7 Days to Die Crossplay Server Guide: PC, PS5, and Xbox

7 Days to Die added full crossplay support with the V2.0 update in June 2025, letting PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S players survive together on the same server. It’s a genuine crossplay implementation - not just cross-gen - but it comes with real limitations you should understand before setting it up.

This guide covers what crossplay actually requires, the tradeoff with mods, how to enable it, and how players connect from each platform.

What Crossplay Requires

Crossplay in 7DTD isn’t just a toggle. It’s a set of requirements that all need to be met simultaneously:

If any one of these conditions isn’t met, console players won’t be able to connect. PC players can still join regardless, since they’re connecting through Steam.

The Crossplay vs. Mods Decision

This is the most important thing to understand, and it’s a hard tradeoff:

Crossplay and mods are mutually exclusive.

Crossplay requires EAC to be enabled. Mods require EAC to be disabled. There is no workaround, no compatibility layer, no way to have both.

If anyone in your group is on PS5 or Xbox, the decision is made for you - crossplay on, mods off. If everyone is on PC and mods matter to your group, disable crossplay and EAC.

What Crossplay Doesn’t Limit

Some things people worry about that aren’t actually affected by crossplay:

• Server performance - Crossplay doesn’t add meaningful overhead. Same RAM and CPU requirements as a vanilla PC-only server.
• World features - All V2.5 content works in crossplay: smell system 2.0, third-person camera, weather, vehicles, all POIs.
• Gameplay settings - Difficulty, loot abundance, blood moon frequency, day length - all configurable on crossplay servers. The restrictions are about mods and player count, not gameplay tuning.
• World saves, mostly - EACEnabled and ServerAllowCrossplay are server config, not world data, so flipping them doesn’t touch your save file directly. What can actually cause problems is the mods side of the switch: if you’re moving from a modded world to a vanilla crossplay configuration, any mod-added items or blocks in that world can end up missing or broken once the mod is gone. Back up first if your world has any mod history.

How to Enable Crossplay

Open serverconfig.xml via File Manager or SFTP and set:

<property name="EACEnabled" value="true" />
<property name="ServerAllowCrossplay" value="true" />
<property name="ServerMaxPlayerCount" value="8" />

Make sure there are no files in the Mods folder, and verify your WorldGenSize is 8192 or smaller. Save the file and restart the server.

For detailed steps, see our crossplay setup help doc.

How to Connect from Each Platform

PC (Steam)

1. Launch 7 Days to Die
2. Select Join A Game
3. Search for the server in the browser, or click Connect to IP and enter the server’s IP and port
4. Enter the password if one is set

For detailed steps, see our connecting guide.

PS5

1. Launch 7 Days to Die
2. Select Join A Game
3. Search for the server by name in the server browser
4. Enter the password when prompted

PS5 players can only see and join servers that have crossplay enabled. Direct IP connection is available through the server browser interface.

Xbox Series X/S

Same process as PS5. Search for the server by name in the browser, or use direct IP connection if available.

Common Crossplay Issues

Console Players Can’t Find the Server

Check these in order:

1. EAC is enabled in serverconfig.xml
2. ServerAllowCrossplay is true
3. No files in the Mods folder
4. ServerMaxPlayerCount is 8 or fewer
5. WorldGenSize is 8192 or smaller
6. Server is set to public (or players have the correct IP)
7. All players are on the same game version

”Version Mismatch” Error

PC and console updates don’t always release simultaneously. If one platform updates before the other, players on different versions can’t connect. Wait for all platforms to update to the same version.

Players Can Join But Experience Lag

This isn’t a crossplay-specific issue - it’s general server performance. The same optimization approaches apply: check your server settings, consider reducing MaxSpawnedZombies or world size, and make sure you have enough RAM for your player count.

What About PS4 and Xbox One?

The legacy console versions of 7 Days to Die (PS4 and Xbox One) were developed by a different studio and were discontinued years ago. They run on a completely different codebase and cannot connect to PC/current-gen servers. Crossplay is exclusively a current-generation feature.

Making the Right Choice

Enable crossplay if:

• Anyone in your group is on PS5 or Xbox
• You want the broadest platform compatibility
• You’re running vanilla and don’t need mods

Disable crossplay if:

• Everyone is on PC (Steam)
• You want to use mods or overhaul mods
• You need more than 8 players
• You want a map larger than 8192

If you’re unsure, start with crossplay enabled. It’s the more inclusive option, and you can disable it later if your group decides mods are more important. The config switch itself won’t touch your world file - just back up first if your world has ever had mods installed, since that’s the part that can actually cause trouble.

Before You Switch: Acceptance Check

Whether you’re buying a server for the first time or flipping crossplay on an existing one, confirm these before you call it done:

1. Everyone’s on a supported platform and version. PC (Steam), PS5, or Xbox Series X/S only - PS4 and Xbox One can’t join regardless of settings. Confirm every player is on the same game version; a version mismatch looks identical to a misconfigured server.
2. Back up the world first. Take a manual backup before changing EACEnabled, ServerAllowCrossplay, or removing mods. It costs a few minutes and it’s the only real protection if a mod-added item turns up broken after the switch.
3. The configuration actually qualifies. EAC on, no files in the Mods folder, ServerMaxPlayerCount at 8 or fewer, WorldGenSize at 8192 or smaller. Missing any one of these blocks console players even if crossplay looks “on.”
4. An actual console player tests the join. A PC player connecting successfully only proves the server is running - it doesn’t confirm crossplay works. Get a real PS5 or Xbox player to join before you consider the switch finished.
5. You know the recovery route if something’s wrong. Automatic backups run on a schedule, but restoring one is a support request via ticket or Discord, not a self-service button - see our backup system reference. Know that path before you need it, not after.

If you’re still deciding between self-hosting and managed hosting before you buy, our dedicated server setup guide covers that comparison in detail.

Get Started

WinterNode 7 Days to Die servers support crossplay out of the box - enable it in serverconfig.xml and your group can connect from any supported platform.

All servers run at $1.99/GB of RAM with no extra charges for CPU, storage, or crossplay features. Get your 7 Days to Die server → Need help? Support is available via ticket or Discord.