Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 Crossplay & Squadting Up
Play with friends on Steam, Epic, PS5, and Xbox after the 25 August 2026 release.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 shipped with full cross-platform play on 25 August 2026. You can squad up with friends on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S without buying the game on the same store. Nintendo Switch 2 is planned for fall 2026 and is not in the day-one crossplay pool. This guide covers invites, P2P sessions, voice, and the usual party failures.
How crossplay works
Crossplay is built in. When you create or join a party, Steam, Epic, PS5, and Xbox players share one matchmaking pool. Sessions are peer-to-peer: one player hosts, the others join that host. Patch 1 added region-based matching so the host is more often in the same region as the rest of the fireteam. There is no dedicated-server tick for combat — hitching that only appears when you host is a connection or PC pacing problem, not a class mix. A Steam player and a PlayStation 5 player in the same party share the same P2P session with no gameplay rules difference.
Crossplay can be disabled in the settings if you prefer to play with only players on your own platform. This is useful for clans or groups that want to avoid the broader player pool.
Platform-specific setup
Steam and Epic (PC)
Both PC stores use the same server infrastructure. You can join each other’s parties directly via the in-game friends list or through Steam/Epic overlay invites. There is no difference in matchmaking priority between Steam and Epic players.
To invite a friend on PC: open the Social menu (default key: O), find your friend, and select Invite to Party. They will receive an in-game notification and can accept or decline.
To invite via platform overlay: use Steam’s overlay (Shift+Tab) or Epic’s overlay to send a game invite. The game opens or comes to the foreground with the invite notification.
PlayStation 5
PS5 players can send game invites through the PlayStation social menu. Cross-platform invites work through the in-game Social menu as well — PS5 players will see Xbox and PC players in their in-game friends list if those players have their privacy settings configured to allow cross-platform friends.
PS5 players can also use the console’s Share feature to broadcast gameplay to players on other platforms during parties.
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox players use the Xbox guide menu to send game invites. Cross-platform parties function identically to same-platform parties. Xbox players appear in the in-game friends list for PC and PS5 players who have added them as cross-platform friends.
Voice chat across platforms
Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 includes cross-platform voice chat. This means your PS5 teammate’s microphone audio goes to your Steam headset and vice versa. Voice chat rides with the P2P session, not through PlayStation Party or Xbox party chat.
To use cross-platform voice chat:
- Ensure your microphone is enabled and set as the active input device in the game’s audio settings.
- Push-to-talk is available as an option. If you prefer open mic, the game will broadcast continuously while you are in a party.
- You can individually mute teammates in the Social menu if cross-platform voice becomes disruptive.
Note that platform-specific party chat (such as a PS5 party or Xbox party) does not automatically feed into the in-game voice chat. If your squad prefers to use a third-party voice solution like Discord, disable in-game voice to avoid echo.
Crossplay settings
In the game’s Settings menu under Social:
- Crossplay — Toggle cross-platform matchmaking and party formation. Turning this off restricts you to your own platform.
- Cross-platform friends — Allow players on other platforms to add you as a friend in-game.
- Voice chat — Enable or disable in-game voice entirely.
- Push-to-talk — Enable and set a key (PC) or button (controller) for push-to-talk.
Common issues and troubleshooting
Cannot see cross-platform friends in the friends list
Both parties need to have Cross-platform friends enabled in Social settings. If only one party has it enabled, they will not appear in the other’s friends list.
Voice chat not working across platforms
Verify that your input device is correctly selected in Audio settings. If you are on console, check that your chat device is set to the controller headset rather than the TV speakers. If you are using a third-party headset, ensure its firmware is updated.
Crossplay party keeps failing to form
Restart the game. Crossplay party formation needs every member connected to matchmaking long enough to handshake a host. A store overlay glitch or a NAT that refuses inbound P2P can block a mixed-platform party even when each player can solo into Horde.
High ping to cross-platform teammates
Hosting is P2P. If the fireteam is split across regions (for example EU and US), the host’s region after Patch 1 matching still cannot hide ocean latency. There is no dedicated-server picker — pick a host closer to the majority, or play with a tighter geographic group.
Frequently asked questions
Can I disable crossplay and play with only my platform? Yes. Set Crossplay to Off in the Social settings. You will only match with and party players on the same platform.
Do I need a subscription to play crossplay on console? PlayStation 5 requires a PlayStation Plus subscription for online multiplayer. Xbox Series X|S requires an Xbox Game Pass Core or higher subscription. PC players do not require a subscription.
Are there any platform-exclusive features? No. All gameplay features, modes, and content are identical across all platforms. Cosmetic items purchased on one platform are available on all platforms.
Can cross-platform players see each other’s cosmetic items? Yes. Cosmetic loadouts, weapon skins, and character colours display identically across all platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2.
Is crossplay enabled by default?
Yes. Crossplay is on by default. You can disable it in Settings > Social if you prefer to play with only players on your platform.
Can I transfer my progress between platforms?
Yes. Account progress — class levels, weapon unlocks, Specialist fragments, and cosmetic items — is tied to your game account, not the platform store. Logging into the same account on a different platform restores all progress.
Do PS5 and Xbox players matchmake together in public lobbies?
Yes. Public matchmaking is cross-platform. If you queue with crossplay enabled, you will be matched with players from all platforms.
Why can I not hear my cross-platform teammate's microphone?
Check that your in-game voice chat is enabled, your correct input device is selected in audio settings, and your teammate has not muted themselves or disabled voice chat in Social settings.