7 Days to Die – When Crossplay For Dedicated Servers?

7 Days to Die. A brutal blend of zombie survival, crafting, and base building that’s hooked players for years. One of the biggest features keeping it alive (pun intended!) is dedicated servers. You can team up with friends, build massive fortresses, and fend off hordes of the undead together. But there’s a burning question on many players’ minds: when will 7 Days to Die get crossplay for dedicated servers?

Let’s dig into why this is such a hot topic, what the current situation is, and what the future might hold.

The Crossplay Dream: Why We Want It

Imagine this: You’re a PC gamer, your best friend rocks an Xbox, and another pal prefers PlayStation. You all want to team up to survive the zombie apocalypse in 7 Days to Die. Without crossplay, that dream is dead on arrival. You’re stuck playing with people on your own platform, and your group is fragmented.

Crossplay would:

• Unify the player base: No more platform-based limitations. Everyone can play with everyone. This would be a huge boon for the community, especially for smaller groups of friends.
• Boost server populations: Dedicated servers often struggle with low population, especially during off-peak hours. Crossplay could inject a much-needed player influx, making the game feel more alive and dangerous.
• Expand the social experience: Meeting new players from different platforms adds a fresh dynamic to the game. You might learn new strategies, discover different building styles, and forge new friendships.
• Increase the game’s longevity: A larger, more active player base keeps the game fresh and exciting, encouraging players to stick around longer and invest more time in their survival journey.

The Current Reality: A Divided Wasteland

As it stands right now, 7 Days to Die does not have crossplay for dedicated servers. PC players can only play with PC players, Xbox players with Xbox players, and PlayStation players with PlayStation players. It’s a bummer, plain and simple.

The console versions of 7 Days to Die have had a particularly rough history, and have in the past lagged far behind the PC version in terms of features and updates. This further complicates the crossplay situation, as the different versions of the game aren’t always compatible. For a period of time, Telltale Games owned the console rights, which later reverted back to The Fun Pimps. This saga has slowed down the whole process of bringing the console versions up to par with PC.

The Technical Hurdles: Why Crossplay is Hard

Implementing crossplay isn’t just a matter of flipping a switch. There are significant technical challenges involved:

• Different Game Versions: The PC and console versions of 7 Days to Die aren’t always in sync. Features, bug fixes, and even the game world itself can differ. Getting these versions to communicate seamlessly is a complex task. The PC version is currently on Alpha 21, while the console versions have been, until very recently, stuck on an older version.
• Platform Ecosystems: Xbox, PlayStation, and PC all have their own online services, friend lists, and account systems. Bridging these different ecosystems requires careful planning and integration.
• Input Methods: PC players typically use a mouse and keyboard, while console players use controllers. Balancing the gameplay experience across these different input methods can be tricky, especially in a competitive environment. 7 Days to Die isn’t exactly a fast-paced shooter, but aiming and inventory management can still feel different depending on your input device.
• Certification and Approval: Any major changes to the game, including crossplay functionality, need to be certified and approved by Microsoft and Sony for their respective platforms. This process can be time-consuming and require significant resources.

The Future of Crossplay: Hope or Hopium?

So, what does the future hold for crossplay in 7 Days to Die dedicated servers? Unfortunately, there’s no definitive answer. The Fun Pimps, the developers of the game, have been relatively quiet on the subject.

However, there are reasons to be cautiously optimistic:

• Community Demand: The demand for crossplay is huge. The Fun Pimps are aware of this, and they’ve stated in the past that they’re exploring the possibility. Player feedback is a powerful motivator.
• The Gaming Landscape: Crossplay is becoming increasingly common in the gaming industry. Games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Minecraft have successfully implemented crossplay, paving the way for other developers to follow suit. The pressure to offer crossplay is only going to increase.
• Console Version Overhaul: With the new console version finally catching up with the PC version in terms of features and updates, the path to crossplay becomes significantly clearer. This is perhaps the biggest reason for hope.

The Latest News:

The Fun Pimps are working on bringing the console versions of 7 Days to Die up to par with the PC version. This is a crucial step towards enabling crossplay in the future. The recent launch of the updated console version is a promising sign.

What Can You Do?

If you’re passionate about crossplay in 7 Days to Die, there are a few things you can do to make your voice heard:

• Engage with the Community: Discuss crossplay on forums, social media, and the 7 Days to Die subreddit. Let The Fun Pimps know that you want this feature.
• Support the Developers: Continue to play and enjoy 7 Days to Die. The more successful the game is, the more resources The Fun Pimps will have to invest in development.
• Be Patient: Implementing crossplay is a complex process. It takes time and effort. Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t happen overnight.

The Verdict: A Waiting Game

When Crossplay for dedicated servers 7 Days to Die is still a big question mark. While there are technical hurdles and no firm promises from the developers, the strong community demand and the evolving gaming landscape suggest that it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility. For now, we’re stuck in a waiting game, hoping that The Fun Pimps will eventually deliver the cross-platform zombie survival experience we’ve been dreaming of. Keep those fingers crossed, survivors!