Cross-save: What is cross-saving and what is its use?

Cross-saving refers to the ability for players to transfer or access their game progress, character data, and items across multiple platforms. With games coming out on various platforms and many players owning different platforms, it makes sense to add this feature to ensure players don’t have to play on only one platform.

For example, let us say a player is playing Fortnite on their PC. If they go out of town, whether it be for work or vacations, they won’t be able to play the game on their Nintendo Switch or other portable device without cross-save. Fortunately, thanks to the fact that Fortnite does indeed have cross-save, that player will be able to play Fortnite with the same account he usually uses on his PC without losing any progress.

This feature brings unparalleled flexibility, freeing players from the constraints of a single device. It's particularly popular in online multiplayer and RPG games, where players invest significant time in building characters and advancing in-game.

What type of games support cross-saving?

While cross-saving is seen as a quality-of-life feature, not every game supports it. For example, single-player RPGs and general single-player games usually don’t support this feature as players are more likely to play offline or on one device. On the other hand, games that are live-service and available on multiple platforms usually have cross-saving.

For example, Genshin Impact ^[1] and Fortnite ^[2] are two of the most popular free-to-play games. Since they’re both available on various platforms, including PC, console, and even mobile devices, the two games support cross-saving. However, as the gaming world evolves, more developers will likely implement this feature.

References

1. [1] "Official Genshin Impact website". genshin.hoyoverse.com. Retrieved November 05, 2024
2. [2] "Official Fortnite website". www.fortnite.com. Retrieved November 05, 2024