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Sony Is the Only Remaining Obstacle To PS4-Xbox Cross-Play (kotaku.com)
In March, Microsoft announced native support for cross-platform play between Xbox One and Windows 10. At the time, the company also added that this support could be extended to "other console and PC networks," something which led people to wonder if truly cross-platform gaming, on any platform, was next. When asked, Sony did say that it was open to the idea. "PlayStation has been supporting cross-platform play between PC on several software titles starting with Final Fantasy 11 on PS2 and PC back in 2002. We would be happy to have the conversation with any publishers or developers who are interested in cross-platform play." But since then, it appears that Sony has had a change of heart, which has resulted in developers asking the company for an update. Kotaku reports: In recent days, the developers behind Rocket League and The Witcher 3 have both called for Sony to break down the walls separating PlayStation Network and Xbox Live and allow cross-platform multiplayer. What's changed in the last few days are developers making an open call for Sony to make good on having that conversation with publishers and developers. In an interview with IGN, Psyonix president Jeremy Dunham explained how the Rocket League developer had already taken care of the technical side of things. "We're literally at the point where all we need is the go-ahead on the Sony side," said Dunham, "and we can, in less than a business day, turn it on and have it up and working no problem. It'd literally take a few hours to propagate throughout the whole world, so really we're just waiting on the permission to do so." In another statement to IGN, CD Projekt RED CEO Marcin Iwinski supported Psyonix.
Microsoft has always been against cross platform and all about walling in their xbox garden to push proffit. This time around they are losing badly on market share and suddenly it makes more business sense to push for cross platform. If they were back on top again they would cut it right back off and tell everyone to stuff it. The articles like this are nothing but a business strategy to put social pressure on sony.
Sony's original comment was obviously talking about Playstation PC cross-platform play. Nothing in their comment indicated they were willing to work with other consoles. Obviously it would be good if they would all play nice together but it's silly to act like Sony had a "change of heart."
There's a reason that MS came up with this idea, and its not because they're such great guys. Its because this benefits the weaker player and they're that guy this time. The advantage of the dominate position is people will buy games for your system first because these systems are multiplayer and other players are part of the value. Less players on the less popular console, less valuable. I wouldn't accuse the Sony execs of not being dumb enough to take the bait, but I think they're greedy enough they won't.
"Forcing people to buy"? Everyone has a choice between Xbox and PlayStation. They've had the same choice for decades. Sony doesn't want to be "embraced and extended" by Microsoft that's also their choice. There is a long list of former Microsoft partners who probably regret their decision to partner with them.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
The title says it all. If Microsoft are now such good people why isn't this cross platform play supported on Windows 7,8 or Linux or Mac? Couldn't it be that Ms is trying to make Windows 10 and Xbox more appealing than the PS4 and just trying to make more money?