‘Fortnite’ PS4 And Xbox One Cross-Play ‘Mistake’ Weakens Sony’s Argument For Blocking [Opinion]

INQ: The debate over supporting cross-play between the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One took an interesting twist over the last few days as Epic Games’ Fortnite mistakenly enabled the two consoles to play online together over the weekend. The two gardens were walled off once again but not before weakening Sony’s arguments to prevent the two sides from coming together.

[slavish0]

People need to stand up to corporations. This benefits gamers. I wish battleborn had crossplay. I could still be playing it with one unified community.

[slavish0]

https://youtu.be/ysKDqFX02y...

[darthv72]

That is kind of funny. Makes you wonder if they did it on purpose just to see if anyone would notice. Maybe other games should do this without saying anything and see if people notice.

[Skull521]

I'm surprised it worked so easy, I figured cross play would be a little difficult to implement but that's obviously not the case

[Xx_Pistol_xX]

https://www.screencritics.n...

[freshslicepizza]

Some people feel it's better to stay loyal and defend their decisions, not sure why other than they are fanatics. Anyone who goes around trying to deflect the situation really has no interest in having civil discussions about anything.

[MrFisher21]

you ever think for yourself? Sound like a robot.

[morganfell]

"Some people feel it's better to stay loyal and defend their decisions, not sure why other than they are fanatics. "

Apparently you fail to see that how you are viewed on this site. More than any other person you are talking about yourself right now. It is what makes your remark so laughable.

[bluefox755]

Lol, that's rich coming from you Moldy. Have you no self-awareness?

[freshslicepizza]

@morganfell
"Apparently you fail to see that how you are viewed on this site. More than any other person you are talking about yourself right now. It is what makes your remark so laughable."

And right on cue we have a prime example of whom I am talking about. Bring us crossplay and they all come out to attack anyone who speaks out against Sony.

[rainslacker]

Yeah, like when PC gamers don't go and ask MS why they don't have cross play between Steam and Windows Store. Those silly loyalist huh?

I await your deflection.

Better, more interesting topic is why most publishers aren't enabling it across the board. Why is that do you think? Is it just because they don't want to? Or is there some reason involving one or both of the store fronts in question preventing it?

I'm sure that's not important to you though. Why would you need cross play between PC store fronts? PC gamers don't need that, but some sure seem to really need it with consoles.....which, ironically, you already have on PC with PS where it's implemented. You seem overly fussed about a feature you already have with your PC. How many times did you deride MS over this until that Rocket League thing, and Spencer being all "Yeah, we're cool now, we want it"?

Good news for you though Moldy, since you're a PC gamer. Sony already allows cross play with PC. And about a year ago, MS enabled it. You are all set to go. Have fun.

[freshslicepizza]

@rainslacker
"Yeah, like when PC gamers don't go and ask MS why they don't have cross play between Steam and Windows Store. Those silly loyalist huh? I await your deflection."

They are,

https://www.neowin.net/news...

https://www.windowscentral....

https://gamerant.com/micros...

Now where is Sony trying to get this moving along? ....crickets. I will now await your deflection.

You're nothing but an apologist for Sony and then when that doesn't work for you then you get personal and start attacking users like myself. Get lost. There is enough information out there to work with to conclude Sony has the issues here, nobody else. But I guess when you do party chat on PSN and your IP address is there out in the open it's no wonder they are concerned. Maybe this is another reason why Microsoft is pushing the issue, to show just how little PSN has evolved over the years.

[pinkcrocodile75]

@morganfell so, no civil discussion from you then?.. I think you proved mouldy's point.

On a more productive note however, there is only one reason why cross play cannot be rolled out and that is security.

Not the nonsense Sony came out with about "We HAVE to protect our children". That's what game age restrictions are for.

Security is the big issue and Microsoft (love em or hate em) have the strongest system security of all three console manufactures, this isn't an opinion but a fact.

Now if MS are open to cross play with competitors with lesser security then whats the problem.

The only problem is PR and market share. Nothing else.

[bluefox755]

If a game is dying, it's because people are getting bored with it. There's always some stragglers that stick it out to the end, but doubling or tripling this number of stragglers doesn't fix the underlying problem that most people just became bored of it. Don't blame crossplay for mediocre games that fail to achieve any longer term success.

