Getting Connected
How to set up online play and connect with friends, on any platform
Once you’ve got your system set up (see our Getting in the Game guide if you haven’t yet), the next step for a lot of games is playing online — with friends, family, or fellow Silver Fox Gamers. It sounds technical, but the setup is usually just a few clicks. Here’s what you actually need.
The Basics: Accounts and Friends
Every platform works roughly the same way:
- Create a free account for your platform (Xbox account, PlayStation Network ID, Nintendo Account, or a Steam account for PC) — you likely already have one if you’ve turned on your console before
- Add friends using their username, gamertag, or a friend code, usually found under a “Friends” or “Add Friend” menu
- Once you’re friends, you can see when they’re online, join their game, or invite them to yours — often with a single button
- Most consoles also offer voice chat (through a headset) or party chat, so you can talk while you play, even in different rooms of a game
What Each Platform Requires
Here’s the one thing that trips people up most: on Xbox and PlayStation, playing with others online requires a paid membership — it’s not just a nice extra, it’s required. Nintendo and PC work a bit differently.
| Platform | What You Need for Online Play | Cost (Aug 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox (Series X) | Xbox Live Gold, or any Game Pass tier (Core, Standard, Ultimate) — all include online multiplayer | From $9.99/month |
| PlayStation 5 | PlayStation Plus, any tier (Essential, Extra, Premium) — Essential is enough just for online play | From $9.99/month or $79.99/year |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | Nintendo Switch Online membership | $19.99/year individual, $34.99/year family (up to 8 accounts) |
| PC (Steam, etc.) | Just a free account — no paid subscription required for online play itself | Free |
A Few Real Examples
Minecraft — Realms
Minecraft’s easiest way to play with friends is a “Realm” — your own private, always-on world. You create it from the Minecraft Realms menu, invite up to 10 friends by username, and they can drop in anytime — even when you’re not playing. It costs about $7.99/month on top of owning the game itself, and needs no technical setup beyond choosing a name and inviting people. One thing to know: a Realm on the Java edition of Minecraft and a Realm on the Bedrock edition are separate — friends need to be on the same edition to join the same Realm.
EA Sports FC 26
Playing EA Sports FC 26 online doesn’t cost anything beyond what you already need: a free EA Account and your platform’s online membership (Xbox Game Pass Core or higher, or PlayStation Plus). Once both are set up, online matches and inviting friends work directly from the game’s main menu — no extra account or fee specific to the game itself.
Grand Theft Auto Online
GTA Online works the same way — your platform’s online membership is all that’s required, no separate subscription. Because it’s a large, open online world rather than a quick match, it’s worth starting with our Grand Theft Auto forum’s beginner guide before diving into online play, since it has its own separate economy and learning curve from the single-player Story Mode.
A Quick Word on Safety
- When adding online friends you haven’t met before, most platforms let you set your account to “friends only” for messages and party invites — worth doing, especially when starting out.
- Never share your account password with anyone, even someone claiming to be platform support. Real support will never ask for it.
If you get stuck setting any of this up, post a question in the relevant forum here on the site — chances are another Silver Fox has already worked through the same thing.
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