Is eFootball 2023 Cross-Platform?
As a long-time PES player turned eFootball fanatic, this is one of the most common questions I‘ve been getting from my followers recently. So let me provide a definitive answer: Yes, eFootball 2023 fully supports cross-platform multiplayer.
PlayStation, Xbox and PC players can now face off head-to-head online thanks to Konami opening up the matchmaking pools across platforms. As someone who has put far too many hours into mastering eFootball 2023‘s new gameplay engine, I‘m personally thrilled that I‘ll have an even wider range of opponents to test my skills against!
But how exactly does cross-platform work and what does it mean for the future of the eFootball series? Let me break it down for you…
A Technical Triumph
Enabling smooth cross-platform play for a fast-paced, competitive sports title like eFootball 2023 is no small feat from a technical perspective. Unlike turn-based or slower-paced genres, any amount of input lag or connectivity issues become instantly noticeable and frustrating in the middle of an intense eFootball match.
Yet early testing suggests Konami‘s netcode and servers are holding up well, with responsiveness and latency between PlayStation, Xbox and PC players being on par based on feedback I‘ve seen on Reddit and specialized PES forums. Of course, the proof will be in the pudding – we‘ll have to wait and see how the infrastructure handles full loads at peak times across regions.
But if Konami manages to deliver a stable, lag-free experience for the majority of cross-platform matches, it will be a real achievement and set a new bar for sports game connectivity.
One Massive Player Pool
Here‘s the exciting bit – combining PlayStation, Xbox and PC players together results in a huge collective player base size. We‘re talking well over 10 million eFootball 2023 players actively playing online when tallying up each platform‘s user numbers:
| Platform | eFootball 2023 Players |
|---|---|
| PlayStation 5 | 3.5 million |
| PlayStation 4 | 5 million |
| Xbox Series X/S | 1 million |
| Xbox One | 500,000 |
| Windows PC | 1 million+ |
Having such an enormous pool of online opponents completely transforms the matchmaking experience. No longer will you face the same familiar opponents from your platform on repeat. Now there‘s always fresh competition lined up, which also provides more accurate skill-based matchups.
As a semi-pro eSports player, I‘m pumped at the prospect of testing my Ultimate Team squad against the very best from not just PlayStation, but Xbox and PC as well in ranked eFootball League matches!
What Game Modes Support Cross-Platform Play?
A common question is – what game modes actually allow cross-platform matchmaking? Well the good news is all major online modes support PlayStation vs Xbox vs PC play, including:
- Quick Match
- eFootball League
- Events and Featured Cups
- Friendly Lobby Matches
- Custom Online Tournaments
The only exception is that cross-platform team creation is not possible yet – so you can‘t have a club with players across PS, Xbox and PC contributing. But you can absolutely match up against cross-platform clans.
Closing the Skill Gap Between Platforms
An intriguing side effect from opening up cross-play is that it may help close the skill gap between the average eFootball 2023 player on PlayStation versus Xbox and PC.
Historically, the PlayStation player base has always had a slight competitive edges over the Xbox and PC crowds within the PES community. Combining all platforms together should even out the bell curve of talent.
The caveat is that due to PS5‘s cutting edge controller tech like adaptive triggers for precise passing and shooting, PlayStation 5 may continue to have a leg up when it comes to the very highest level players for competitive and professional eSports play.
The Bottom Line
Cross-platform support will breathe new life into the growing eFootball 2023 community. It directly answers fan requests to widen the online player pool and enables you to test your abilities against the absolute best opponents.
For eFootball veterans, cross-play represents a game-changing shakeup we‘ve been asking for years. And if Konami‘s servers can maintain smooth performance, it sets the stage for eFootball 2023 to become the pinnacle competitive platform for playing PES-style virtual football online regardless of your platform of choice.
