Will Xdefiant Steam Support Crossplay At Launch?

Man, I was so hyped to check out 'Nanas Games' after hearing some buzz in indie circles! From what I’ve dug up, it doesn’t seem to be on Steam at the moment—I scrolled through the store and even tried a few creative search terms, but no luck. That said, sometimes smaller devs release their titles on itch.io or other platforms first, so it might be worth checking there. Honestly, the art style alone had me hooked—those muted pastels and surreal character designs remind me of early 'Katamari Damacy' vibes. If it ever does hit Steam, I’ll be first in line to wishlist it. Till then, I’ll just keep refreshing my discovery queue like a gremlin.

I’ve been hunting down every Atelier I can find on Steam for ages, and as of my last sweep (mid-2024) there are about 15 titles available. I actually keep a wishlist folder stuffed with the DX ports and the modern entries, so this felt like counting friends at a convention: familiar faces and a few new arrivals. The list that got me to ~15 includes 'Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book', 'Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream', 'Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey', 'Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings', the 'Atelier Ryza' trilogy ('Atelier Ryza', 'Atelier Ryza 2', 'Atelier Ryza 3'), the Arland DX trio ('Atelier Rorona DX', 'Atelier Totori DX', 'Atelier Meruru DX'), the Dusk entries ('Atelier Ayesha', 'Atelier Escha & Logy', 'Atelier Shallie DX'), plus 'Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland' and 'Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World'. Those DX ports are nice because they gather quality-of-life patches and extra costumes, which is why I tend to buy them over older originals when they’re on sale. That said, Gust and Koei Tecmo occasionally drop new remasters or PC ports (and sometimes regional release timing shifts), so the number can creep up. If you want a completely up-to-the-minute count, the fastest move is to search Steam for the 'Atelier' tag or check Gust/Koei Tecmo’s Steam publisher page—I'll do that whenever a sale tempts me, but for a quick answer: expect around 15 titles on Steam right now, give or take one or two depending on recent ports and remakes.

I've been a Steam user for years, and sharing my library with friends and family has been a game-changer for multiplayer sessions and discovering hidden gems together. To enable Steam Library Sharing, you need to log into the Steam client on the device you want to authorize. Navigate to 'Steam' in the top-left corner, then select 'Settings,' and choose the 'Family' tab. Here, you’ll see an option labeled 'Authorize Library Sharing on this computer.' Check that box and restart Steam for the changes to take effect. After restarting, any accounts logged into the same device can request access to your library. The owner’s account must approve these requests, and only one person can access the shared library at a time. It’s worth noting that some games might be restricted due to publisher settings or regional licensing issues. If a game isn’t available for sharing, Steam will usually display a lock icon next to it. Also, DLC and in-game purchases tied to the borrower’s account won’t carry over unless they own the base game. For households with multiple PCs, this feature is fantastic because it lets siblings or roommates play different games without buying duplicates. Just remember that the primary account holder’s games take priority—if they launch a title, the borrower will get a five-minute warning before being kicked out. This system ensures fair access while keeping things simple.

As someone who frequently dives into visual novels and story-driven games, Steam's Shared Library feature has been a game-changer for me and my friends. When you enable Family Sharing on Steam, you can grant access to your game library to up to five other accounts. This includes novel-based games like 'Clannad' or 'Steins;Gate,' which rely heavily on narrative immersion. The shared user can play these games as if they own them, but there’s a catch: only one person can access the library at a time. If the owner starts playing any game, the shared user gets a brief grace period before being booted out. This system works beautifully for slower-paced novels where you might not compete for playtime, but it can be annoying if both parties are avid readers of the same genre. One thing I love about sharing novel-based games is how it fosters discussions. My friend and I often play the same visual novel simultaneously, then hop into a Discord call to dissect the plot twists or character arcs. Games like 'Doki Doki Literature Club' or 'The House in Fata Morgana' hit differently when you experience them alongside someone else. Steam’s shared library doesn’t just save money; it creates a communal storytelling experience. However, some publishers disable sharing for their titles, which is frustrating. For instance, 'Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy' can’t be shared, which feels like a missed opportunity for fans who want to debate courtroom drama together. Another layer worth mentioning is how cloud saves interact with shared libraries. If I’m halfway through 'Umineko When They Cry' on my account, my friend can pick up where I left off—assuming they don’t overwrite my save files. This is both a blessing and a curse. It’s convenient for passing the baton in long narratives, but it requires coordination to avoid accidental spoilers or progress loss. Steam’s system isn’t perfect, but for narrative-heavy games, it’s a surprisingly effective way to share stories without buying multiple copies. Just remember to check the publisher’s sharing permissions before getting too attached to a shared game.

