Don't Starve Together Crossplay: The Short Version

The short answer: Don't Starve Together is not crossplay in the way most players use the word.

PC (Steam) and Mac/Linux players can play together, because those all share Klei's PC ecosystem. That's one "crossplay" that works cleanly.

PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch players cannot play with PC players, and cannot play with each other across those platforms. Each console version runs on that platform's own ecosystem, with its own player pool, its own accounts, and its own DLC.

So if you and a friend both have Don't Starve Together on different platforms, you probably can't play together, and the workaround is one of you buying the game on the other's platform.

Why it works this way

Crossplay support isn't automatic. It requires the developer to build platform-account bridging, negotiate agreements with each platform holder (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo), and maintain matchmaking systems that can pair players across storefronts. Klei is a small team relative to studios like Epic, and Don't Starve Together isn't the sort of high-concurrency competitive title that pushes platform holders to prioritize crossplay support.

The game also has significant differences in DLC availability across platforms, which complicates matchmaking. A PC player with the latest cosmetic pack cannot cleanly join a session with a Switch player who doesn't have access to those assets.

What does work

Steam players can host servers, invite other Steam friends, and run mods. This is the fullest version of the multiplayer experience.

PC players can play with Mac and Linux users freely.

Console players can play with others on the same platform. So Xbox with Xbox, PlayStation with PlayStation, Switch with Switch.

Dedicated servers exist for the PC version and work well for groups who want persistent worlds.

What players sometimes ask that has no fix

"Can I transfer my PC save to console?" No. Save data is not portable across platforms and Klei has no plans for save migration.

"Can I use my Steam account on Xbox?" No. Console versions require the platform's own account (Microsoft account for Xbox, PSN for PlayStation, Nintendo account for Switch).

"Is there any way to play a PC-only mod on console?" No. Mods are PC-exclusive.

The practical answer for a group with mixed platforms is that everyone needs to be on the same one. Don't Starve Together goes on sale frequently and it's cheap; if you have a PC and your friend has a PC, buying it on PC is usually the least painful path even if one of you already owns a console copy.