Even with other major soccer titles now available, Rematch continues to stand out as a truly refreshing experience. While the ball-hogging tendencies of some teammates might still frustrate you, much like a last-minute defeat in Ultimate Team, its smoother, more dynamic matches and a keen focus on core mechanics offer a welcome change from endless grinding for packs and meta players. Rematch Season 1 has officially landed, and with it comes the one feature many of us have been eagerly anticipating: full crossplay!
It’s genuinely surprising that in this day and age, multiplayer games are still launching without inherent crossplay functionality. In certain scenarios, full crossplay between PC and consoles can admittedly introduce balance and integrity challenges, which is understandable. However, for games like Rematch, the lack of cross-platform support can be incredibly frustrating. It can also pose significant issues for smaller or newer games with lower player counts, leading to considerable difficulties in matchmaking.
Initially slated for release a few weeks prior in Patch 3, Rematch’s crossplay support faced a brief delay after some critical bugs were identified at the last minute. However, crossplay was successfully implemented on Rematch’s beta build last week, and now, with the launch of Season 1, it’s available to all players, three months after the game’s initial release date. This means crossplay now spans all platforms, allowing those enjoying the game on PC via Steam to compete with and against players on Xbox and PlayStation.
Further online enhancements arrive in the form of a new technology called Network Next, which aims to reduce latency for players experiencing high ping within their own region, according to Sloclap. This feature will first be tested on the Sao Paulo server before a broader rollout is implemented down the line.
Elsewhere in Season 1, a widely exploited mechanical maneuver, dubbed the ‘Ippy Slide,’ has been addressed. This exploit allowed players to deftly knock the ball in one direction, quickly reposition their player in another, only for the ball to seemingly ‘magnetize’ back to their feet. While the move hasn’t been completely removed, Sloclap has fine-tuned its effectiveness. Animations for the Ippy Slide will now be performed more slowly, and the distance over which it can be executed has been reduced.
Rematch Season 1 and the crossplay update are now live for all players. For a complete overview of all the balance adjustments, bug fixes, and quality-of-life improvements, you can consult the official patch notes.
If you’re a fan of immersive sports games, even if your usual preferences extend beyond soccer, I highly recommend giving Rematch a try. It’s also recognized as one of the standout titles available on Game Pass, so if you’re already a subscriber, it might just be waiting for you in your library!