Is Sons of the Forest Cross-Platform? (2026): No, Here is Why
Last verified: May 26, 2026. No console port announced; this remains the case across the entire 2026 release window.
Short answer: No. Sons of the Forest is PC-only (Steam, Windows). There is no PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, or Switch version, so there is no crossplay to enable. PC players can play with other PC players on Steam; mixed-platform groups currently have no way to all play together inside Sons of the Forest itself.
Platform Support Matrix (May 2026)
| Platform | Available? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PC (Steam, Windows) | Yes | Full release since February 22, 2024 (1.0). Multiplayer up to 8 players. Dedicated server tool shipped at 1.0. |
| PC (macOS) | Unofficial | Works via Steam Proton on Apple Silicon with reduced performance; not officially supported by Endnight. |
| PC (Linux) | Unofficial | Works via Steam Proton; community-tested compatibility. Same Steam session as Windows clients. |
| Steam Deck | Playable | Runs under Proton with no special setup. Appears to hosts as a regular Steam client. |
| PlayStation 5 | No | Not announced. Endnight said in 2025 they would love to ship on PS5, but no commitments, no partner, no date. |
| PlayStation 4 | No | Not announced. Original The Forest was PS4-only on console; SOTF has not followed. |
| Xbox Series X/S | No | Not announced. Endnight has been less vocal about Xbox than PlayStation. |
| Xbox One | No | Not announced. The Forest never reached Xbox at all. |
| Game Pass | No | Not on PC Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass. No publishing deal disclosed. |
| Nintendo Switch / Switch 2 | No | Not announced. Engine would need significant downscaling for Switch hardware. |
| iOS / Android | No | Not announced. No mobile port planned. |
Because the game is PC-only, the question "is Sons of the Forest cross-platform" reduces to "can a Steam Windows player play with a Steam Proton player on Linux or a Steam Deck owner?" The answer there is yes: same Steam build, same multiplayer session, no settings to flip.
2026 Update: Where the Console Situation Stands
Three signals point to no console release coming in 2026:
- No marketing run-up. Console ports of meaningful PC games are announced 6 to 12 months before release. With no formal announcement by May 2026, the earliest realistic window is Q4 2026 at the absolute soonest, and only if Endnight broke from their usual pattern of avoiding leaks.
- Endnight has shifted focus. Community reports from late 2025 indicate the studio is working on follow-up projects rather than a console port. Petitions for a console release have circulated on community forums; none have produced an Endnight response.
- No porting partner disclosed. Small studios outsource console ports (The Forest's PS4 build was external). Endnight has not announced any such partnership for Sons of the Forest.
For mixed-platform groups in 2026, the honest answer is: don't wait. Either everyone buys it on Steam, or pick a different crossplay survival game now.
Why No Console Version Yet
Endnight Games is a small Vancouver-based studio (the spiritual successor to the team that shipped The Forest in 2018). The Forest never received an Xbox release; it shipped on PC and PS4 only, and the PS4 version was handled by an external porting partner.
Sons of the Forest's PC-only positioning is consistent with that pattern. The studio has been clear in community AMAs and interviews that:
- Their priority during Early Access (2023-2024) was finishing the PC build and adding the multiplayer, building, and AI systems the game ships with
- After 1.0 (February 2024) they considered console ports but did not commit to any timeline
- They would prefer a console port to be a high-quality build, not a rushed wrapper
- No partnership with a porting studio has been announced as of 2026
As of May 2026, more than two years after 1.0 release, there is still no concrete console-port announcement. If one were coming in 2026 the marketing run-up would have started by now, so the realistic earliest console window is late 2026 to mid-2027.
What Mixed-Platform Groups Can Actually Do
If you and your friends have different platforms (one on PC, one on PlayStation, one on Xbox), the realistic options are:
- All buy Sons of the Forest on Steam. The cleanest answer. The game is regularly on sale; the entire group on the same platform unlocks 8-player co-op multiplayer.
- Pick a different survival game that is cross-platform. Valheim works across PC plus Xbox plus PS5 (PS5 arrives in 2026 alongside the 1.0 launch with full crossplay from day one), Palworld is across PC plus Xbox plus PS5 (since 2025), and Core Keeper has limited Xbox-PC crossplay. None of them are quite Sons of the Forest, but they scratch the same survival itch.
- Wait for a console version. No firm timeline. If your group will tolerate the wait, monitor Endnight's social channels; an announcement will be unmistakable.
Sons of the Forest PC Multiplayer (What Does Work)
On PC, multiplayer is straightforward:
- Player count: Up to 8 players in a single co-op session
- Hosting: Any player can host a session directly from their game; or rent a dedicated server
- Dedicated server: Endnight ships an official dedicated server tool. Hosted servers run persistent worlds that survive even when no players are online
- PvP: Not a primary mode; co-op is the focus
- Mods: Limited modding scene; most "mods" are save editors and trainers rather than full content additions
- Cross-save: Not implemented since the game is single-platform. A future console version may or may not support cross-save with Steam, depending on what Endnight chooses.
For setup help on a dedicated server see the dedicated server setup article. For specific gameplay help see the other articles in this Sons of the Forest section.
Common Questions
"Will my Steam friends list show my friend who has it on Xbox?"
Your friend does not have it on Xbox because there is no Xbox version. If they tell you they bought "Sons of the Forest" on Xbox, they may have actually bought "The Forest" (the predecessor, which does exist on PS4 but not Xbox). Or they bought something else entirely. Double-check the storefront listing.
"Can I cross-save my Sons of the Forest progress to console later?"
Hypothetical question with no answer. If a console version ever ships, Endnight has not committed to either cross-save or cross-progression. The Forest never had cross-save between PC and PS4, which is the precedent.
"What about Steam Deck?"
Steam Deck runs Sons of the Forest well via Proton. A Deck player joins the same multiplayer session as Windows players; no special setup, no crossplay toggle. The Deck is, for crossplay purposes, just another Steam client.
"Is there any rumor or leak about console release?"
No credible leaks as of May 2026. Periodic community speculation appears but is consistently debunked by community moderators. Real console announcements come from the developer through their official channels, not from datamines or marketplace leaks.
"Will The Forest 3 affect a Sons of the Forest console port?"
Community reports note that Endnight's next-project announcements have raised concerns about whether SOTF will ever reach console. The studio's bandwidth is finite, and a new title competes with porting work. Read into it what you will; nothing official has been said.
Crossplay Survival Game Alternatives (May 2026 State)
| Game | PC | Xbox | PS5 | Crossplay | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valheim | Yes | Yes | 2026 | Full | PS5 ships 2026 alongside Version 1.0 launch with full crossplay from day one. |
| Palworld | Yes | Yes | Yes | Full | Crossplay PC + Xbox + PS5 since 2025. |
| Core Keeper | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | Xbox + PC crossplay; PS5 was added 2024. |
| ARK: Survival Ascended | Yes | Yes | Yes | Full | Crossplay PC + Xbox + PS5; can be filtered out per-server. |
| V Rising | Yes | Yes | Yes | None | No crossplay despite being on all three platforms. |
| Sons of the Forest | Yes | No | No | N/A | PC-only. No crossplay possible. |
Related Sons of the Forest Guides
Looking to host a Sons of the Forest dedicated server with daily backups and instant setup? See Sons of the Forest plans. Up to 8 players, persistent world, panel-managed mods and save backups included.