It might be better to introduce a Squad-linking system, for example letting 2–3 standard squads of 4 be linked together. This would allow larger friend groups to queue and stay together in matchmaking without turning them into oversized mega-squads that break spawn balance or cause mass-spawn issues.
The game could automatically split bigger parties into regular squads and simply link those squads so they stay on the same team and in the same lobby between rounds. This keeps the 4-player squad limit intact while still supporting larger groups.
For edge cases where the party creates a single leftover player, like 5 players (4+1) or 9 players (4+4+1), that one player could be allowed to spawn on the main squad so they are not stuck alone. Any party that leaves more than one extra player, like 2 or 3 players instead of just 1, would simply stay linked without shared spawns.
Thanks a lot for the reply, really appreciate it!
Just to clarify: I’m not asking to change how squads work in-game — not the size, not the spawn system, and not the balance. All of that should remain exactly as it is.
What I’m asking for is simply a way for groups larger than four to queue into the same matchmaking game without being split into different servers.
No oversized squads, no special spawn mechanics — just a system that ensures friends can consistently end up in the same match.
The only in-game addition that could help would be a different HUD color for EA friends or for the players you queued with, so you can easily identify them even if you’re not in the same squad. (but that is totally optional)
Also, I might have misunderstood your suggestion about linking squads — are you talking about linking them directly from the main menu for matchmaking, or linking them in-game so they stay together after a round ends? Something similar to the current “stay with squad” feature, but extended to linked squads? The second option wouldn’t fully solve the issue, but at least once you manage to land in the same match, you’d be able to stick together for the entire gaming session.
