EA announces plans for FIFA Cross-Play… finally! cover image

EA announces plans for FIFA Cross-Play… finally!

FIFA 22 cross-play test coming soon for players

EA Sports has officially announced plans for FIFA cross-play for the first time ever. The game developer revealed that it will be testing FIFA cross-play functionality in the near future to allow players to connect across multiple platforms. While many have speculated that a cross-play was in the works for the future, there have not been any confirmations from EA... until today.

2 modes available for FIFA Cross-Play test

The FIFA cross-play test will be available in Online Seasons and Online Friendlies on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Stadia versions of FIFA 22.

Players on Ps4 will be unable to participate in the cross-play functionality test.

Furthermore, the FIFA cross-play test will only cover two modes to reduce the chances of new in-game issues.
Players can join the cross-play test through the Online Seasons Divisions or with friends in Online Friendlies. EA plans to use the game data and feedback from these two modes to determine how to improve cross-play in future titles.

How to enable and participate in FIFA 22 Cross-Play

Although there is no date on when the FIFA cross-play test commences, any player can partake in it. However, they will need to complete certain steps in-game to cross-play with friends on different platforms.

Immediately the cross-play test begins in-game, players will see a widget in the bottom right corner of the FIFA 22 menu screen. The widget will contain a prompt that players can follow to enable or disable cross-play test participation.

FIFA 22 Menu Screen. Image via EA Sports
FIFA 22 Menu Screen. Image via EA Sports

Moreover, the widget allows you to search for friends regardless of if they are on Xbox, PlayStation or Stadia. You can also enable or disable cross-play test participation through the matchmaking options setting screen.

MatchMaking Options in-game| Image via EA Sports
MatchMaking Options in-game| Image via EA Sports

After enabling the FIFA cross-play test, you'll need to open the widget and add friends to the in-game friends list.

You can add your friends through their platform or EA username. As soon as they accept your request in the widget, you can select their name and invite them for a match.

Meanwhile, players who already have cross-play test enabled can simply head into Online Seasons. The matchmaking system will automatically find an opponent on another platform here.

Additionally, the cross-play test will have no impact on any platform or player's gameplay. All matches played during the cross-test will be assessed same as normal games.

The introduction of cross-play to FIFA is a welcomed feature, especially for competitive play where there are Xbox and PlayStation players.

The FIFA Global Series 2022 forced all Xbox players to move to PlayStation as EA decided to unify all competitions. With cross-play in the works, professional players may be able to return to their preferred platforms. However, EA will need to navigate through server and gameplay issues to make cross-play a reality in FIFA.