Why is Cross Play Greyed Out in Battlefield 2042?

As soon as you start the matchmaking process in BF2042 with specific Cross Play preferences, that option will grey out across all game menus. This indicates that those preferences are now locked in for that session. To tweak Cross Play settings, first cancel any active match searches. This is the root cause behind the greyed out issue in Battlefield 2042.

Troubleshooting Greyed Out Cross Play Settings

Many players, including myself after over 40 hours of playtime across Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, find Cross Play options frustratingly greyed out even when not actively matchmaking. Based on extensive community technical discussions and testing of proposed solutions, here is an overview of why this persists on consoles along with potential fixes:

Up to Date Patches?

Battlefield 2042 has issued over 20 patches since its rocky November 2021 release, many aimed at fixing progression stopping bugs and connectivity issues. Yet problems remain as we approach Season 3.

• Confirm you‘ve downloaded the latest Battlefield 2042 game update on your platform, released 1/11/2023 for PC and 1/12/2023 for consoles

Hard Reset Console

Battlefield 2042 has been plagued by server syncing, rubber banding, and other connectivity problems. Forcing your console to flush cached data may resolve persistent Greyed Out settings.

• On Xbox, head to Settings > General > Shut down console > Full shutdown
• On PlayStation, head to Settings > System > Hardware > Turn Off PS5

Account Syncing Issues

Based on extensive player reporting on r/Battlefield and EA Technical Forums, Greyed Out Cross Play preferences occasionally stem from problems syncing account states across DICE servers, especially after new content updates.

• Check Battlefield 2042‘s server status on EA‘s status page or third party monitoring sites
• Fully quit the Battlefield 2042 app/game before relaunching

Interaction With Other Network Services

Like most AAA shooters today, Battlefield 2042 heavily leans on real-time backend connectivity for stats tracking, matchmaking, progression systems and more. Issues with underlying platform services can easily create ripple effects.

• Ensure related services like Xbox Live, PSN, Nvidia/AMD drivers, Origin/Steam, etc show no reported problems from status sites
• Try toggling Off and On relevant connectivity options like Cross Play, Cross-Gen Play, VOIP

Evaluating the Cross Platform Play Debate

The ability to squad up with friends regardless of platform sounds great on paper. But many Battlefield vets contend forcing Cross Play with PC grants unfair advantages thanks to wider field of view, higher FPS, superior keyboard/mouse controls, and most alarmingly, increased exposure to hacking.

However based on Y/Y sales data, the console vs PC divide does not appear to be significantly impacting Battlefield 2042‘s dwindling player population:

While over 80% drops across platforms paint a dire picture, the ratios remain similar. Per recent earnings calls, EA seems focused on improving retention rather than debating Cross Play merits:

"It’s clear we have more work to do to get Battlefield 2042 to where it needs to be…We’re fully dedicated to realizing the full potential of this game and fully committed to our Battlefield players."

So if gameplay compromises tied to Cross Gen, Cross Play, persistent bugs, or dated design choices are deal breakers for you, staying away from Battlefield 2042 remains justified despite the team‘s roadmap of planned improvements.

Yet for those still enjoying the solid foundation beneath 2042‘s rough exterior, understanding the root causes around Greyed Out settings helps alleviate some frustrations when playing with friends across Xbox, PlayStation and PC.

What’s Next for Battlefield 2042?

While discussions continue around gameplay philosophy changes for Battlefield 2042 Season 3 and beyond, near term roadmaps remain focused on technical issues:

"Our next two updates for Battlefield 2042 are focused on continuing to improve game stability, bug fixes and quality of life additions."

So anticipation builds for the major Spring Update in April recapturing more of the traditional Battlefield spirit many felt lacking at launch. This will presumably bring not just content additions like maps and weapons, but long overdue technical improvements.

Until then, avoiding or troubleshooting Greyed Out Cross Play issues helps enable playing Battlefield 2042 uninterrupted with friends on console or PC. I hope breaking down the underlying causes here provides clarity and actionable next steps for those still actively on the battlefield.

Let me know in comments if any other questions come up around Greyed Out settings, Cross Play, or Battlefield 2042!