FIFA 22 cross-play coming soon in PS5, Xbox Series X test
EA Sports will soon test cross-platform multiplayer in FIFA 22, pointing to the likelihood that this fall’s FIFA 23 will implement cross-play in all modes, for the first time in series history.
The cross-play test will involve the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Google Stadia versions of FIFA 22, and will cover matches in the Online Seasons and Online Friendlies mode. Online Friendlies can be played against one opponent; online Seasons will combine a variety of friendlies that move players through the ranked divisions.
EA Sports said on Tuesday that the trial will begin “in the near future.”
” While we wish to allow our players to play alongside as many people as they like, we have limited the testing to these modes in order to reduce the risk of new problems,” Goran Popovic from EA Vancouver stated in a FAQ. We are certain that these games and the feedback we receive will inform future titles .”
how Cross-play can be further developed.
When cross-play testing arrives via an update, players will see a widget at the bottom of the main menu. Clicking the button prompts to enable or disable cross platform play. In the Matchmaking Options Settings screen, there is an option to opt in or out.
Image: EA Vancouver/Electronic Arts
Insiders and influencers back in March and April speculated that cross-play would be tested this year and implemented fully with the next FIFA. EA Sports’ benchmark title is one of the last major multiplayer games without cross-platform support, which began in earnest in the fall of 2018 when Sony allowed PlayStation users to play Fortnite against players on other consoles.
Popovic, in the FAQ, said the cross-play test “does not have any direct impact on the gameplay of FIFA 22.” That said, it should significantly boost the matchmaking opportunities for the Google Stadia version of the game, which has a dramatically smaller installation base than the consoles or Windows PC.
FIFA 22 just became available to PlayStation Plus subscribers for the month of May, however it is the PlayStation 4 version of the game (playable on PlayStation 5 through backward compatibility). This test is only for the native PlayStation 5 version of the game.