Is The Forest Cross-Platform in September 2023? [PC, PS4, PS5]
The Forest is a successful Indie survival horror game that hit PSN and PC in 2018. Its developers released a statement saying that they were working on making the game's PC version compatible with consoles. This decision has prompted a controversy regarding whether it should be classified as a cross-platform title or simply playing catch up with other titles such as Minecraft.
In this article, we will be discussing The Forest in connection to cross-platform gaming. Along with finding an answer for "Is The Forest Cross-Platform in 2021?" you will also learn a bit more about the gameplay of The Forest. So, let's get started!
It has become increasingly normal for gamers to play titles across many consoles over time. With this increase in interoperability, developers have been forced to expand their market. This has given rise to such phenomena as cross-platform titles and episodic gaming. However, technical limitations have stopped games from being played across multiple operating systems. Cross-platform means that a title can be played on multiple systems, generally platform agnostic.
Apart from using the term "cross-platform" just in gaming reference, it has also been used in general computing. Cross-platform software is expected to become more prevalent within the next several years. The fact is that it has already been done to some extent with multiple operating systems running on the same machine using virtualization. This method allows different types of code to run on the platform while using an interface layer for communication between them.
Related: Is Neverwinter Cross-Platform in 2021?
Contents
Brief Overview of The Forest
The Forest is a video game categorized under the horror survival genre in which the player is left alone on an island. A plane crash has left them stranded, and they are forced to gather food, build shelter, and stay alive in order to survive.
The Forest does not play like your average run-of-the-mill survival game in which players are anxious about being underprepared for their journey out of fear that they will die. Instead, it focuses more on crafting items within the environment in order to make tools that allow you to defend yourself against cannibalistic tribes or interesting wildlife.
Players start with nothing but essential hand tools such as an ax, which allows them to cut down trees for wood building structures or create weapons for hunting animals during the day.
However, before the sun sets, players are forced to hide inside small structures that protect them from the monsters that come out at night. Most of these creatures are highly aggressive and will seek the player out if they remain within The Forest.
The gameplay is fascinating because it can be challenging but also forgiving to gamers who are not accustomed to being chased by human-like enemies or stalked by realistic-looking wildlife.
You can learn how best to defend yourself against each type of enemy over time; new players may struggle with the first few encounters, but eventually, they will become adept at taking care of themselves in this harsh new environment.
Another strong point about The Forest is its atmosphere: creepy and often terrifying. This feeling is accomplished through sound effects and the use of lighting. It is a dark game, and while it can be played during the day, most gamers will find that they feel more comfortable playing at night.
The Forest also features a crafting system in which items can be combined to create other tools or weapons. The game's main objective is to survive until morning so that players can then set out to explore further into The Forest and gather resources for building shelters or gathering even more food for their journey.
Let's move on to address the central question of this article - "Is The Forest Cross-Platform in 2021?"
Is The Forest Cross-Platform in 2021?
No, The Forest is not a cross-platform game in 2021. In other words, while playing The Forest, if the players are playing using different platforms, then interaction among them will not be possible. As of now, it is only available on PS4 and PC. So, if a player is playing The Forest on a PC and the other is playing it on a PS4, they will not be able to play it together.
The devs are not running different types of code using an intermediary layer for communication between them. While virtualization helps one to understand how it can be achieved, creating an intermediary layer for code communication is no mean feat.
While The Forest does allow players to interact with each other in the same game, it is limited to the gamers using the same device. It offers two types of play styles: cooperative and competitive. The cooperative mode allows players to join forces in order to fight against the environment or build elaborate structures together. On the other hand, the competitive mode features multiple players who are pitted against one another in a race to gather the most resources and survive the longest.
As interesting as it is, the difference is gaming system can prevent you from enjoying the gameplay of The Forest with your friends.
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Pros and Cons of Being Able to Play The Forest on Multiple Platforms
Some advantages of being age to play The Forest on multiple platforms,
- No need to buy a PC version if you already have a PS4 version.
- More players will be able to play together since they will not have platform limitations.
Some disadvantages of being unable to play The Forest on multiple platforms:
- Devs won't be able to fully exploit the full power of each gaming system's capabilities while developing it.
- Some players can miss out on the gameplay if their particular gaming platform is not supported.
The Forest has a lot going for it. However, there are a few disadvantages associated with this game, as well. The first issue that must be tackled is that since The Forest is only available on PS4 and PC, players who use other devices cannot play this game together.
Another concern is that while The Forest allows players to interact with each other in the same game, but only with the gamers using the same device.
Is The Forest Cross-Platform Between PC and PS4/PS5?
No, The Forest does not have cross-platform support between PC and PS4. It will prevent PC and PS4 players from playing The Forest together. There is no cross-platform play while playing The Forest between PC and PS4.
Implementing cross-platform functionality in a game is no small feat. It requires access to hefty funds and a lot of hard work on the developers' part. Creating an intermediate layer for code communication might be pretty tricky, even when virtualization makes it possible.
Is The Forest Cross-Platform Between Android and PC?
The Forest does not have cross-platform compatibility between Android and PC. This kills the possibility for Android and PC players to play The Forest together. As mentioned before, only the players within the same gaming ecosystem can play The Forest together.
Is The Forest Cross-Platform Between PS4 and Xbox One?
No, The Forest is not cross-platform between PS4 and Xbox One. So, if a player is using PS4 to play The Forest, they cannot play with another player using Xbox One.
The cause of this is the lack of cross-platform support in The Forest and also its unavailability on Xbox One.
Is The Forest Cross-Platform Between PS4 and PS5?
No, The Forest is not a cross-platform game on PS4 and PS5. For this reason, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 players cannot play together in the same game.
The Forest does not currently support cross-platform play, but being a popular game on multiple systems, there is a chance that it could be in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Survival Horror video games?
Survival horror video games are action-adventure games that combine physical survival and psychological horror elements to provide the player with a very unsettling gaming experience. The Forest is an example of a survival horror video game.
What is cross-progression?
Cross-progression is the feature that allows the players from one platform to carry over progress and content they have earned on a different platform. It prevents the users from having to start all over again and lose their progress.
Does The Forest have cross-progression?
No, The Forest does not have cross-progression functionality. This means that the players will need to start from scratch when they move on to a different gaming platform such as PS4 or Xbox One. So, wisely pick the platform you will use first before you decide to buy the game.
Where can I play The Forest?
As of 2021, The Forest is officially available on PS4 and PC. However, owing to backward compatibility, it can also be played on PS5, but that is at the cost of some features.
The Forest was released not so long ago in 2018 by Endnight Games.
Conclusion
The Forest is a fun and entertaining game to play. However, it lacks cross-platform compatibility between PC and PS4, which prevents the players from playing The Forest together. Please note that cross-platform feature is not a parameter to define how good a game is. So, gamers can still play The Forest and enjoy the game.
So, there's your answer to "Is The Forest Cross-Platform in 2021?". We hope you have enjoyed reading this article as much as we did while writing it. Thank you.
