Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

How to find an online match fast in Dragon Ball FighterZ

Dragon Ball FighterZ is now available, and it’s a stylish and action-packed fighting game that is packed with ridiculous attention to detail. Unfortunately, developer Arc System Works might have taken this authenticity a little bit too far, as you often have to wait an eternity before squaring off against other players online. Even though high server loads, poor connections, and matchmaking issues can impede your ability to play, there are a few different tricks you can use to make the wait bearable. We have some tips on how to find online matches quickly in Dragon Ball FighterZ.

Further reading

Pick the right lobby

When you first start up Dragon Ball FighterZ, the game will attempt to put you in an “auto-join” lobby with 63 other players. Chances are, if you get hung up on the “connecting to lobby” screen for more than a few seconds, you will eventually receive a connection failure notification and will be forced to find a lobby manually.

Dragon Ball FighterZ Connecting
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When this occurs, pick the region closest to where you live, and choose from the numerous lobbies available. Many will already be at full capacity, but if you see one with between 55 and 60 players, this is usually a good option. More players mean more matches, after all.

Recommended Videos

If you are interested in joining a particular type of online match, you can also choose a lobby specifically for “ring matches” or “arena matches.” At the very least, this will ensure you can find players trying to engage in the same match type.

Lastly, if you pick a lobby and it doesn’t work or disconnects you after a few minutes, just move on to the next one. If you select it again, you will likely get the same result.

Open your search parameters

Dragon Ball FighterZ gives you a few different search parameters when you’re queuing up for a multiplayer match. There are a few helpful options you can tweak in the settings here.

Dragon Ball FighterZ Settings
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When you’re choosing a ranked, casual, or ring match, make sure “connection quality” is set to “anything goes,” as well as “match completion rate.” Multiplayer matches typically only last a few minutes, and we haven’t encountered too many players who are willing to quit. There is also an option in your settings to automatically join any connected multiplayer match, which makes sure you aren’t disconnected by an impatient player.

Struggling to find a ranked multiplayer match? Try searching for a casual match, instead. Occasionally, these will be more popular, or vice-versa, though casual matches won’t earn you BP points with each fight.

Search around the lobby

Rather than solely playing in ranked or casual matches, consider competing against other competitors in your existing lobby. You have two separate options for doing this online: Ring matches and arena matches.

Dragon Ball FighterZ Lobby
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ring matches function as personalized battles among players in a lobby that can be started almost anywhere—all you have to do is press RT on Xbox One or R2 on PlayStation 4 to drop a ring. You’ll usually discover that other opponents have placed rings down as well. The overall total of current members in their ring will be posted above their heads. If there is still some space in the ring, you will probably be able to join in and challenge them instantly. However, note that they will usually be considerably higher than your current skill level.

Another excellent option for swiftly setting up a battle is to check out the arena in the center of the lobby. When you arrive, you can get ready to compete in an arena match or observe as other players battle each other. It’s important to mention that these particular fights take a bit longer than the regular casual or ranked matches. If you don’t have any luck with those choices, you will typically still be able to challenge a player in the arena.

Topics
Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
NYT Connections: hints and answers for Friday, December 20
New York Times' Connection puzzle open in the NYT Games app on iOS.

Connections is one of the best puzzle games from the New York Times. The game tasks you with categorizing a pool of 16 words into four secret (for now) groups by figuring out how the words relate to each other. The puzzle resets every night at midnight and each new puzzle has a varying degree of difficulty. Just like Wordle, you can keep track of your winning streak and compare your scores with friends.

Some days are trickier than others — just like other NYT Games favorites The Mini and Strands. If you're having a little trouble solving today's puzzle, check out our Connections tips and tricks guide for some good strategies or check out the hints for today's Connections puzzle below. And if you still can't get it, we'll tell you today's answers at the very end.
How to play Connections

Read more
NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Friday, December 20
NYT Strands logo.

Strands is a brand new daily puzzle from the New York Times. A trickier take on the classic word search, you'll need a keen eye to solve this puzzle.

Like Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands can be a bit difficult to solve some days. There's no shame in needing a little help from time to time. If you're stuck and need to know the answers to today's Strands puzzle, check out the solved puzzle below.
How to play Strands
You start every Strands puzzle with the goal of finding the "theme words" hidden in the grid of letters. Manipulate letters by dragging or tapping to craft words; double-tap the final letter to confirm. If you find the correct word, the letters will be highlighted blue and will no longer be selectable.

Read more
NYT Mini Crossword today: puzzle answers for Thursday, December 19
The Mini open in the NYT Games app on iOS.

Love crossword puzzles but don't have all day to sit and solve a full-sized puzzle in your daily newspaper? That's what The Mini is for!

A bite-sized version of the New York Times' well-known crossword puzzle, The Mini is a quick and easy way to test your crossword skills daily in a lot less time (the average puzzle takes most players just over a minute to solve). While The Mini is smaller and simpler than a normal crossword, it isn't always easy. Tripping up on one clue can be the difference between a personal best completion time and an embarrassing solve attempt.

Read more