Slashdot Mirror
Xbox Live Now Supports Cross-Platform Multiplayer With PS4 (techcrunch.com)
An anonymous reader writes from an article on TechCrunch: Microsoft just announced that game developers can now create cross-platform multiplayer modes that work with other consoles and operating systems. So it means that the next Call of Duty or FIFA could feature a multiplayer mode that works with both Xbox and Playstation gamers. It just depends on developers now. Microsoft has historically restricted cross-platform play as the Xbox Live was the first successful multiplayer network for consoles. And yet, Microsoft is now lagging behind the Playstation 4 with its Xbox One. By opening up cross-platform multiplayer, Microsoft could convince late adopters to buy an Xbox One even though their friends have a PlayStation 4. It's also a way to make sure that there are enough plays for less popular games. It's unclear how developers are supposed to deal with duplicated PlayStation Network and Xbox Live screen names.
"because the hardware was actually leagues ahead of pc's at the time"
No it wasn't. The original XBox was a gimped 733 MHz Celeron with a modded GeForce 3 (only had specular capabilities added) and shipped in November 2001 - in a time when PCs were already using Pentium 4 (November 2000) processors and their GeForce 3 had the same power, and the GeForce 4 was literally right around the corner. PCs had typically double to triple the RAM an XBox had.
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
Sony doesn't have any qualms about cross platforming. The only reason Elder Scrolls Online does not cross platform was because Microsoft didn't want their players playing with PS4 players. Sony was willing to do the cross platform.