Sea of Thieves Crossplay and Platforms
Sea of Thieves runs on Steam, the Microsoft Store and Game Pass, Xbox consoles, PS5, and Battle.net, with crossplay on by default and shared progression across all of them through your linked Microsoft account. You can restrict matchmaking to controller-only players from the in-game settings, which is the closest thing to a PC-versus-console filter, and PS5 players can opt out of crossplay more directly. Achievement lists differ per storefront: Steam carries 293 achievements while the Xbox list is larger, though achievements earned on Xbox unlock on Steam automatically after your first sign-in there.
Buying Sea of Thieves on Steam does not buy you a Steam-only game. You share every server with Xbox, PS5, and Game Pass players, and the game is built around that instead of apologizing for it.
Where can you buy it, and does it matter?
| Platform | Notes |
|---|---|
| Steam | "Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition". Base $39.99, Deluxe $49.99, Premium $59.99 |
| Microsoft Store | Same game, Microsoft ecosystem |
| Xbox Game Pass | Included with a subscription instead of bought outright. High Seas needs Premium, Ultimate, or PC, and Essential is not enough |
| Xbox consoles | Native |
| PS5 | Native, added with Season 12 |
| Battle.net | Added with Season 16 in patch 3.4.0. Owners on Xbox, the Microsoft Store, or Game Pass install the Standard Edition there at no extra cost |
The game itself is identical. What changes is the achievement list, the storefront your purchase lives on, and whether you own it or are renting it through Game Pass.
Game Pass tier matters for High Seas. Patch 3.7.2 made the game tell Game Pass Essential holders that they need Premium, Ultimate, or PC when a friend invites them into a High Seas session. If a crewmate keeps bouncing off your invites, check their tier before blaming crossplay.
Your progression is account-wide. Reputation, gold, cosmetics, Captaincy, and Guild membership all live on your Microsoft account, not on the storefront. Play on Steam at home and Xbox at a friend's house and it is the same pirate.
PC streamers get prompted now
Patch 3.8.2 added streaming detection on PC. Go live and the game shows you a notification when you return to it, with direct access to enable Streamer Mode and apply a set of recommended settings. The software it currently detects is OBS, Streamlabs OBS, Meld, XSplit, TikTok LIVE Studio, and vMix.
Take the prompt when it appears instead of hunting the settings down mid-broadcast. It lands alongside the Join Code work in patches 3.8.1 and 3.8.2, which between them keep a Custom Seas code off the screen while you type it and while you copy it. Detail on both in Custom Seas.
A Microsoft account is required regardless of where you bought the game, including on Steam and PS5. That link is what carries your progression between platforms.
How does crossplay work?
Crossplay is on by default and puts all platforms into the same matchmaking pool. In practice you have no way of knowing whether the Galleon chasing you is on Steam, Xbox, or PS5, and no way to tell from behavior either.
What you can do is filter by input method instead of by platform. The game's settings include matchmaking preferences that let you limit sessions to players using controllers, which is the practical way to avoid facing mouse and keyboard aim.
PS5 players have the most direct opt-out, with the ability to disable crossplay or restrict lobbies to console players from the options menu.
Restricting matchmaking to controller players is a preference, not a guarantee. The game matches you that way when it can, and falls back to the wider pool when there are not enough players available. Expect it to work most of the time and not always.
Does input method actually matter?
Yes, but less than new players assume, and in specific places.
Where mouse and keyboard helps: Sniping with the Eye of Reach, and fast cannon aiming at range. Precision aiming is genuinely easier with a mouse.
Where it does not matter: Sailing, repairing, boarding, and everything to do with crew coordination. Which is most of the game.
A well-drilled controller crew beats an uncoordinated mouse and keyboard crew comfortably, because Sea of Thieves is decided by ship handling and damage control far more than by aim. Do not treat the input filter as a fix for losing fights.
The achievement split
This is the part that catches completionists out.
| Platform | Achievement list |
|---|---|
| Steam | 293 achievements |
| Xbox | A larger list, with Gamerscore values |
The two lists are different, not just differently displayed, and Steam prunes legacy achievements that can no longer be earned while the Xbox list keeps them, so the counts will never match. The progress underneath them is shared though. Achievements sit on top of your account-wide commendations, and Rare's support FAQ states that achievements earned on Xbox unlock on Steam automatically after you first sign in there. Expect the batch at or shortly after that first login, expect it one-way from Xbox to Steam, and expect occasional gaps, since the sync has a documented history of missing some unlocks.
If achievement completion matters to you, decide which platform is your home before you start. Full detail on the Steam list is in Achievements Overview.
Playing with friends across platforms
Inviting across platforms works through the in-game crew system and your friends list. The reliable method is adding each other as friends in-game instead of relying on Steam or PlayStation friend lists, since those only cover same-platform invites. The in-game friends list arrived with the PS5 launch in patch 3.0.0 and pulls your Microsoft account, PlayStation Network, and Battle.net friends into one place, with cross-platform invites running on Xbox network friendship underneath.
The fastest way to friend a pirate standing next to you is the Make Friends emote. Every player owns the Make Friends Salute by default, and when two players perform it at each other the game opens a prompt to add one another on the spot, with no gamertag spelling involved. One caveat: a cross-platform request can land as an Xbox follow instead of a friendship, and accepting the request in the Xbox App on PC or phone completes it.
For a mixed crew, everyone joins from the main menu into the same crew before launching into a session. Trying to join someone already at sea works, but only if their crew has an open slot on their ship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sea of Thieves crossplay between Steam, Xbox, and PS5?
Yes, and it is enabled by default across Steam, the Microsoft Store, Game Pass, Xbox consoles, PS5, and Battle.net. All platforms share the same matchmaking pool, and your reputation, gold, and cosmetics carry across them through your linked Microsoft account.
Can you turn off crossplay in Sea of Thieves?
You can restrict matchmaking to controller-only players from the in-game settings, and PS5 players can disable crossplay or limit lobbies to console players more directly. These are preferences, not guarantees, and the game widens the pool when player numbers require it.
Do Steam and Xbox share the same achievements?
Not the same lists, but the progress underneath is shared. Steam carries 293 achievements while the Xbox list is larger, keeping legacy entries Steam prunes. Achievements earned on Xbox unlock on Steam automatically at or shortly after your first sign-in there, in that direction only, and the sync occasionally misses, so completionists should still pick a home platform.
How do you add friends across platforms in Sea of Thieves?
Use the in-game friends list, which pulls Microsoft, PlayStation Network, and Battle.net friends into one place, or perform the Make Friends emote at each other in a session for an on-the-spot prompt with no gamertag typing. Cross-platform invites run on Xbox network friendship underneath, and a request that lands as a follow completes in the Xbox App.
Do you need a Microsoft account to play on Steam or PS5?
Yes. A Microsoft account is required on every platform including Steam and PS5, and that account is what stores your progression. It is the reason the same pirate, reputation, and cosmetics appear wherever you play.
Does mouse and keyboard give an advantage in Sea of Thieves?
Mainly for Eye of Reach sniping and long-range cannon aim. Sailing, repairing, boarding, and crew coordination are unaffected, and those decide most fights, so a well-drilled controller crew regularly beats an uncoordinated mouse and keyboard one.
What to Read Next
- Achievements Overview. All 293 Steam achievements, the rarest, and how the platform lists diverge.
- Getting Started. What to do first regardless of which platform you bought it on.
- Safer Seas and High Seas. Choosing a mode once you are in.
- PvP and the Hourglass of Fate. Where input method actually shows up in a fight.
- Seasons and Events. The live content cadence, which is identical on every platform.