The Ultimate Guide to Battlefield Cross-Platform Play
As a hardcore Battlefield veteran and competitive FPS enthusiast on both PC and console, I‘ve been eagerly anticipating the addition of crossplay to the franchise. With Battlefield 2042, playing with and against friends no matter their platform is finally a reality!
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll be sharing everything you need to know to squad up and dominate the battlefield as a cross-platform squad. Time to link up and get those dubs!
The Evolution of Crossplay in Battlefield
Battlefield hasn‘t always had crossplay capabilities. It‘s been a long road adding this highly demanded feature! Back in my day with Battlefield 3 and 4, you were limited to squading up only with players on the same platform.
Crossplay between PC and consoles first arrived in 2018 with Battlefield V. This was limited to co-op modes and portal. Battlefield 1 later added crossplay support after launch.
Now with Battlefield 2042, EA DICE has implemented full cross-platform play between PC, PlayStation and Xbox. This is a gaming milestone I‘ve been eager to see for years! No more having to buy two copies on both platforms. Time to squad up with all your friends in one battlefield.
Current State of Crossplay in Battlefield 2042
Crossplay is enabled by default in Battlefield 2042 providing the biggest playerbase possible. Here‘s the breakdown of how it works:
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PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S: These platforms support the full 128 player count and can crossplay together.
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PS4 and Xbox One: Limited to 64 player maps. Can crossplay together but not with current-gen.
This is due to technical limitations of the last-gen consoles. EA DICE had to scale down the maps and playercounts to maintain performance. Sadly no giant 128 player clashes for PS4 and Xbox One.
| Platform | Max Players | Can Crossplay With |
|---|---|---|
| PC | 128 | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X |
| PS5 | 128 | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X |
| Xbox Series X | S | 128 |
| PS4 | 64 | PS4, Xbox One |
| Xbox One | 64 | PS4, Xbox One |
Based on recent player population data, here‘s a breakdown of the Battlefield 2042 player base across platforms:
- PC: 62%
- PlayStation: 28%
- Xbox: 10%
As you can see, PC has the healthiest population by far, so including them in crossplay pools is key to fast matchmaking.
Partying Up With Crossplay Friends
Let‘s get into the fun part…squading up! Here‘s how to group up with your crossplay compadres:
- Send them an in-game friend request if they aren‘t already on your list
- Have them accept said friend request
- Invite them into your in-game party through the social menu
- Profit$$$
Make sure you both are running the game itself when sending and accepting the requests. You can‘t manage Battlefield social features through Origin, Steam, or the console OS menus. Handle that biz in-game!
Once partied up, you‘ll automatically be matchmade together into the same squad on the same team. Time to wreck shop!
Cross-Progression and Account Linking Explained
Your multiplayer progress and unlocks are maintained across PC and consoles only within the same platform. Example:
- Ryan unlocks the K30 on PlayStation 4. When he logs into his PlayStation 5, the K30 is still unlocked.
- Ryan‘s K30 is not unlocked on Xbox or PC since that‘s a different platform.
So make sure to focus your grinding on one platform if you want to maintain all your progress when playing on both PC and consoles.
I‘d recommend maining PlayStation or Xbox, and using PC only for a change of pace. Don‘t split your time 50/50 or you‘ll be constantly starting over. Trust me, I learned the hard way!
Hardware Considerations for A Balanced Experience
When blending PC and console players together, some compromises and changes are made to balance the playing field. Here are the key considerations:
Player Count Differences
Due to performance limitations, PS4 and Xbox One are restricted to 64 player matches while PC and current-gen consoles get the full chaos of 128 players.
This can create some lopsided scenarios when squading up across platforms. A coordinated 64-player squad can mop up random 128 player teams lacking teamwork. Definitely advantage last-gen consoles when partied up with PC/current-gen.
Controllers vs. Mouse & Keyboard
Mouse and keyboard allows for faster target acquisition and precision aim compared to controllers. To balance this out, console players get a moderate aim assist when playing against PC players.
This helps compensate for the precision gap. But a skilled mouse user will still have the edge in longer range engagements. I advise console players to stick to CQC weapons like shotguns to remain competitive vs your PC bros.
Voice Chat and Callouts
Having a squad on voice comms is critical no matter what platform you‘re on. In-game VOIP ensures everyone can chat together. But console players may need an adapter to pipe game and chat audio simultaneously.
I highly recommend the Astro HDMI Adapter if you plan to play competitively on console. Makes life so much easier compared to Windows Voice Chat app workarounds on PC. Just plug and play!
Skill Distribution
Anecdotally, the PC playerbase seems to have more highly skilled players at the top end, while console has more casual and mid-tier players. This likely comes down to PC having esports roots.
When grouping up across platforms, PC players may need to relax their sweatiness a tad out of courtesy! And console bros should try to up their game and not feed those PC tryhards. Meet in the middle and party on.
Pro Tips for Dominating Crossplay
Here are some pro tips from my experience playing FPS games across multiple platforms that will help you dominate Battlefield crossplay:
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Use ping and callout systems proficiently. Communication is key with crossplay. Call out everything you see to keep your mixed platform squad aware.
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Stick together. On this huge maps, lone wolfing it is a recipe for getting stomped. Move as a unit, watch each other‘s backs. Mixed platform squads need to be extra coordinated.
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Adjust your playstyle. Cater your gameplay to your platform‘s strengths. Console players should optimize for close-mid range gunfights. PC players can take long flanks and use precision weapons.
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Use squad perks judiciously. Spotting scopes, med kits, ammo crates, deployable cover…use your class abilities to support your crossplay comrades. Keep everyone buffed up.
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Play the objective aggressively. In Battlefield, capping objectives is vital. Don‘t get caught lone sniping in a corner somewhere. PTFO with your squad and boost those combat scores.
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Have a balanced squad composition. Make sure your crossplay squad has a good mix of assault, engineer, sniper, and support roles covered. Bring everything you need to own the battlefield.
Recommended Squad Composition
Here‘s the optimized crossplay squad composition I recommend based on strengths of each platform:
- 2 PC players: Sniper, Support
- 2 PlayStation players: Assault, Engineer
- 2 Xbox players: Assault, Recon
PC sniper provides long range precision fire while console assault classes wreck up close with aim assist shotguns. Great mix of engagement ranges and firepower!
Engineers on PlayStation can repair vehicles and provide ammo. Xbox recon dart spots enemies across the map for team awareness. And support on PC supplies health/ammo and helps with suppressive fire.
Voice Chat Best Practices
Having a squad on unified voice comms is massively beneficial for coordinated teamplay. Here are my best practices for cross-platform voice chat:
- Use in-game VOIP on console with a mobile cable adapter to mix game and chat audio
- Battle Buds on mobile are a great option if you don‘t have an adapter
- On PC use Discord, Teamspeak, Mumble etc for best quality
Focus on clear, precise callouts on enemy locations, map rotations, and coordinating pushes. Don‘t distract with random banter during tense moments. But feel free to chat it up during deployment and downtime!
Final Thoughts on Crossplay Dynamics
Crossplay opens up Battlefield to more players, decreases queue times, and lets friends squad up together regardless of platform. Some balancing acts were required to make this possible between PC and console ecosystems.
The pacing and feel on PC vs. console definitely has some differences based on hardware capabilities. But overall EA DICE did a great job at minimizing the seams. teamplay and communication are what matter most!
I‘m thrilled console and PC players can finally unite on the battlefield. See you there, friends! It‘s time to leverage teamwork and communication to give these maps hell. Squad wiping enemies from across platforms brings me life! Thanks for rocking with me on this crossplay journey.
Your bro,
Terry