Cross generation connectivity (PS4, PS5)

I picked the game on the PS store. I actually don't need the X factor. I'm not really sure what this version is meant for, but I don't want to play both the PS4 and Ps5 version. I just want to play one version that allows me to connect with PS4. (all my friends own PS4) So my understanding is that I needed to buy a version through the web interface in order to be allowed to buy a PS4 version and play that version on my PS5. 

I contacted EA help who told me to contact the PS store. I contacted the PS store who told me that the publisher (EA) would be the one that could change my license from a PS5 to a PS4 version of the game. I contacted EA again and the support told me to contact the PS store then disconnected me.

Since the whole connectivity was working all right in NHL2021 and now you need to do some "complex" extra steps in order to play with friends (get a ps4 version of the game from the web store, then install on PS5) I feel a bit cheated. It's not really something I could have planned for before getting the game.

So all I'm trying to do now is for EA to change my license from PS5 to PS4. How would I go about that ?

Hi there, @REVOLTE_Qc 

We don't have the ability to change your license from PS5 to PS4. You'll need to purchase the PS4 version of the game to play with others on PS4.

Are you saying that I bought something I can NOT use because it was not advertised correctly and now I need to buy the game again if I actually want to play it with friends ? I kind of feel that this is a big miss-representation of what I was buying and that putting the burden on me to buy the game once more is a bit extreme. Is there nothing that can be done ?

thanks.

H there, @REVOLTE_Qc 

This was announced in advance through the following article. As @Socair mentioned, you'll need to contact the retailer to see if they can help.

Hello, @EA_Aljo .
I read this page. It doesn't mention anywhere that PS5 wouldn't be able to play with PS4. The way it's written made me think that this was designed to sell the version to a PS4 user that was thinking about buying a PS5 through the year and would want the game to work on PS5. I now understand that all PS4 games work on PS5 and that you can buy the PS4 version through the web store instead of the PS5 store. 

I still feel cheated by EA for the way this game was marketed and the fact that it doesn't work like 2021 where I could play with my friend. I feel that there was no way for me to be aware of that before buying and trying the game as this was NOT advertised correctly anywhere on an EA site. I'm also very disappointed in the way EA replied to this. The chat support was of no help and I'm now seeing that this forum won't be either.

Being told to buy a game that I already own once again to be able to play with my friend sounds to me like a totally unacceptable answer. I owned every NHL game since '93 and I'm now pretty disappointed with both how this game was wrongly advertised and the hours I lost communicating with the support teams.

thanks for your previous replies, but honestly please note that from a consumer perspective, this whole thing is totally not acceptable.

@REVOLTE_Qc 

In that article, the following is stated:

• Can I play online with someone on a different platform or generation?

Users are only able to play NHL 22 with other users that are playing on the same gen version of NHL 22. Microsoft and Sony users are also not able to play each other.

@EA_Aljo , Are you saying that before buying a game I should search for the most expensive version of the game, then search webpages of description ? Also nothing proves that this information was available at launch.

Do you really feel that this is a good business practice and that EA is in the right in this specific instance ? 

I mean I bought the game. I'm already a customer. What's the difficulty on EA's part to change my version to a PS4 version ? Is it normal practice to try and have people pay twice for the same game ? Doesn't something feel wrong here ?

@REVOLTE_Qc 

That article was released before NHL 22 launched. We also don't have the ability to change the version of your game. You'd need to contact Sony to see if they have any options for this.