will nhl 23 be cross platform?
NHL 23 has been out since October 14th and there has been some lingering questions that have continued to pop up. At the forefront of the questions many fans have, is whether NHL 23 will allow for cross-platform play?
Let’s dive right in and see what’s in store for the fans eager to sink their teeth in the latest installment of the EA Sports hockey franchise.
NOW READ: In case you missed it, here’s the Top 5 Women’s Forwards in NHL 23.
Videogamer.com is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / Last updated on 2023-06-07
YES! And some no. For the first time in franchise history, NHL 23 is cross-platform compatible. But, there is a catch.
The NHL 23 cross-platform matchmaking allows users of same-generation consoles on Playstation and Xbox to face off against each other. PS4 and Xbox One players can match up together. Likewise, Xbox Series X|S players can match with PS5 players.
Though cross-platform matchmaking does allow players to match up for online modes where they play against each other, players cannot invite friends or others from opposite consoles to their game mode to squad up together. EA did hint that they are striving to implement more crossplay features into future NHL titles.
Cross-platform matchmaking didn’t arrive upon launch on October 14th. In fact, NHL 23 began to gradually release their new cross-platform matchmaking features in-game via a four phase process starting last week.
Phase 1, which took place on November 17th, introduced the ‘HUT Rush’ and ‘Ones Eliminator’ crossplay modes. Following the first drop, came Phase 2 on November 21st, where NHL 23 added both the ‘6v6 EASHL’ and ‘3v3 Drop-In’ modes. Phase 3, which included the debuts of ‘HUT Champs’, ‘6v6 Drop-In’, ‘3v3 EASHL’, and ‘Threes Eliminator’, transpired on November 23rd. And the final cross-platform matchmaking release, will be Phase 4 on Monday, November 28th, which will be bringing ‘HUT Rivals’.
The leaderboards are separate between the consoles. The Hockey Ultimate Team auction house is also kept separate across console platforms. With increased sizes of matchmaking pools on both HUT and World Of Chel, it will now reduce wait times when finding opponents, which is a huge upgrade for the NHL 23 community.
EA Sports has noted the challenges of placing all players onto a single unified server for NHL 23. Previously, users were segmented onto different servers. However, EA Sports has mentioned they have taken care to address desynchronization between the two console platforms.
UPDATE: (11-17) Cross platform matchmaking is available in HUT Rush and Ones Eliminator modes.
That means PlayStation 5 players can play against Xbox Series X|S players and PlayStation 4 players can play against Xbox One players. So older generation console players will not be able to play against players with the latest generation console.
Cross-Platform matchmaking will be available in all online World of Chel modes and Hockey Ultimate Team but will not allow for cross-console invites and will not affect the HUT Auction House or HUT Leaderboards. (via FAQ)
UPDATE: (11-21) Cross platform matchmaking is available in World of Chel modes, specifically Clubs 6v6 and Drop in 3v3.
UPDATE: (11-28) Cross platform matchmaking is available in all NHL 23 World of Chel and HUT game modes.
Support will slowly roll out over the next couple of weeks beginning November 17. Phase 1 will support Ones Eliminator and HUT Rush modes. Phase 2 will add 6v6 EASHL and 3v3 drop-ins starting November 21. Here’s the full rollout schedule.
As mentioned previously, NHL 23 patch 1.3 is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, here are the patch notes.
Presentation
World of CHEL
Hockey Ultimate Team
Franchise Mode
EA has announced cross-console private matches are coming to NHL 23 Hockey Ultimate Team in March 2023.
Our goal for the EA SPORTS™ NHL franchise is to deliver the most social Chel experience possible, and we understand that crossplay is an integral part of playing together.
While our goal was to have cross-console invites that allow for co-op play with players from the opposite console in NHL 23, that won’t be a part of this initial phase. That’s why we’re striving to implement more crossplay features in future EA SPORTS NHL titles.
With this goal in mind, the plan is to implement crossplay over time, starting with NHL 23’s cross-platform matchmaking. For the second phase, targeted for future titles, we aim to introduce mixed clubs and co-op play across platforms. Again, while we can’t 100% confirm when this feature will appear in-game, the team is prioritizing these functions in future iterations of the EA SPORTS NHL franchise. We are tracking towards that goal as of now and we will keep the community informed about the future of crossplay in the EA SPORTS NHL Franchise.
