You can't invite PC players directly into your Xbox Hunt: Showdown game

Hunt: Showdown does not support cross-platform multiplayer between PC and Xbox. This means a friend playing on PC cannot join your Xbox session, and you cannot join theirs. The game keeps PC and Xbox players in separate matchmaking pools, so the two versions never meet in the same match.

If you want to play Hunt: Showdown with a friend, you both need to own the game on the same platform. You can play together on Xbox if you both have Xbox copies, or together on PC if you both have PC copies. There is no workaround to bridge this gap within the game itself.

Key Takeaways

  • Hunt: Showdown does not allow cross-platform play between PC and Xbox versions of the game.
  • To play together, you and your friend must own the game on the same platform — either both on Xbox or both on PC.
  • If your friend owns Hunt: Showdown on PC and you own it on Xbox, one of you would need to purchase the game again on the other platform to play together.
  • Once you both own the game on the same platform, you can invite each other through that platform's native friends system.

How to invite friends on Xbox if you both own the game there

If your friend also owns Hunt: Showdown on Xbox, you can send them an invite through Xbox Live. Start Hunt: Showdown and load into the main menu. Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide, then navigate to Parties & chats and select Create a party. This opens a new party that you can invite your friend into.

Once the party is created, select Invite to party and choose your friend from your Xbox Live friends list. They will receive a notification on their Xbox that you have invited them to a party. After they accept, you can both launch Hunt: Showdown and matchmake together — the game will place you in the same squad when you queue for a mission.

Alternatively, you can invite them directly to the game without creating a party first. From the Hunt: Showdown main menu, navigate to Social or Friends (the exact menu name depends on your game version), find your friend's name, and select Invite to game. They will see an invite to join your Hunt session.

What to do if your friend plays on PC

If your friend owns Hunt: Showdown only on PC, you have two options: you can purchase the PC version of Hunt: Showdown and play with them there, or they can purchase the Xbox version and play with you on Xbox. The game is available on both Steam (for PC) and Xbox Game Pass for console, so the cost and availability depend on which platform you choose.

Hunt: Showdown is included in Xbox Game Pass, which means if you already subscribe to Game Pass, the Xbox version costs you nothing beyond your subscription. If your friend has a PC and a Game Pass subscription, they could also play the Xbox version through cloud gaming, though this requires a strong internet connection and does not provide the same experience as playing natively on their platform.

How Hunt: Showdown matchmaking works on Xbox

When you and a friend are in the same party on Xbox and you both launch Hunt: Showdown, the game automatically places you in the same squad. You do not need to manually select each other or search for a match together — straightforward queue for a mission and the matchmaking system will keep you paired.

If you are in a party but the game does not place you together, check that you are both queuing for the same mission type and difficulty level. Hunt: Showdown matches players based on the specific mission they select, so if one person queues for a different mission type, you will not be placed together even if you are in the same party.

Checking your friend's platform before buying

Before you purchase Hunt: Showdown on a new platform, confirm which version your friend owns. Ask them directly whether they play on PC or Xbox, or check their profile on their respective platform. On Xbox, you can see what games someone owns by viewing their profile and looking at their game library. On Steam, you can check a friend's library by right-clicking their name in your friends list and selecting View profile, then Games.

This step saves you from buying the game on the wrong platform. Hunt: Showdown purchases do not transfer between platforms, so a PC copy cannot be used on Xbox and vice versa.

Game Pass as an alternative to buying

If you do not already own Hunt: Showdown on Xbox, Xbox Game Pass includes the game at no extra cost beyond the subscription. Game Pass costs between $10 and $17 per month depending on which tier you choose, and it gives you access to hundreds of other games as well. If you plan to play Hunt: Showdown regularly with your friend, a Game Pass subscription may be cheaper than buying the game outright, especially if you use the service for other titles.

Your friend on PC can also check whether Hunt: Showdown is available through any PC subscription service they already use, though the game is primarily sold through Steam rather than bundled into a larger service like Game Pass.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play Hunt: Showdown with a friend on a different platform?

No. Hunt: Showdown does not support cross-platform play between PC and Xbox. You must both own the game on the same platform to play together in the same match.

What if I buy Hunt: Showdown on PC but my friend only has Xbox?

You would be able to play together only if your friend also purchases the Xbox version, or if you both play on PC. The game does not allow PC and Xbox players to meet in the same session.

Do I need Xbox Live Gold to invite friends to Hunt: Showdown?

You need an active Xbox Live account to play Hunt: Showdown online, but you do not necessarily need a paid Xbox Live Gold subscription if you have Game Pass Ultimate, which includes online multiplayer. Standard Game Pass does require a separate Xbox Live Gold subscription for online play.

How long does it take for an invite to go through?

Party invites on Xbox are usually when ready. Your friend should see the notification within a few seconds of you sending it. If they do not receive it after 30 seconds, check that you selected the correct person from your friends list and try again.

What happens if my friend declines the party invite?

If your friend declines, you can send another invite or ask them to invite you instead. You can also try creating a new party and inviting them again. If they repeatedly decline, they may have their privacy settings configured to block party invites from certain people.