Battlefield 6 Prioritizes PS5 and Xbox Crossplay Over PC

Battlefield 6's crossplay matchmaking will give priority to console players over those on PC. Learn how this cross-platform system functions and the key differences between Performance and Fidelity modes.

Battlefield 6 Crossplay Matchmaking, Anti-Cheat, and Graphics Modes

Console-First Crossplay Matchmaking

With Battlefield 6's launch less than a month away, developers at BF Studios have shared new details about its crossplay matchmaking. In a September 12 interview with IGN, Technical Director Christian Buhl and Senior Console Combat Designer Matthew Nickerson explained the system's inner workings.

Producer Alexia Christofi first mentioned the matchmaking setup in early August, providing a basic outline. Responding to a tweet, Christofi explained that with crossplay enabled, console players will primarily be matched with others on PlayStation or Xbox. The system will only include PC players if necessary to fill a lobby.

She clarified, "Crossplay is a simple on-or-off setting. When enabled, we treat it as console-preferred. We'll first try to match you with players on console. If we can't find a suitable match, we'll then expand the search to include the full crossplay pool with PC."

In the recent interview, Nickerson elaborated: "For input preference, it works exactly as it sounds. If you're on console, we search for other console players within a specific time window. If we need more players to fill the lobby, we'll then look to the PC player base."

He added that the development team invested significant effort into balancing different control inputs and understanding how they impact playstyles and performance. Nickerson also noted that aim assist has been completely redesigned from the Battlefield 2042 version, creating a smoother experience for controller users.

Tackling the Cheating Challenge

While crossplay is now a standard expectation for online games, many fans are concerned about PC cheating affecting the cross-platform experience. Buhl acknowledged that cheating is indeed more prevalent on PC but stressed the team's strong commitment to fighting it.

Despite deploying EA's new Javelin anti-cheat system, Buhl described the battle against cheaters as a "never-ending cat-and-mouse game." He emphasized that the team is being extremely aggressive on this front, viewing it as critical for the long-term health and success of the game.

"We hope console players will have enough confidence in our anti-cheat measures on PC that they won't feel the need to disable crossplay solely for that reason. The option is there if they want it, but we believe it's vital for all players to feel confident that most opponents are playing fair. A huge amount of effort is going into ensuring that," Buhl stated.

PS5 Performance Mode vs. Fidelity Mode

Regarding graphics options, Buhl detailed the differences between Performance and Fidelity modes on PlayStation 5. In Performance mode, the team ensures the game runs at a minimum of 80 frames per second across all platforms.

Fidelity mode, on the other hand, maximizes all visual settings, employing the highest resolution textures and graphical detail. Buhl confirmed this mode maintains a solid 60 frames per second. "We didn't want a scenario where we just turn on every fancy effect, resulting in a beautiful single frame at a terrible framerate. We carefully tuned this mode to deliver the best possible visual fidelity while consistently hitting 60 fps," he explained.

Buhl also mentioned a primary graphics toggle, allowing players to choose their preference: "Do I want the highest possible fidelity with super smooth framerates, or do I want the absolute best performance?"

The upcoming PS5 Pro will feature both modes but at higher resolutions. "In Fidelity Mode, we run at 2160p instead of 1440p. In Performance Mode, it's 1620p instead of 1280p. Essentially, you get higher resolution while maintaining the same performance targets," he said.

Settings on Xbox Series X are largely similar. For the less powerful Series S, however, there is only one mode. Buhl assured players the game will still run at 60fps and 1080p on Series S, admitting that optimizing for its lower memory was a significant challenge.

This optimization effort ultimately benefited the entire game. In a September 13 interview with Kotaku, Buhl revealed that the work done for the Series S made the "whole game better and more stable."

With Battlefield 6's launch just weeks away, EA assures fans the game is highly optimized, with developers working hard to deliver the best title in the series' history.

Battlefield 6 launches on October 10, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games, and the EA App. For the latest news and updates, stay tuned.