Sony is "confident" it will develop cross-play solution

[David Matthews]

Bottom line: Sony appears to be somewhat open to enabling cross-play with other console makers but only time will tell if they will actually deliver on that promise.

The biggest gaming news in recent days has been Sony's reluctance to enable cross-play multiplayer and the inability to use Epic Games accounts on any other console if it was first connected to a PS4. Sony released a weak statement touting cross-play between PC and mobile but also highlighting its 80 million active users on PlayStation Network. The implication is that because of the sheer number of PS4 users, cross-play with other rival consoles is unnecessary. However, at a the recent Gamelab conference in Spain, Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO Shawn Layden responded to the controversy saying:

"We're hearing it," Layden said. "We're looking at a lot of the possibilities. You can imagine that the circumstances around that affect a lot more than just one game. I'm confident we'll get to a solution which will be understood and accepted by our gaming community, while at the same time supporting our business."

The statement "supporting our business" is an important one. Sony seems to be afraid of losing PS4 sales to people who play the same games on other platform. Perhaps Sony believes that playing with people on other consoles devalues the reason to buy a PS4 (even if the primary reason people buy the PS4 is because of the excellent single player exclusives). Former head of Sony Online Entertainment, John Smedley flatly said in a since deleted tweet, "They didn't like someone buying something on an Xbox and it being used on a PlayStation." This is a moot point considering the PS4 is by far the winner of this console generation.

Regardless, Sony has definitely been feeling the pressure from frustrated gamers who can't play Fortnite on other consoles. Microsoft and Nintendo have also cheekily poked fun at Sony's obstinate stance by releasing a trailer that promoted Minecraft cross-play between the Xbox One and Switch.

Sony has built up a lot of goodwill in the gaming community since the PS4's 2013 launch. However, it seems that goodwill is quickly dissolving and could potentially affect future console sales, great exclusives or not.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/75278-sony-confident-develop-cross-play-solution.html

 

[ZackL04]

“However, it seems that goodwill is quickly dissolving and could potentially affect future console sales, great exclusives or not.”

Thats quite a stretch....

However, I would love to be able to play with my one xbox freind in a game along with all my ps4 buds

 

[m4a4]

"We're hearing it," Layden said. "We're looking at a lot of the possibilities. You can imagine that the circumstances around that affect a lot more than just one game. I'm confident we'll get to a solution which will be understood and accepted by our gaming community, while at the same time supporting our business."

Meh, sounds like more lip service to me. Fortnite's "mistake" a little while ago proved that there's nothing in the way of allowing cross-platform, besides it being against Sony's wishes.

Thats quite a stretch....

It's not actually that big of a stretch. Sony's weak stance on disallowing it will annoy a lot of us gamers. Sony needs to keep a "gamer friendly" perception if they want to keep on top.

 

[ZackL04]

Meh, sounds like more lip service to me. Fortnite's "mistake" a little while ago proved that there's nothing in the way of allowing cross-platform, besides it being against Sony's wishes.


It's not actually that big of a stretch. Sony's weak stance on disallowing it will annoy a lot of us gamers. Sony needs to keep a "gamer friendly" perception if they want to keep on top.

They have THE best and most exclusives. Im sure they are making a calculated risk. Some people may jump ship, but those are the same people that would buy and xbox to play microsoft only games like Forza and Halo anyway, and those are the customers they are trying to retain by not letting them crossplay after they dump their PS4’s. So either way they are leaving, but Sony doesnt have to move a muscle. Right? Im not arguing, just seeing it from both sides

They basically want a monoply, thats how you make more money.

Microsoft on the other hand is getting smoked in sales, so the more access and options they give to gamer the more enticing their system looks, but at the same time, with all their play anywhere initiatives and the lack of horsepower in the non X most people just play their games on PC.

Both companies may be hurting themselves in opposing ways.

Microsoft blew it years ago before the One lauched calling an “always connected” system and bundling the expensive and poorly utilized Kinect deiving their pricing over the ps4’s. It didnt help that the launch One was slightly less powerful than the ps4, that just threw gasoline on the fire.

