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Xbox Live Now Supports Cross-Platform Multiplayer With PS4 (techcrunch.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the together-and-it-feels-so-good dept.

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.

3 of 105 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Unique names by darkain · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Or just handle the way Email/Jabber does. name@service

  2. This might backfire on MS by Dorianny · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Cross platform development studios rarely dedicate resources to optimize their games for the Xbox one funky slow memory and super-fast cache architecture as a result titles often experience more graphic slowdowns and stutters on the Xbox one than the PS4. . This will put FPS players and other Fast action titles on the Xbox one at a disadvantage over the PS4 owners. If players feel that they can't compete with their friends because of the deficiency of their console Microsoft is going to be blasted with negative publicity

  3. Dreamcast Was First... Or Was It? by nz17 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "Xbox Live was the first successful multiplayer network for consoles."

    I'm calling bologna on that. SEGA's network, SegaNet, was the first successful multiplayer network for consoles... by a 1st-party company in all three major regions. But before that, Sega Meganet was the first successful multiplayer network for consoles... by a 1st-party company (Japan and Brazil). But before that, Xband was the first successful multiplayer network for consoles... and it worked on multiple platforms (Nintendo's SNES + SEGA's Genesis / Mega Drive).

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    --
    Most men are not thought unwise until they speak.