[freshslicepizza]

I am pretty sure PSVR owners are happy games like Star Trek Bridge Crew offers crossplay. Titanfall 2 is another game that could also likely benefit from this. It wasn't a bad game, just poorly released and marketed.

You really need to step back and stop trying to defend something that really doesn't need defending. There is no downside to having more players to play against. Sony is worried about their own interests, not yours when it comes to why they are not willing to play along.

Sony has been doing this for years on the PC and continues to do it on the PC. Your counter-arguments once again are weak at best.

[Neonridr]

think about the children Sony... The Children!

[DigitalRaptor]

Microsoft's requested removal of cross-play between the XB1 and PC version of Fortnite weakens their sincerity for being 100% about cross-play (they have their policies and restrictions and hang-ups, as does Sony). Especially so when PS4 has fully-functional cross-play with PC on the same game and Sony has no problem with that. Now before anybody tries to be smart and mentions the updated change log, ask yourself why Epic would initially post such specific details about it being a request from Microsoft to shut down cross-play and then remove the finer details when asked by MS to do so?

Sony is entitled to not accept cross-play on consoles in a business decision that reflects their current position in the market. The people making the fuss now, didn’t make a fuss about Microsoft's lack of following suit, when Sony was doing cross-play with PC for years from last-gen onwards, and it’s 100% obvious why it’s a matter of concern NOW and only now, and the excuses about how cross-play prolongs the lifespan of multi-player games are coming out NOW and only now.

[Dragonscale]

So true. Its just another stick to bash Sony with tbh same as bc. Seems the only people crying about it are the fanatx lol.

[houyi111]

Not following this game, but are you saying that "Phil put blame on Sony for denying crossplay between PS4 and Xbox, but Phil and MS don't allow corssplay between xbox and PC for this game at all".. wtf,, am I getting it wrong?

[rainslacker]

MS hasn't made any official statement about this game, nor actually blamed Sony other than they wish it had stayed enabled. Epic stated in the original change log, which is now archived on the internet, although removed from official circulation, that MS asked them to remove PC/Xbox cross play. The reason for this wasn't stated though.

Sony is fine with this game using cross play.

MS probably will be fine with it at some point. Not sure why they asked for the change, but I'd imagine it's a compliance issue.

Console cross play between PS4 and Xbox is not likely to come anytime soon unless the overall issue is resolved between Sony and MS.

Most of the blame is on PS right now, and that is coming entirely from Xbox fan boys. MS would be wise to not try to twist this into something on Sony's side, because the change log exists, so they'd have the heat come back on them....while now it's being mostly ignored.

[aconnellan]

I could be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that MS made them remove it because their policy dictates that cross play needs to be a toggled option (like in Rocket League)

Completely agree with your second point though - MS should have been called out last gen. In fact, when there was Portal 2 cross play with PC and PS3 announced, there were a lot of threads on this site that talked about how awesome a future without barriers would be, where you buy consoles for the exclusives and have the option to play with your friends on multiplats, regardless of platform.

I do think Sony is within their right to refuse it, but I also think it would be a mistake to do so - instead of saying "oh but you said no last time", they could just get on with it and do it.

Just curious - in your opinion, what do you think the negative effects would be for implementing cross play between consoles?

[AnubisG]

Let's get one thing straight. MS is only pushing for cross play because they are dead last in console sales and trying this gimmick to show people who they are for the gamers. Cross play would only induce more hostility between gamers online. Just think about it, why wasn't MS pushing for this last gen?

[DillyDilly]

& if it was the other way around with Sony leading the way you would be loving it. You are just hating on it because Sony told you to. Much like when Jim Ryan told you sheep to hate real Backwards Compatibility

[Goldby]

Sony wanted it last gen, and no one really cared for it then.

just like the PS4 [players dont really care about it now.

[AnubisG]

@TheRandomOne

You assume to much. You do this all the time? Just make up shit about people and convince yourself that it's true?

First off; no, Sony did not tell me that I should hate cross play. I personally don't see any benefit in it.

