Terraria Crossplay Server Hosting: Uniting PC, Mobile, and Console
For years, the Terraria community was heavily fragmented. Friends who purchased the game on Steam could not build alongside their friends on iPhones, Androids, or Xbox consoles. However, with recent updates leading into 2026, the dream of a fully unified world is now a reality.
Setting up a Terraria crossplay server requires specific configurations and powerful backend hardware. Unlike standard PC-only servers, crossplay requires real-time network translation and packet management. This ultimate guide will show you exactly how to break down the platform barriers and host a server where every device can play together perfectly.
The State of Terraria Crossplay
Official crossplay logic is continuously being refined by Re-Logic in the 1.4.5 patches. Historically, crossplay was achieved purely through massive third-party engineering via TShock plugins. Today, while native parity is much closer, running a dedicated server with a specialized Crossplay plugin via TShock remains the most reliable and feature-rich method for handling multi-platform bridging.
How Crossplay Servers Work
The problem with crossplay isn't the gameplay—it's the code versioning. Mobile devices (iOS/Android) and Consoles might be on version 1.4.4.9, while PC is on 1.4.5. When a client tries to connect to a server of a different version, the server instantly rejects them.
A Crossplay-enabled server sits in the middle as an intelligent translator. When a Mobile player joins, the server's crossplay plugin dynamically downgrades or translates the packets it sends to that specific mobile player so their device "thinks" the server is identical to their mobile version, while simultaneously doing the opposite for PC players.
Step 1: Hosting Requirements
Because the server is actively manipulating and translating network packets for different devices in real-time, the CPU load is significantly higher than a standard vanilla server.
You cannot run a 20-player crossplay server on a cheap 1GB RAM budget VPS. You require high single-core CPU clock speeds to ensure that packet translation happens instantaneously. If the translation lags, players on mobile or console will randomly disconnect. A premium host like Supercraft, utilizing AMD Ryzen processors, acts as the perfect backbone for crossplay networks.
Step 2: Choosing TShock
To enable crossplay, you must run the TShock server architecture rather than the Vanilla executable.
- Purchase a server from your provider and select TShock from the mod manager.
- Ensure the TShock version matches the latest PC version of Terraria.
- Start the server and acquire your owner credentials (run
/setup).
Step 3: Installing the Crossplay Plugin
The community-developed Crossplay plugin for TShock is what makes this magic happen.
- Navigate to the official TShock plugin repository and download the latest "Crossplay" plugin DLL file.
- Connect to your server via FTP.
- Upload the
Crossplay.dllfile directly into your server's/ServerPlugins/directory. - Restart your server.
As the server boots, watch the console. You should see a confirmation message stating "Crossplay Plugin Loaded." The server is now actively negotiating connections for out-of-date mobile and console clients.
Balancing Gameplay Across Devices
PC players using a keyboard and mouse have a drastic mechanical advantage over players using touch controls or controllers, particularly when utilizing items like the Rod of Discord or aiming ranged weapons like the Megashark or yoyos.
If you are running a PvP (Player vs Player) server, mixing these platforms will lead to intense frustration for mobile users. It is highly recommended to configure crossplay servers for PvE (Player vs Environment) survival and building. If PvP is desired, use TShock region commands to build specific enclosed arenas where the mouse-aiming advantage is mitigated.
Connection Troubleshooting for Console
While PC and Mobile users can simply type an IP address and Port into their Multiplayer menu, console networking environments (like Xbox Live or PlayStation Network) are notoriously closed systems. Console users historically must utilize LAN workarounds (like altering DNS settings on their device to trick the console into seeing remote IP addresses as local games).
Server administrators must ensure their server is running on the standard port (7777) to simplify the connection process for console users employing these DNS workarounds.
Conclusion
A crossplay server is the pinnacle of modern Terraria community building. It removes the barrier to entry, allowing everyone in your friend group or Discord server to participate, regardless of their hardware.
However, the heavy network lifting required to translate versions on the fly demands stability. Avoid residential hosting and cheap VPS providers. Unify your player base today by deploying a lightning-fast, DDoS-protected crossplay server with Supercraft, and ensure your entire community builds together without lag.