A Way Out comes from the stables of Hazelight Studios, which was founded mainly by breakaways from Starbreeze Studios, the developer that gave us the awesome Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.
Just like the said game, A Way Out is also a multiplayer game that requires two people to be actively playing it. There is no single-player version of the game. This is one of the many factors distinguishing it greatly from other multiplayer games available in the market.
It tells the story of a prison break by two inmates named Leo and Vincent. Both need to work through tense situations cooperatively in order to succeed in their mission.
Being one of the best co-op game offerings out there, it sees both the characters go through thrilling moments like distracting guards, stealing items, crawling through vents and more.
The beauty of this action adventure game lies in the fact that all this needs to be done by both the characters as a team.
Also see: Is Minecraft Cross-Platform? Yes, Here’s How To Crossplay
As mentioned, there is no way you can even play the game without having a partner. You can play it with your friend online or offline. Either way, the game is still presented in a split screen format, allowing you to see what the other character is doing at any given time.
A Way Out made a highly successful debut, having sold over a million copies in two weeks. Created using Unreal Engine 4, it is available now for the PS4, Xbox One (part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate), and PC.
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Is A Way Out Cross Platform In 2023?
Unfortunately, A Way Out does not offer cross platform compatibility right now. Since the game was released, players have been forced to have the same game on the same gaming device if they wish to play with their friends.
This means, if you own it on the PS4, you cannot play it online with a friend who has it on the Xbox One or PC. That said, you can always call your friend over to your place and play it offline with them.
Read: Is Insurgency Sandstorm Cross-Platform/Crossplay? [Let’s Dig In]
This is a big disadvantage for a game like A Way Out since it works in split screen mode. Hazelight Studios hasn’t even announced plans to introduce the cross platform feature anytime soon.
There are several challenges that prevent developers from introducing cross platform gameplay. Among them are:
- Performance issues: Due to hardware differences between various platforms, cross play can lead to a downward turn in performance for any or all the players involved.
- Matchmaking: Ensuring a smooth matchmaking experience is a big task considering so many cross platform gamers will likely be jumping into the game at certain times.
- Balance: There is always a big competitive factor in online multiplayer games. This is why developers are always needed to maintain balance by fine-tuning the gameplay. And a cross platform game means maintaining balance in cross play as well, which is a tough task.
- Technical impediments: As you can infer from the aforementioned points, there are several technicalities that need to got just right. One of the biggest such challenges is input delay, a problem that arises between PC and console players since keyboard and mouse input is usually faster and gives the former group a slight advantage.
- Compatibility: Different gaming consoles run on different operating systems. And they even feature dissimilar hardware. Making cross play compatible between them thus becomes difficult.
Is A Way Out Crossplay Between:
PC and PS4?
No, A Way Out cross play cannot be experienced between these two gaming platform options.
Xbox One and PS4/PS5?
No, cross platform gaming is not available for this title between the Xbox One and the PS4 or the PS5.
Xbox One and PC?
No, you cannot experience cross platform gaming if you’re playing A Way Out on your PC and your friend is playing it on the Xbox One. Or vice versa.
Nintendo Switch and PC?
There is no question of playing this game between the two platforms since it is not available on the Nintendo Switch in the first place.
Nintendo Switch and PS4?
As we said, a Nintendo Switch version of A Way Out is not available at all, so you cannot play it between the said console and the PS4.
Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S?
Yes, this is one positive area for Xbox fans. Since the Xbox Series X/S is backwards compatible, anyone playing the game on the console is essentially playing its Xbox One version. This means, there is definitely cross platform game support between the two.
PS4 and PS5?
Yes, thanks to backward compatibility, you can play the game cross platform between the two PlayStation consoles.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is The Game Cross Gen?
Yes, despite the fact that A Way Out does not feature cross platform play, it is still a cross generation game.
This means those on PlayStation consoles can play with each other and the same goes for those on Xbox consoles.
Is The Game Cross Progression?
No, A Way Out does not support cross progression, meaning if you switch from one platform to another, you will not be able to carry your progress forward and would need to start over again.
Is The Game Cross Save?
No, the game is not cross save compatible either. Cross generation and cross save are basically the same thing and the makers of A Way Out have not enabled this feature for it.
Why Are Cross Platform Games So Popular?
The answer to this is pretty obvious. If a game supports cross platform play, it enables you to play it with your friends regardless of the platform they own it on.
It also means there are more players available to match every time you wish to play, increasing your chances of getting into a game. Who wouldn’t want such flexibility?
Will The Game Become Cross Platform In The Future?
It’s unfortunate that neither Electronic Arts nor Hazelight Studios have spoken about making A Way Out cross platform.
Five years have passed since the game’s release. So you might want to put an end to any hopes of the developers considering the option.
Wrapping Up
A Way Out is a great game that you should definitely play with your friends. The only problem is that they will either need to be present right beside you or be on the same platform to enjoy it with you.