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Battlefield 2042 Technical Playtest delayed to prepare console/PC cross-play

Electronic Arts and DICE are taking some extra time to ensure Xbox, PlayStation, and PC versions of Battlefield 2042 will play together.

TJ Denzer

July 14, 2021 9:20 AM

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Hopeful players and fans of Battlefield 2042 will probably be a little disappointed to find that an upcoming Technical Playtest that was supposed to take place this July is being pushed back to later this summer, but it might be for a good cause. Electronic Arts and DICE revealed that the delay is mostly to focus on building up cross-play systems that should allow for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC platforms to play together.

The delay of the Battlefield 2042 Technical Playtest and the reasoning behind it were announced in a blog post on July 14, 2021. The Battlefield 2042 team has taken note of the strong desire for cross-play and cited it as a priority factor in the delay.

“One of your most frequently asked questions is about cross-play,” the post reads. “We can confirm it’s a function we’re looking to build and test for Battlefield 2042. To accommodate that, we’ve made the decision to move the Technical Playtest to later this summer so we’ll have the opportunity to test the cross-play functionality.”

#Battlefield Briefing: Answering Your Reveal Questions
👉 https://t.co/Sz3R1x7df8 pic.twitter.com/ABKCr8OjMh

— Battlefield (@Battlefield) July 14, 2021

Further along in the post, Electronic Arts and DICE also mention that cross-progression and cross-commerce systems are also in progress for the game. That means that in addition to being able to play with other platforms, player progress and account information will follow along with them no matter what platform they’re playing on. It also distinguishes that this cross-play system will be very specifically between PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. PS4 and Xbox One will also have crossplay, but it will be separated from the cross-play experience of next-gen and PC, likely because the previous gen versions will have restrictions associated with their hardware, such as 64-player lobbies rather than the 128 that PS5 and Xbox Series X/S can do.

Either way, it seems cross-play is a major priority for Battlefield 2042 and that’s good news for anyone hoping to play the game with pals on other platforms. Stay tuned as we await updated details and new dates for the upcoming Technical Playtest.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.