Cross-progression

Cross-progression means your progress in a game follows you across devices. Play on a console in the living room, continue on a PC or handheld later, and your level, unlocked items and story progress are all there. It usually works by linking each platform account to a single publisher account that stores your progress online.

It is related to, but separate from, crossplay. Crossplay is about playing with people on other platforms; cross-progression is about your own data moving between them.

Variations and limitations

The term covers several different levels of support:

• Cross-save: your save file moves between platforms, sometimes only in certain directions or with a manual upload.
• Full cross-progression: everything synchronises automatically, including unlocks and currency.
• Partial support: progress transfers, but some purchases do not.

Purchases are the trickiest area. Items bought on one platform’s store may not appear on another, and premium currency is sometimes locked to the platform where it was bought. Games usually explain these rules in their support pages, and it is worth reading them before spending.

Account linking pitfalls

Linking accounts is often a one-time decision. Some games do not allow unlinking, or only allow it occasionally, and linking the wrong account can mean progress is merged or overwritten. Take care in households with several accounts on one console, making sure the right profile is linked.

Tips for families

Cross-progression can be very convenient, particularly when children move between homes or devices. Make sure each child uses their own account, set up with appropriate age settings, and keep a note of the linked publisher account details somewhere safe. If you ever need to recover an account, knowing which email address was used will save a great deal of trouble.