Battlefield 2042, the latest first-person shooter from developer DICE and publisher Electronic Arts, includes a wide variety of features designed to let it keep up with all the best Xbox games currently available. Part of this modern approach is supporting crossplay, allowing friends to group up in parties no matter what platform everyone is on. It also expands the overall pool of players, ensuring that it's easier to find matches at a faster rate.
Battlefield 2042 is rolling out, with early access players taking to the field and a wider release inbound. With that in mind, there are a couple of restrictions that players need to keep in mind. Here's what we know about Battlefield 2042 crossplay so far.
Battlefield 2042 crossplay requirements
According to DICE, Battlefield 2042 supports crossplay between two different sets of platforms. Players on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS5 and PC make up one group, while the second group is composed of Xbox One and PS4 players. Players in the first group can play with anyone else in the first group, but not the second group. The reverse holds true for anyone in the second group, as they are free to play with anyone else in the second group but not in the first group.
There's a very simple reason for this: There are two different versions of Battlefield 2042. The version of the game built for PC and current-generation consoles features far larger maps than the last-generation version. Battlefield 2042 also supports up to 128 players on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS5, and PC, while the Xbox One and PS4 version is capped at 64 players. As a result, it's simply not possibly to match up players across generations in-game.
Battlefield 2042 crossplay how to play with friends
To play with friends across platforms, you'll want to add them as an EA friend under the Social section of Battlefield 2042's menu.
Battlefield 2042 crossplay voice chat
We're monitoring Battlefield 2042's list of bugs and launch issues so far. The game doesn't support voice chat right now, meaning that cross-platform players still can't talk to one another for now.
Did the Battlefield 2042 beta support crossplay?
The Battlefield 2042 beta did support crossplay, but with some limitations. While players across platforms (as detailed above) were able to play against one another, the beta version of the game did not support cross-platform parties. This means that if, for example, you are playing on Xbox Series X and you have a friend on PS5, you won't be able to link up and play together until the full launch of the game.
The Battlefield 2042 beta began on Oct. 6 with early access for anyone who preordered the game, as well as anyone subscribed to EA Play or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The full open beta began on Oct. 8 and ran until Oct. 10, 2021.
Next stage of war
Battlefield 2042 is currently slated to launch on Nov. 19, 2021. The game doesn't feature a campaign but is instead fully focused on massive-scale multiplayer combat, with a Portal mode developed by Ripple Effect that allows players to customize the game and create their own wacky scenarios.
Battlefield tackles the years to come
Battlefield 2042 is the latest big game from DICE, with support from several other teams at Electronic Arts Worldwide Studios. The game supports destruction, massive storms and up to 128 players on the latest consoles.