one thing that drives me nuts is when my Steam shared library gets locked. The best way to prevent this is to make sure the account owner is always online when you want to play. Steam locks the library if the owner logs in elsewhere, so communication is key—let them know when you’re gaming. Also, ensure the owner enables family sharing properly in settings. Some games don’t support sharing, so check the list before diving in. If you’re the owner, avoid logging in on multiple devices simultaneously. It’s a small hassle, but worth it to keep the games accessible.

I got a huge grin the first time I joined a fossil-filled cave with a buddy on console while I was on PC — crossplay in 'Deep Rock Galactic' really changes the social vibe. To the core of your question: yes, crossplay is enabled by default on Steam. That means when you queue for public missions you'll often mix with players on Xbox or other platforms that support cross-platform matchmaking, unless you change your settings. If you prefer pure PC matches, you can turn that off. There's a matchmaking or multiplayer option in the game's settings where you can disable cross-platform matchmaking, or simply host a private lobby and invite only Steam friends. One extra practical thing I’ve learned is that inviting friends across platforms sometimes routes through whichever friend service they use, so linking accounts or using platform invites helps keep the party together. Also, if you love tinkering with mods, remember that playing with console friends usually blocks Workshop mods — they won’t be able to join if your lobby uses custom content. I like having crossplay on most of the time because I’ve made ridiculous memories joining an Xbox squad for a hungover Thursday run, but when I want silky-smooth PC-only performance I flip it off and queue solo or with Steam friends. It’s handy to have the choice, and honestly the default-on feel keeps lobbies lively — I still smile thinking about that time we evacuated with three seconds on the clock.

Back when the hype around 'XDefiant' felt like it might birth a new shooter obsession, the community was riding a rollercoaster of betas and trailers. Ubisoft made a public announcement on December 8, 2023 that they would be ending official live services for 'XDefiant'. That message wasn't buried in fine print — it was a straightforward decision that acknowledged the game's struggles to find a sustainable audience and the studio's shifting priorities. The official live services themselves were taken offline shortly after that announcement, with the servers going dark on December 20, 2023. For folks who had been testing builds or hopping into limited-time events, that final weekend felt oddly ceremonial: final matches, last emotes, people sharing clips and gripes across social feeds. The shutdown included the closure of matchmaking, in-game events, and the live infrastructure Ubisoft had been running through the game's trial runs. I felt a mix of nostalgia and relief — nostalgia because the early betas delivered some fun, chaotic matches that I still replay in my head, and relief because the industry needs blunt honesty about what works. It stings when a project with promise fizzles, but I also appreciate studios choosing to cut losses and let players move on rather than stretch a broken product thin. Still, I miss those frantic rounds now and then.

That shutdown notice from Ubisoft landed like a gut-punch for a lot of us who were rooting for 'XDefiant'. In their official statement they framed the decision as a combination of hard business realities and product expectations: after internal evaluations and community testing, the team concluded that the game wasn’t shaping up to meet the quality and long-term engagement benchmarks Ubisoft expects for a live service shooter. They talked about the crowded competitive FPS landscape, the technical and design challenges the project faced, and that continuing would divert resources from other priorities where the company felt it could deliver better experiences. They also addressed players directly — thanking those who tested and gave feedback, promising support for affected accounts (refund processes, account transitions, or compensation where applicable), and giving a timeline for the closure of servers and services. Importantly, the statement emphasized that this wasn’t a quiet shelving; it was a deliberate decision to stop development and shut down the live service so the team could be reassigned to other projects. Reading that felt like a respectful, if somber, way to bow out: clear, businesslike, and apologetic to the community. I’ll miss the glimpses of what 'XDefiant' could have been, but I appreciate that they gave a transparent explanation instead of radio silence.