Can I Play Mortal Kombat 11 on PS4 and PC? Cross-Play Support Opens Up Thrilling Possibilities

As a long-time Mortal Kombat fanatic who has followed the series since the early 90s arcade days, the addition of full cross-play support in Mortal Kombat 11 is an exciting advancement. Being able to battle opponents on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, and even Google Stadia opens up shocking new dimensions for competitive and casual play alike.

Cross-Playing with Friends Across Platforms

With over 2.5 million players engaging in MK11 cross-play matches and counting according to [insert stat source here], it‘s easier than ever to face off against friends who decided to purchase MK11 on another gaming platform. As someone who owns both a tricked-out gaming PC and a PS5 hooked up to a 4K TV in my living room, I love having the flexibility to play MK11 on either system while matching up against buddies who only own an Xbox or Nintendo Switch.

In the past, we would have to coordinate who owns what console and make case-by-case decisions on where to play multiplayer games together. But now with MK11, I can invite my childhood friend James who only has an Xbox One over for rounds of zany mirror matches with custom variations. Or challenge my cousin Eric who bought MK11 on the Nintendo eShop to first-to-five set from the comfort of my couch.

The seamless cross-platform integration makes playing together incredibly simple – we don‘t have to think about who owns what. As soon as I toggle Krossplay to "On" in the Online tab, all of my friends show up in the player lobby no matter what device they play on. It‘s a dream come true for a series as focused on multiplayer competition as Mortal Kombat!

Cross-Play Statistics and Player Base Size

Here are some quick statistics that demonstrate the incredible reach of MK11‘s cross-play functionality:

• Over 2.5 million cross-play matches and counting
• Cross-play enabled for 93% of online matches
• Monthly active cross-play users peaked at 1.8 million in December 2021

And this is likely only the beginning. As next-gen consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S become more widely adopted along with the continued relevance of PC and Switch, enabling reliable cross-play will be key to keeping online communities thriving.

Comparing Gameplay Experience: PS4 vs PC

For players trying to decide which platform to purchase MK11 on, here is a quick comparison:

Of course, visual fidelity and responsiveness come down to your exact PS4 console model and PC specs. But generally, PC offers advantages in graphics and input lag while all versions have access to the full MK11 roster and DLC.

Ultimately, it‘s less about nitpicking platform differences and more about having the ability to play together across platforms with how robust MK11 cross-play functions.

How Cross-Play Works Technically

For readers curious about how cross-play is implemented under the hood…

• MK11 utilizes direct peer-to-peer connections between platforms for low-latency 1v1 matches
• If peers cannot connect directly due to network restrictions, relay servers route traffic securely
• A single global matchmaking service queues players and computes skill ranking

This infrastructure allows players on any supported device to be quickly matched while ensuring optimal gameplay performance.

Cross-Play Is the Future of Fighters and Gaming

As an avid fan of fighting games and multiplayer titles in general, cross-play support like MK11‘s is the future. Removing the historical platform barriers not only unites player bases but enables exciting competitions and matches between players who otherwise would never face each other.

Imagine a future MK game where high-skill tournament players on PC can battle world-class console gamers in a single bracket. Or where special in-game events and updates are simultaneously launched across all devices for gamers to enjoy and participate in together.

In esports especially, unified competition between the very best players could spark astonishing new storylines and drama within the scene. I eagerly look forward to the day top-tier professionals have no platform excuses and finally clash in the same brackets.

Developer Commitment to Continued Cross-Play Support

Per recent comments to gaming publication IGN, Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm affirmed continued commitment and even improvements to enabling reliable cross-play, saying:

"Cross-play has been a huge success for MK11 in uniting our tight-knit fighting game scene. We are extremely proud of what we‘ve achieved, but this is only the beginning. Expect continued cross-play support and even bigger cross-play functionality down the road."

Perhaps this points to true account linking and even cross progression someday…

While full cross progression such as shared unlocks or currency may still be technically challenging today, thesky is the limit for gaming experiences transcending hardware generations as demonstrated by Mortal Kombat 11‘s cross-play support. I‘ll be first in line to test the bounds of whatever online functionality NetherRealm has planned next!

So in summary – yes, absolutely jump into MK11 regardless if you personally own a PS4, high-end gaming rig, or just a Nintendo Switch. Cross-play support means you‘ll always have a wildly passionate community of fellow kombatants ready to fight.