 

[Lounds]

I remember when Microsoft had this attitude and Valve made cross play between PSN and steam for portal 2 and it worked really well.

 

[Vulcanproject]

I don't think it's significant enough for Sony to put themselves out. The potential for lost custom seems relatively low. Not least because we're talking about a freemium game where Sony's overall revenue on it is likely a lot lower than if the game was predominantly a licensed full retail title where Sony take a big cut of every copy AND any DLC sold on their store.

If they weren't dominating this console generation the story would be very different of course.

 

[ghostf1re]

Personally I think Sony's greediness is going to shoot them in the foot in one way or another. I don't think it'll do anything to their business in the current console generation, but the next could be a different story if they don't allow cross-play on at least some of their games. I believe at some point, gamers are going to force their hand due to criticism. Sony has never been a fan of competition in any market, so it's not shocking that they continue to hold out, despite what gamers think about the situation.

I've never been a fan of Fortnite myself, but it's currently a juggernaut of a game in terms of how many people are cracked out on it. It is however, extremely shady of them to lock Fortnite players to their system.

 

[Skjorn]

I quote that movie 2-4 times a week.

 

[m4a4]

They have THE best and most exclusives. Im sure they are making a calculated risk. Some people may jump ship, but those are the same people that would buy and xbox to play microsoft only games like Forza and Halo anyway, and those are the customers they are trying to retain by not letting them crossplay after they dump their PS4’s. So either way they are leaving, but Sony doesnt have to move a muscle. Right? Im not arguing, just seeing it from both sides

Just remember that MS won last gen with the 360, and then they messed up. All it takes is annoying the gamers who buy the consoles.
Games do play a part, but public perception plays the other part.

Ps. PC has the best and most exclusives

 

[TrexAverell]

It seems like cross-play will be one of the main features of the next generation battle

 

[Danny101]

Getting away from exclusives and open cross platform play is a big win for gamers. Choose your favorite platform and play on. It has always been about sales. Non-exclusives cut into that. If platform makers would adopt incremental upgrades similar to the PC, they might increased their sales and allow game development to upgrade alongside. This happened already to some extent with PS4 and X-Box One. Older models will be able to new game, however at a reduced resolution and detail, but doable nevertheless.

 

[Edito]

“However, it seems that goodwill is quickly dissolving and could potentially affect future console sales, great exclusives or not.”

Thats quite a stretch....

However, I would love to be able to play with my one xbox freind in a game along with all my ps4 buds

I hope Sony develop a solution that don't compromise their market share, and if it doesn't work simple block the feature for good and if someone wan't to play with a PS gamer just buy a PS4 and Xbox or switch if that is the case...

I don't like this cross-play thing and I wish sony blocks this feature entirely and come back to it in the beginning of next gen all at the same stage... Microsoft is forcing this because now they don't have market and when Sony wanted this they blocked the feature on 360 that why until today FF XIV is not available on Xbox, they should fix those things before force cross play with playstation.

 

[Edito]

Personally I think Sony's greediness is going to shoot them in the foot in one way or another. I don't think it'll do anything to their business in the current console generation, but the next could be a different story if they don't allow cross-play on at least some of their games. I believe at some point, gamers are going to force their hand due to criticism. Sony has never been a fan of competition in any market, so it's not shocking that they continue to hold out, despite what gamers think about the situation.

I've never been a fan of Fortnite myself, but it's currently a juggernaut of a game in terms of how many people are cracked out on it. It is however, extremely shady of them to lock Fortnite players to their system.

It wont because Sony is giving playstation gamers what they want, high quality games and diversity... and that is not greed it's deliver, now in the other hand microsoft is suffering with their consoles and want to pressure Sony to share their market lol...

 

[stewi0001]

News update! Turns out Sony was talking about cosplay and not cross-play!

(in case you cannot tell, this is a joke ;p )