Is Terraria Cross-Platform? (Xbox, PS5, Nintendo Switch & PC)

This page contains information on whether Terraria is cross-platform

Jordan Grant

George DermanakisLast Updated: January 31, 2023

Have you been cutting down trees, digging up the earth, and building your dream home while wishing you could play with your friend? Well, maybe you can. Read on to find out, as we answer the question, is Terraria cross-platform?

TL;DR: Terraria is not a cross-platform game across all systems, but the mobile version is. The developers of Terraria are working on a “Labor of Love” update that could enable cross-platform play from PC to console to mobile, but it may take time.

Read on…

What Does Cross-Platform Mean?

Usually, when you play a video game online, you can only connect and play with users on the same system. You will connect with other Xbox users if you’re playing on Xbox. If you’re on PlayStation, you will only connect with other PlayStation users.

Cross-Platform refers to the ability of someone playing on one system to connect and play with someone who is playing on a different system.

If you have a PC but you want to play with your best friend who has a Nintendo Switch, that would normally be an issue. But a cross-platform game could allow you both to play together.

Is Terraria Cross-Platform?

There are two answers to this question. Let me explain.

The short answer is simple. No. Terraria is not cross-platform over all systems. While it is true that most of the various systems that Terraria released on ARE NOT cross-platform, there are a couple of exceptions.

The longer answer is slightly more complicated. I wouldn’t want to claim that every smartphone out there is cross-platform, but the vast majority are. The iPhone and Android versions are all cross-platform, allowing you to connect and play with other users on those systems. In this case, yes, when playing on mobile phones, Terraria IS cross-platform.

What Platforms is Terraria Available On?

Terraria, developed by Re-Logic (initially made up of only two people but has since expanded to 11) has been an explosive hit, releasing on a great many systems:

Initially released on Microsoft Windows – May 16^th, 2011.
It was then ported to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on March 26^th and 27^th, respectively, 2013.
Shortly after, it was ported to the PlayStation Vita on December 17^th, 2013.
A mobile version was released across iPhone and Android on August 29^th and September 13^th,respectively, 2013. Later followed by Windows Phone on September 14^th, 2014.
PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions saw a release on December 2^nd, 2014.
macOS and Linux versions of the games were released on August 12^th, 2015.
The Nintendo 3DS received a release on December 10^th, 2015.
The Wii U version released on June 9th. 2016.
The Nintendo Switch received its own version on June 27^th, 2019.
The Google Stadia version finally released, after it was very publicly and aggressively cancelled on February 8th, 2021, before being re-announced and released on March 18^th, 2021.

Will Terraria Have Cross-Platform in the Future?

While the current state of Terraria may seem bleak for those who wish to connect with users on different systems, the future may offer some hope.

The developers have been working on the “Labor of Love” update, which was released in late September 2022. Among other things, a key focus was making Terraria truly cross-platform. Unfortunately, this has not yet been able to be achieved. They don’t know if they can make it work, but they are still hoping and trying their best to eventually make Terraria a fully cross-platform game from PC to console to mobile. It just might take some time.

Good news for some, bad for others. We can only hope that the team are successful and that the future may allow for more systems to connect. Thanks for reading our article answering the question is Terraria cross-platform?

Jordan Grant

George DermanakisLast Updated: January 31, 2023