CONTINUING TO IGNORE CROSS-PLATFORM PLAY
It’s that niggling little issue that just doesn’t want to go away. While Microsoft and Nintendo are more than happy to support cross-platform play for those developers keen to implement it, Sony continues to be a little stubborn on the idea.
In an interview with Eurogamer back at E3 2017, Sony’s global marketing boss Jim Ryan outlined one major reason why there’s been such a reluctance, suggesting that they do not want PS4 users who have signed up for their own online services to be exposed to services that they have no control over. It’s an opinion that’s divided many in the industry, including Xbox chief Phil Spencer who found the notion rather confusing.
The PS4 does support some form of cross-platform multiplayer – see Rocket League’s PS4-PC support – and a number of other big names including Minecraft and Ark: Survival Evolved are keen to get the ball rolling, but for now, there seems to be a continued push against a unified service for players. It’s a decision that will no doubt rear its ugly head on multiple occasions this year for Sony, which is determined to ensure that the PS4 is ‘for the players,’ but not for sharing with Xbox One and Switch fans. A decision that could come back to bite them.
