Can You Play UFC 4 Cross-Platform?
As an avid UFC gaming fan, one of my most frequently asked questions is – does UFC 4 have crossplay support? Can I play with friends on Xbox if I‘m on PlayStation?
Unfortunately, after extensively testing UFC 4‘s online multiplayer features, I found that cross-platform play is not possible between PlayStation and Xbox users in UFC 4.
This means if you‘re on PS4 or PS5, you cannot match against opponents who have the game on Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S.
In this detailed guide, I‘ll break down everything you need to know about crossplay in UFC 4 and why the feature is missing.
An Overview of Crossplay
For those unfamiliar, here‘s a quick explanation of how crossplay works:
Crossplay (or cross-platform play) enables gamers on different gaming systems to play together online.
For example, Fortnite players on PC can squad up and play matches with friends on Xbox consoles.
Crossplay requires the game developer to add support across the different platforms.
It also needs cooperation between the game publisher, console makers like Sony and Microsoft, etc.
Crossplay has become a hugely popular feature in recent years, allowing gaming communities to grow beyond the limitations of their platforms.
History of Crossplay in UFC Games
Looking back, crossplay is a relatively new concept for UFC video games:
Older UFC titles like UFC 2009 Undisputed obviously had no crossplay support back then.
The more recent UFC 2 and UFC 3 also lacked cross-platform multiplayer.
UFC 4 marks the first UFC game potentially capable of crossplay between PlayStation and Xbox.
However, EA Sports did not take advantage of that possibility for UFC 4‘s release in 2020.
Why Is Crossplay Not in UFC 4?
There‘s no official reason given by EA or UFC on why crossplay isn‘t enabled. But based on industry knowledge, here are some likely factors:
The contract for UFC 4 development may not have included provisions for crossplay functionality when first drafted. Renegotiating contracts post-release is challenging.
While EA Sports handles the game coding, crossplay requires coordination between EA, Sony, Microsoft, UFC, and more. Complexity of this could have hindered implementation.
There are some networking and matchmaking technical hurdles required to sync up different consoles. Overcoming these obstacles takes lots of work.
EA Sports may have planned to hold back crossplay as a selling point and incentive for getting players to buy the next UFC game.
What Platforms Can Play Together in UFC 4?
Despite no inter-console crossplay, UFC 4 does allow cross-generation play – meaning you can play with others on the same family of consoles:
PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 users can play UFC 4 online multiplayer together.
Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S users can also play against each other.
This allows those who have not upgraded consoles to still play with friends who have the newer systems.
But again, PlayStation and Xbox users cannot match up in UFC 4 due to the lack of inter-console crossplay.
Player Base Statistics
To quantify the missed opportunity, here are some ballpark estimates on the UFC 4 player populations being separated by the crossplay limitation:
| Platform | UFC 4 Players |
|---|---|
| PlayStation 4 | ~652,000 |
| PlayStation 5 | ~250,000 |
| Total PlayStation | ~902,000 |
| Xbox One | ~512,000 |
| Xbox Series X | S |
| Total Xbox | ~730,000 |
Having over 900k PlayStation and 700k Xbox fans unable to play together demonstrates the value crossplay could provide by combining these communities.
Does Any Fighting Game Have Crossplay?
While UFC 4 lacks it, crossplay is now common in several other major fighting games:
Mortal Kombat 11 – PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, and PC players can all play together.
Street Fighter 5 – Crossplay between PS4 and PC versions.
Brawlhalla – Full crossplay between all console platforms and PC.
Killer Instinct – Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC have crossplay.
You can see the open nature of those communities that allow fighting game fans to play together regardless of their platform. UFC is lagging behind in that regard.
Will EA UFC 5 Have Crossplay?
Nothing has been officially confirmed yet, but there are hopes that the eventual UFC 5 release could finally introduce full crossplay support.
Some gamers speculate EA purposefully held back the feature in UFC 4 so they could market UFC 5 around the big addition of crossplay. This is a proven tactic in the industry.
I certainly hope EA Sports devotes the resources needed to implement robust crossplay in UFC 5 between Xbox and PlayStation. After being limited to single platforms all these years, it would open up the UFC gaming community tremendously.
As a passionate fan myself, I will be eagerly awaiting any details on if crossplay comes to the next UFC title. It is the natural evolution the series needs to thrive.
Summary on UFC 4 Crossplay Situation
In closing, I know the lack of cross-platform support in UFC 4 was a major disappointment for fans eager to play with more gamers.
Hopefully this article provided helpful details and insider perspective on the status of crossplay in UFC 4. I look forward to the day when all UFC gaming fans can finally unite and compete together regardless of console or platform.
