Epic Is Making Cross-Play More Feasible With Epic Online Services

Epic is making the same tools that allow Fortnite to have cross-play across all platforms free for developers as a part of Epic Online Services.

Alongside the official announcement and unveiling of the Unreal Engine 5 recently, Epic has revealed that it has finally launched the full version of the services with support for PC, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Mac. Mobile support, for both Android and iOS, will launch at a later date. Future support for Xbox Series X and the PS5 may well be in development, with Fortnite coming to both consoles with cross-play on launch.

“At Epic, we believe in open, integrated platforms and in the future of gaming being a highly social and connected experience,” said Chris Dyl, general manager of online services at Epic Games. “Through Epic Online Services, we strive to help build a user-friendly ecosystem for both developers and players, where creators can benefit regardless of how they choose to build and publish their games, and where players can play games with their friends and enjoy the same quality experience regardless of the hardware they own.”

Developers have already been able to access a limited form of Epic Online Services for a few months now, with ticketing and analytics systems available for usage. The new suite, which went live on May 13, enables a unified gameplay experience across all supported platforms. This includes features such as cross-play, achievements, leader-boards, parties, cloud saves, peer-to-peer network connectivity, cross-progression, lobbies, and unified matchmaking.

Developers are free to use any of the available features in the Epic Online Services suite, using the system as best for their own game. Those who wish to give it a go can head to Epic Games’ official site and sign up to download the SDK. This is available for use even for developers who are not using Unreal Engine to build their games.