Set up 7 Days to Die crossplayPC and console on one server - with clear conditions

Published on August 9, 2026 · last updated on November 3, 2026

The basic rule: PC always, console only under conditions

The most important sentence comes from the developer itself: PC players can join regardless of the server settings, console players cannot.

The entire logic of this page follows from this. A normal server is automatically open to PC. For consoles to join as well, it additionally has to meet a series of requirements - and they restrict it noticeably.

Crossplay concerns the current console generation, i.e. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The old console versions from 2013 are a separate, incompatible game.

The mandatory settings

Four values in the serverconfig.xml have to be set exactly like this, otherwise console players cannot get onto the server:

The upper limit of eight players comes from the game, not from the host: our slots are unlimited, but according to the developer, a crossplay-capable server may not allow more than eight simultaneous players. If you want a larger round, you have to do without crossplay - see slots explained.

Values only within specified ranges

In addition, the developer specifies ranges for a number of game values. If one of them is outside, the server is no longer compatible with consoles. The table lists the values with their previous names from the serverconfig.xml:

Important since version 3.0: these nine values are no longer individual entries in the serverconfig.xml. They belong to the sandbox options and are bundled in the SandboxCode that you generate in the game - how to do that is explained in serverconfig.xml explained. You therefore check the ranges while putting them together in the sandbox menu, not in the file. If a value is off, the game names the affected setting together with the permitted value when someone tries to join from a console.

In practice, this means: an extreme loot or XP server is not feasible with crossplay. The blood moon upper limit of 64 is also a hard limit - what that means for the server load is explained in server lagging.

What this means for mods

The condition EACEnabled = True practically decides the mod question by itself:

• Large overhauls are ruled out. Mods with their own DLLs - such as Darkness Falls - require EAC to be deactivated. That rules out crossplay.
• Purely server-side modlets generally run with EAC active. Still, check in each case whether console players can still connect afterwards - every change to the game files is a risk for compatibility.

The reliable statement is therefore: crossplay and vanilla belong together. If you want to run overhauls, make it a pure PC server. The difference between modlets and overhauls is explained in install mods.

Setting it up - the process

1. Stop the server.
2. Set the four mandatory values in the serverconfig.xml.
3. Check the nine range values in the game's sandbox menu, bring them within the permitted range if necessary and enter the generated code as SandboxCode.
4. Make sure no mods with their own DLLs are loaded.
5. Start the server and test it yourself from a console before the world is built up.

Step 5 is the most important. A week of building in a world that half the group cannot enter is the most expensive way to find a wrong setting. If something does not work, ports & firewall helps narrow it down, and join a server describes the way onto the server.

Back up first: changes to the serverconfig.xml can be undone, but see create backups anyway.

Crossplay or not - weighing it up

The decision therefore almost makes itself: as soon as someone in the group plays on console, crossplay is the only option - and you play vanilla with up to eight people. If the round is pure PC, there is no reason to impose these restrictions on yourself.

Frequently asked questions