There’s still time to qualify for PlayStation Tournaments: XP, Sony’s new gaming competition featuring EA FC 25, Fortnite, Astro Bot, and Tekken 8. The qualifiers got underway on December 5 with players competing to qualify for the finals on January 18, 2025. Here’s how you can take part.
Open opportunities like this don’t come around that often, with competitive gaming competitions dominated by pro gamers, but if you fancy yourself as the Faker of Astro Bot, now is your chance to qualify for a big tournament.
The qualifiers got underway on December 5, but you can still get through to London. Here’s everything you need to know about PlayStation: XP Tournaments.
What is PlayStation Tournaments: XP?
On January 18, 2025, the first ever PlayStation Tournaments: XP competition will be held live in London.
The unique event is set to bring the multiplayer community together, with the best players for each game competing in one of four teams – Triangle, Circle, Cross, or Square. To get there, you’ll need to overcome several online rounds that will test your mettle and sharpen your skills ahead of the big day.
You won’t be alone either, as each team will be led by a Team Captain and several Specialists who will use their expert knowledge of each game to coach their group through the tournament and cheer them on when things get tough.
The tournament features four rounds of competition, as players do everything they can to secure their title and become one of the winners of the tournament.
How to qualify for PlayStation Tournaments: XP
You’ll need to use every ounce of skill to overcome your opponents and qualify for the tournament. Depending on your chosen game, the dates and method of qualification vary, so we’ve broken down exactly what you need to do.
Tekken 8
The open qualifiers for Tekken 8 are now underway and continue until December 15. To sign up and get started, you’ll need to head to the Game Hub on your PS5 home screen and find the upcoming tournaments carousel.
From there, pick the XP Cups Tournament you want to enter and you’ll be able to get started right away. If you manage to win your bracket, make sure to keep December 22 free because you’ll be competing in the Closed Online Final on that day.
That marks the final step before the big day in London, so if you emerge as one of the strongest players, you’ll get invited to the tournament.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
The rules for each match in the open qualification stage are as follows:
- Mode: 1 vs 1
- System: Single Elimination
- Timer: 60 seconds
- Stage: Random
- Seeding: Random player seeding
- Disconnection: If a player disconnects, they have five minutes to rejoin or they will forfeit. Each player also has five minutes to start after their allotted time.
EA FC 25
The qualifiers for EA FC 25 follow a very similar format to Tekken, with the open portion also set to continue until December 15. Head to the Game Hub on your PS5 and register for a Tournament Activity Card. That card will detail exactly what mode you’ll be playing, so make sure you pick the one that suits you best.
When the tournament start time approaches, click Join Now on the card and you’ll be taken directly to your first match. If the button isn’t illuminated, it’s too far ahead of the start time for your next match.
The complete rules for the open qualification for EA FC 25 are as follows:
- Account requirements: Must have an EA Account
- Game Mode: Check the activity card for full details
- System: Single-elimination
- Seeding: Random player seeding
- Disconnection: If a player disconnects, they will forfeit the entirety of the current tournament. Players are welcome to enter other tournaments during the open qualifying period. Players also have up to five minutes to join after the allotted time before the tournament is forfeited.
Do well enough and you will be invited to compete in the Closed Qualification, with a spot at the tournament in London up for grabs.
Astro Bot
The Astro Bot qualification is the last to get underway, with the open portion set to take place between December 13 at 2.00 AM GMT and December 23 at 12.00 AM GMT. Full details and rules have yet to be confirmed.
Fortnite
The open qualifying stage for Fortnite took place on December 6, so if you didn’t manage to make an impact there, then you won’t be able to take a run at the big stage this time around.
How to watch PlayStation Tournaments: XP
Want to get involved but not sure you have the skills to make it all the way to the big stage? Worry not, because fans can watch along at home on the PlayStation Twitch and Youtube channels when the tournament goes live on January 18.
If you want to follow the progress of your favorite team, a Specialist will also be streaming their perspective throughout, so you won’t miss a minute of the action that you want to see.
You’ll even be able to pitch in and earn points for the team you’re backing on the day (as well as win prizes) through polls in chat.
