Accessibility has been a topic of contention for the Homeworld series ever since its inception in 1999, but does Homeworld 3 do anything to mend this long-standing issue by offering crossplay or cross-platform support?
Homeworld 3 is coming out more than 20 years after Homeworld 2 and fans of the real-time strategy series are understandably eager to jump back into the sci-fi saga. One potential obstacle is the series’ traditional PC exclusivity. None of the Homeworld games up to this point have been released on any gaming platform besides PC, the sole exception being 2022’s Homeworld Mobile. Does Homeworld 3 make a step toward multi-platform or dare we say, cross-platform support?
Is Homeworld 3 cross-platform?
No, Homeworld 3 is a PC exclusive game and will not be released on any console. With the game being available on a single platform, cross-platform play is ruled out by default.
Is Homeworld 3 crossplay?
Unlike cross-platform play, Homeworld 3 crossplay will more than likely be possible. While it is a PC-exclusive title, Homeworld 3 will launch simultaneously on Steam and the Epic Games store, and you will need at least PC-based crossplay to interact with players who bought the sequel title from the opposite store to yours.
Crossplay availability between the two most prominent PC game platforms was a major issue up to a certain point in time, but the situation is much more convenient for gamers today with most games offered on both stores offering crossplay.
Homeworld 3 is expected to be one such title. The most recent title in the series, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, added crossplay between Steam and Epic in Summer 2023, which clearly indicates developer Blackbird Interactive and publisher Gearbox’s intentions to improve Homeworld’s accessibility as much as possible.