FIFA 22 is testing cross-play multiplayer soon, but it won’t be coming to FUT

FIFA 22 will soon get cross-play online multiplayer, but only in certain game modes for now.

In a blog post on the official FIFA 22 website, it was announced that cross-play functionality will be tested in “the near future”, with players able to try competing against opponents on other systems.

For now the cross-play test will only be available across the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Stadia versions of the game, meaning Xbox One, PS4 and PC players will be left out.

It will also only be added to Online Seasons and Online Friendlies modes, meaning it won’t be coming to FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT).

Indeed, according to a Q&A on the official page, it doesn’t look like FIFA 22 ‘s FUT mode will be getting cross-play at any point, and the earliest it will arrive will be for FIFA 23 (which may be the last game  with the FIFA branding).

“While we want to enable our players to play with as many friends and others as possible, we limited the test to these two modes with the aim of reducing the chance for introducing new issues into the game,” the page reads.

“We are confident that the game data and feedback that we get from these two modes will help inform how Cross-play could further be implemented in future titles.”

EA says cross-play in Online Seasons will work just like it normally does. “Assuming that you have the Cross-play test enabled, you can head into Online Seasons as you normally would, there’s nothing else that needs to be done,” it claims.

“As usual, the matchmaking will search for an appropriate opponent, and they may or may not end up being on a different platform than you.”

Further reading

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This year's FIFA could end EA's near-30-year association with the football brand

A February report by Xfire claimed that FIFA 23 would include cross-play for the first time in series history. This new announcement means it’ll be coming earlier than that, albeit limited to certain modes.

FIFA 23 will also reportedly feature both the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cup, and it’s also claimed that EA plans to expand the licensing agreements currently in place with women’s leagues and teams.

Earlier this year we reported that Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson told his staff in an internal meeting that he believes the FIFA brand has ‘impeded’ the franchise.

In comments provided anonymously to VGC, Wilson claimed that FIFA had precluded EA from expanding its games into modes beyond traditional 11v11, or “broader digital ecosystems”, and suggested that the only value EA got from the licence in a non-World Cup year was “four letters on the front of the box”.