The Brutal Truth: Is UFC 5 Crossplay Available On PS5 And Xbox Series X|S?

The question on every fight fan's mind in late 2025 is simple: Can I finally play EA Sports UFC 5 with my friends on a different console? The definitive, current answer to whether UFC 5 supports crossplay between PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Xbox Series X|S is unfortunately still a resounding No. Despite the game being a next-generation exclusive and cross-platform play becoming a standard feature in most major AAA titles, EA Sports confirmed that this highly requested feature was not included at launch and, as of the latest updates, remains absent from the game.

This omission means that players on the Sony PlayStation 5 cannot compete against players on the Microsoft Xbox Series X|S in any of the online multiplayer modes, including Online Career Mode or Quick Fight. This decision has been a major point of contention and curiosity within the fighting game community, especially since UFC 5 is a current-gen-only title, leaving many to wonder about the technical or developmental hurdles that prevented its implementation.

The Definitive Crossplay Status and Platform Exclusivity

To be perfectly clear, here is the official breakdown of the cross-platform capabilities in EA Sports UFC 5:

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• Crossplay (PS5 vs. Xbox Series X|S): ❌ NOT SUPPORTED.
• Cross-Progression: ❌ NOT SUPPORTED. (Your Ultimate Team or Career Mode progress is locked to your specific console.)
• Platforms: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S ONLY. (The game is not available on PC, PS4, or Xbox One.)

The lack of crossplay dramatically segments the online player base. For a competitive fighting game, a larger pool of players is essential for fast and fair matchmaking. Without it, the community is split into two separate ecosystems, which can lead to longer wait times, especially for players in certain regions or those playing during off-peak hours.

The game’s exclusivity to current-generation consoles—PS5 and Xbox Series X|S—was a major selling point, promising superior graphical fidelity, the new KO Replay system, and a more realistic damage system. However, this next-gen focus did not translate into the expected next-gen multiplayer feature of cross-platform play.

Why EA Sports Omitted Cross-Platform Play in UFC 5

While EA Sports did not provide a single, detailed public statement on the exact technical reasons for the omission, several factors related to the game's development cycle and new technology are widely believed to be the root cause. Understanding these factors provides a unique insight into the complexity of modern game development.

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The Frostbite Engine Migration

The most significant technical hurdle for the UFC 5 development team was the transition to a completely new game engine. UFC 5 is the first title in the series to be built on the powerful, yet notoriously complex, Frostbite Engine, which is used for major EA titles like FIFA/EA FC and Battlefield.

Migrating a game from one engine (like the one used for UFC 4) to an entirely new one is a massive undertaking. Developers must rebuild core systems, physics, and rendering pipelines from the ground up. This monumental task likely consumed the majority of the team's resources and time, pushing a feature like crossplay—which requires significant additional network infrastructure and platform harmonization—down the priority list. It's often easier for a studio to introduce a major new feature like crossplay in a subsequent title once the new engine is fully stable and understood.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Network Architecture

Historically, many fighting and sports games have relied on a peer-to-peer (P2P) networking model for online matches, rather than dedicated servers for all gameplay. In a P2P connection, one player's console acts as the host, which simplifies the server-side infrastructure but can complicate cross-platform play.

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Implementing seamless crossplay with a P2P architecture across two different console networks (PlayStation Network and Xbox Live) is a significant technical challenge. It requires a unified matchmaking system that can reliably connect players regardless of their console's native networking protocols. The development team may have prioritized a stable, low-latency connection within the existing console ecosystems over the complex integration required for cross-platform P2P.

Focus on Core Gameplay and Visuals

The main focus for UFC 5 was delivering a true next-gen experience. This included the introduction of the highly detailed Real Impact System, improved fighter likenesses, and the cinematic Seamless Walkouts. The resources allocated to perfecting these core gameplay and visual enhancements—which are critical for a sports simulation title—may have been prioritized over online features like crossplay. The goal was to create the most realistic mixed martial arts simulation to date, and the technical demands of that goal were substantial.

Will Crossplay Ever Come to UFC 5 in a Future Update?

The question of a future crossplay update is where community hope meets development reality. While there has been no official announcement from EA Sports or the development team confirming a post-launch crossplay patch, it is not entirely impossible.

The Precedent Set by Other EA Titles

EA Sports has a track record of implementing crossplay in major franchises. Titles like EA Sports FC 25 (formerly FIFA) and Madden NFL have successfully introduced cross-platform functionality. This demonstrates that the publisher possesses the necessary technology and infrastructure to support the feature. However, these games often have a larger development budget and different network requirements (especially for modes like Ultimate Team, which use dedicated servers).

The Multi-Year Update Cycle

Unlike annual sports titles, the EA Sports UFC series operates on a multi-year development cycle, with significant roster updates and gameplay patches released over the game's lifespan. This means the game will be supported with new content and features for a long time. The community has been vocal on platforms like Reddit and the EA Forums about the need for crossplay to sustain the online community.

If the developers can stabilize the Frostbite Engine integration and free up resources, a future update to introduce crossplay could be a massive boost to the game's longevity. For now, players must rely on the existing online pools of their respective consoles. The best advice for players waiting for crossplay is to keep an eye on official EA Sports UFC social media channels and the official EA forums for any potential announcements regarding this much-desired feature.

Until then, UFC 5 players must continue to connect with friends and rivals exclusively within their console family—PlayStation 5 players with other PS5 players, and Xbox Series X|S players with other Xbox Series X|S players.