
If you have been looking for a game to play with your friends, or want to avoid long matchmaking times, because cross platform games normally have bigger player bases; here are 5 of the best FPS games that are cross platform in 2021.
5 - Apex Legends (Cross-Platform Support: Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch)
Apex Legends Legacy Launch Trailer
Apex Legends is a battle royale-hero shooter that is free-to-play, and was released in 2019 by Electronic Arts, and developed by Respawn Entertainment. As many might know Respawn Entertainment are the developers of the critically acclaimed Titanfall series. The development of Apex Legends was actually something of a secret, and it was only announced right before it launched. This didn’t stop the game from becoming one of the most popular battle royale games, and it currently has about 100 million players.
Apex Legends was a breath of fresh air in the battle royale genre with its introduction of “Legends”, and offers some of the best movement and gunplay that you will experience from an FPS game. There are 2 modes to choose from; the conventional battle royale mode where you can choose to join a duo or trio squad, and a team deathmatch like mode.
For new players there might be a bit of learning curve, especially if you haven’t played a battle royale game before. You will need to practice equipping attachments to weapons and learning which ammo to use. One feature that is incredibly helpful is the in-depth pinging system, which is great for those that don’t like talking over coms.
4 – Battlefield 2042 (Cross-Platform Support: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Battlefield 2042 Official Reveal Trailer
Battlefield 2042 was released in 2021, published by Electronic Arts and developed by DICE. Unlike other titles in the series, Battlefield 2042 doesn’t have a campaign mode and strictly focuses on multiplayer gameplay. This in itself could be both positive and negative; many people get the Battlefield games solely for the multiplayer, however many Battlefield campaigns in the past were a blast to play through.
This newest entry into the series also does away with the class system of Engineer, Medic, Assault and Recon that were included in previous games. While this allows for a lot more flexibility in play style, it also removes the need to depend on squad members which adds an element of tactical prowess to the gameplay. Battlefield 2042 also ups the ante in this title by allowing 128 players to join a match.
In terms of game modes, you have three to choose from; Conquest, which is where you will need to capture specific points across the map. Breakthrough, which is similar to Conquest, except you will have to capture one or two specific points per sector before advancing, and finally Hazard Zone, which is Battlefield's interpretation of a battle royale mode.
3 - Destiny 2 (Cross Platform Support: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Destiny 2 Worldwide Reveal Trailer
Destiny 2 was published in 2018 by Activision, and was developed by Bungie, who eventually received the rights to publish for the franchise. The game is set in a fictional universe, and you have the ability to travel to different planets, all with unique biomes, architecture, and enemies.
If you have played Borderlands, then you will feel at home playing Destiny 2, since it is very much an FPS, looter-shooter RPG, but a lot more expansive, and a heavy focus on multiplayer play. You will choose between different types of Guardians, each having their own abilities and suiting different play styles. Destiny 2 offers hours of content, so much so that many people don’t actually finish the game.
One thing that separates Destiny 2 from almost every game is the fact that the single-player campaign, side quests, multiplayer patrols, challenges, and more fit together seamlessly. It is very easy to get lost when playing Destiny 2, but in a good way.
2 – Splitgate (Cross Platform Support: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Splitgate Official Trailer
Splitgate was released in 2019 for PC in early access, and then on Xbox and PlayStation in 2021, by developer and publisher 1047 Games. It is a free-to-play multiplayer first-person shooter, and can easily be mistaken for Halo, and contains many gameplay elements of Portal.
The best way to describe Splitgate is strategically chaotic, and it does what many multiplayer FPS games seemingly fail to do these days; provide fun gameplay that requires skill. There are many different game modes to choose from that FPS fans have come to expect, such as Capture the Flag, Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill, Free for All, and more.
One reason why Splitgate is succeeding where many arena shooters are failing is because it innovated and introduced portals, which changed a slower and nostalgic multiplayer shooter genre into something that competes with conventional shooters like Call of Duty.
1 - Call of Duty: Warzone (Cross Platform Support: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X, PS5)
Call of Duty: Warzone Official Trailer
Call of Duty: Warzone was published by Activision in 2020, and then for next gen consoles in 2021. The developers, Raven Software and Infinity Ward, tried to bring something new to not only the genre, but the series; and they did. If you haven’t tried the game yet, you are going to be in for quite the surprise when first seeing the massive map of Verdansk from the exit of the helicopter before you parachute down to survive.
In the game’s default mode, Battle Royale, you will have the choice of joining squads of duos, trios, quads, or going it alone. Going it alone can be quite challenging since you will be fighting against 149 other players. One of the most popular modes is Rebirth Resurgence since you can redeploy if your teammates are still alive, and depending on the playlist you could either join teams of one, two or three.
Since launch Warzone has been quite well received, but players do have a few complaints. Every season the playlist will change, which means different game modes will be removed and other will be added (such as Plunder and Clash). Many players are also calling for the option to choose between solo, duo, trio and quads for Rebirth Island. For new players who don’t own Modern Warfare or Cold War, weapon progression might be quite slow in comparison, so prepare to grind.
