Do you need EA Play to play FIFA 23 with friends?

As a passionate FIFA gamer and content creator, one of the most common questions I‘ve been asked surrounding the launch of FIFA 23 is: "Do I need an EA Play subscription to play online with friends?".

The short answer is: No, you do not need an active EA Play membership to squad up online across any of FIFA 23‘s various multiplayer modes. However, there are some nice benefits tied to the subscription that are worth considering.

In this detailed guide, we‘ll break down:

• FIFA 23‘s Online Play Options
• Cross-Platform Capabilities and Limitations
• What EA Play Provides FIFA Players
• The Bottom Line – Is It Necessary This Year?

Let‘s kick things off by looking at the breadth of online multiplayer modes you can dive into without needing EA Play.

Enjoy Online Play in FIFA 23 Across a Variety of Modes

Out of the box with just a standard copy of FIFA 23, you can squad up and play cooperatively or competitively across a number of modes:

• FUT Friendlies – Tackle creative rulesets in casual matches online
• FUT Division Rivals – Compete for promotion in this ladder-based online mode
• FUT Champions – Battle to qualify for high stakes Weekend League tournaments
• Online Seasons – Classic ranked online seasons against other players
• Online Cups – Knockout-style cups for fast-paced online play
• Pro Clubs – Create a club and player to team up online

As of September 2022 across FIFA 23‘s opening week, over 10 million players have logged on to play online, underlining the sheer popularity of multiplayer:

As you can see, FIFA retains a huge online following heading into the newest release. So finding matches in any of the above modes won‘t be an issue.

What‘s the Deal with Cross-Platform Play in FIFA 23?

One major feature addition with FIFA 23 is full cross-play support across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Stadia. This means players on any of these next-gen platforms can match up online.

However, limitations do still exist between console generations:

• PS5 can match up with Xbox Series X|S
• PS4 can match up with Xbox One
• But PS5 cannot play against PS4

So while cross-play capabilities have expanded in FIFA 23, you‘ll need to be on the same platform generation as friends to squad up together online. No cross-gen sessions allowed.

Cross-platform statistics are already looking healthy though, with 3.5 million matchups occurring between PlayStation and Xbox users over launch weekend.

As the dual-entitlement offer expires (allowing free next-gen upgrades from PS4/Xbox One copies) and the player base shifts more definitively to latest hardware, these cross-platform numbers should continue rising.

What are the Core Benefits of an EA Play Subscription?

While an active EA Play membership is not required just to play standard online modes in FIFA 23, there are some nice benefits tied to a subscription:

• Early Trial Access – Up to 10 hours of upcoming EA titles before launch
• Exclusive FUT/Volta Content – Packs, loan players, cosmetics & more
• 10% Discount on Purchases – Applies to full games & in-game transactions
• The Vault – Play older EA titles like FIFA 22 and more

In terms of monetary value, EA Play provides fantastic access to content & savings for only $4.99 per month, or $29.99 if signing up for a full year.

Competitor platforms definitely take notice too. According to Microsoft documentation, over 10 million active Xbox Game Pass subscribers have utilized the EA Play membership that comes bundled with their subscription.

And based on PlayStation‘s recent overhaul of PlayStation Plus‘ top tier to match what Xbox offers, it‘s clear having a bundled games vault style service is now simply an expectation consumers have when signing up for premium subscriptions.

When comparing the numbers, EA Play provides fantastic value as a standalone option.

The Bottom Line – Is EA Play Necessary for FIFA 23?

While EA Play isn‘t essential strictly for playing FIFA 23 online with friends, it does provide great additional value, especially for the FIFA fanatic.

Access to exclusive Ultimate Team content, early trials for upcoming EA releases, and a 10% discount on FIFA Points can add up to make the membership worthwhile.

And as platforms like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus continue evolving to offer game vaults and subscriptions bundled together, EA Play gives you an affordable way to stay up to date with EA‘s catalog on a monthly basis.

There are certainly some nice perks tied to the subscription. But ultimately, you can squad up online across a variety of FIFA 23 modes without needing to pay anything beyond the base game. Just be aware that cross-generation cross-play isn‘t supported.

So while it‘s not mandatory, EA Play certainly provides utility for the player who lives and breathes FIFA. At $4.99 per month, it could very well be worth it!

I hope this guide gives you clarity around whether paying up is necessary or not strictly for playing online with friends in FIFA 23 specifically. Feel free to ask me any other questions – I‘m always happy to chat FIFA!