Secondly, I love backwards compatibility and I think Sony dropped the ball by not adding that in the PS4 so I could still play ny PS1-PS4 games on one console. I still play a lot of PS1 games because I like them.

So what's up?

[WelkinCole]

No, none of us PS fans cried like bitches about it last gen when MS ;blocked Sony. Truth is most of us didn't care about cross platform play because

1. Many of us didn't want to play online with whinny little bitches on xbl
2. Many of had to many great exclusives to care about online gaming in general.

No go cry some more to MS.

[Nicaragua]

Sony never said it was technically impossible, they said it was against their policy.

That policy hasnt changed, so why is everyone making out like this is some kind of smoking gun that goes against what Sony said?

[rainslacker]

I wonder the same thing. Even those trying to put Sony down go on about how easy it is to implement as evidenced by some of these indie devs saying they made a solution.

I thought it was well established that it wasn't a matter of logistics in programming, but that it was always a policy issue. If people actually thought it was a technical issue, and spent the past year or so riding Sony's ass over this, then they should be slapped.

This game's slip up in no way changes Sony's stance, as their policies haven't changed....particularly the only stated reason why they aren't allowing it....and that's the inability to moderate other networks. If fortnite provided that, then maybe their argument would be weakened, but I can't imagine either console maker would just accept a 3rd party solution to integrate two competing networks.

[0Day]

Pretty damn selfish of Sony. Gaming without (console) borders should be a standard in 2017.

[Xx_Pistol_xX]

https://mspoweruser.com/for...

[TejasTV]

I don't really understand this. So if you want to play PS4 games get a PS4 if you want to play Xbox games get an Xbox. Isn't that how it's always been? Like do you really have that many friends in the other console that it actually matters? This really seems like a non issues but everyone on this site gets so triggered by theses stupid articles trying to trigger you. Like if all your friends play on the Xbox and you went ahead and bought a PS4, you are kind of a jerk. Especially if you are now going to complain about cross play. Not trying to defend any company ever but this just seems like common sense.

[Xx_Pistol_xX]

So is no one going to talk about the fact that Microsoft just stopped cross play with PC players in Fortnite.
https://mspoweruser.com/for...

[Chexs1990]

It was a genius move, most probably intentionally done. This just goes to show how easy switching crossplay on is, if it's easy as "bugging" the game out. It puts an external pressure on Sony now, which is a good thing.
Whether or not they will bow out and accept it is another thing though.
Crossplay is a logical next step in online console connectivity and it would be good for gamers in general.

[rainslacker]

What exactly is Sony's argument for blocking it? Seems if the author could say, then this whole discussion could progress.

The only official statement from Sony over this, beyond them still being open to it, was that they weren't doing it due to moderation concerns. I don't see how their argument is weakened just because a singular game somehow got past compliance for a day or two. As far as I can tell, Sony still couldn't moderate the other networks, which keeps their original statement, as bad as it was, completely in tact.

One can discuss if it's a logical reason to deny it, but this game having it enabled for a bit in no way changes the core of Sony's apparent reluctance.

There seems to be this notion that Sony is saying it's not possible on an implementation level. That isn't the case. Cross play is pretty simple to enable, but that doesn't mean that it will automatically conform to Sony's policies. Even those defending Sony readily admit that it's possible to do.

[FPS_D3TH]

The only reason it's not happening is because gamers can then stick to their console of choice and not be limited to the group of friends they can play with. A selling point is to get the console your friends have. Guarantee it's the only reason Sony doesn't care, because they're winning. The losing console in the race will always try harder. Happened with the PS3 and 360 with free ps+ and now it's vice Versa this year with Xbox throwing out backwards compat and this eagerness to please the fan base. It's likely not going to happen anytime soon but I'd love for it to happen. Would see some more activity on games people hardly play anymore for one.

[subtenko]

Nope, sony allows PC crossplay, but its not there with every pc game either because different reasons. Its definitely not gonna be doing that with xbox though unless microsofts terms change. Sony is smart for this.

Btw...no one HAS to enable crossplay if they dont want to... last time I checked even at PS4 launch the majority from PlayStation was never asking for xbox crossplay, nor to this day ask for it...but xbox owners want to...gee I wonder why...lol