Sony Blocks Yet Another Game From Cross-Console Play With Xbox One (arstechnica.com)

"Back in June, Sony told Eurogamer that the company did not have 'a profound philosophical stance' against letting PS4 users play games with those on other platforms," reports Ars Technica. "That said, the company's continued refusal to allow for cross-console play between PS4 and Xbox One players has become an absolute and unmistakable trend in recent months." The latest game to be denied by Sony for cross-console play is Ark: Survival Evolved, which comes out of a two-year early access period next week on Windows, Mac, PS4, and Xbox One. From the report: In a Twitter response posted over the weekend, Ark lead designer and programmer Jeremy Stieglitz said that cross-platform play between PS4 and Xbox One is "working internally, but currently Sony won't allow it." This isn't a huge surprise, considering that the developers of Rocket League, Minecraft, and Gwent have made similar statements in recent months. Since Microsoft very publicly opened Xbox Live to easy cross-platform play back in March, Sony has said that it's "happy to have a conversation" about the issue, but it has failed to follow through by allowing any linkage between the two competing consoles (cross-platform play between the PS4 and PC has been available in certain games since the PS4's launch, though).

The question continues to be why, exactly, Sony seems so reluctant to allow any games to work between its own PlayStation Network and Microsoft's Xbox Live. Speaking with Eurogamer in June, Sony's Jim Ryan suggested that, in the case of Minecraft, Sony was wary to expose that game's young players to "external influences we have no ability to manage or look after." Ryan also told Eurogamer that cross-platform decisions were "a commercial discussion between ourselves and other stakeholders." That suggests there may be some financial issues between the parties involved that are preventing cross-console play from moving forward. Perhaps Sony wants someone else to pay for the work required to get its network talking to Microsoft's? The bottom line, though, might be that Sony just doesn't want to partially give away its sizable advantage in console sales by letting Microsoft hook into that vast network of players.

Comments

You have ask why?

[Anonymous Coward]

The question continues to be why, exactly, Sony seems so reluctant to allow any games to work between its own PlayStation Network and Microsoft's Xbox Live

How stupid do you need to be that you need to ask why? There can be only one reason: MONEY.

PSN has more players than XBL, letting both play with each other benefits Microsoft much more than Sony. Why would Sony do something this stupid?

This is Karma, having abused its leading Windows market share for decades, this is just a small taste of their own medicine for Microsoft.

Re: You have ask why?

[Anonymous Coward]

Indeed, whoever is so STUPID as to give SONY their money deserves all their grief. Stop supporting companies that have no respect for you or the law, ie: SONY.

Re: You have ask why?

[Calydor]

How many deliberate rootkits have those three companies sold?

Re: You have ask why?

[Mordaximus]

How many deliberate rootkits have those three companies sold?

Does Windows count as a rootkit? How about Internet Explorer?

Re: You have ask why?

[AmiMoJo]

This is why I only play on old consoles that I can completely hack and open up. The games tend to be better anyway.

Re: You have ask why?

[drinkypoo]

The games tend to be better anyway.

I think it's more that you know which games are better, and you can get your hands on them affordably. There's lots of games more compelling today than what you could get on (for example) the Amiga 1200 that I've been dicking with lately. But as they become abandonware, games of the era actually become easier to find...

Re: You have ask why?

[Anonymous Coward]

How much spyware and adware does Sony try to cram down everyone's throat with their PC monopoly? How many developers are Sony treating like utter shit and restricting with their console monopoly? How many DRM filled and always online single-player games are Sony selling?

Re: You have ask why?

[halivar]

You're forgiven and forgotten SecuROM pretty quickly.

Re: You have ask why?

[DontBeAMoran]

You forgot Clippy.

Re: You have ask why?

[CronoCloud]

I think it's more that you know which games are better, and you can get your hands on them affordably.

Exactly.

Re:You have ask why?

[MBGMorden]

As a consumer I don't care what is good for the company - I care what is good for ME. Having more players to play against is always a good thing - particularly as games age and their playerbase drops off. I already own both consoles, but this decision alone basically means that if the game is available in both places, I'll buy it for Xbox.

Microsoft may be no saint, but they've listened to their customers in the past. When the initial "internet connection is required" bit was announced and the internet was in an uproar, they walked that back. When the Xbox One originally came with a Kinect that no one wanted, they released a version without it.

Sony on the other hand has pulled this and the removal of Linux support years after the PS3 shipped.

Re: You have ask why?

[Grishnakh]

Indeed, whoever is so STUPID as to give SONY their money deserves all their grief. Stop supporting companies that have no respect for you or the law, ie: SONY.

Agreed. That also goes for Microsoft. Don't give money to either one of them. They're both equally bad; arguing over which is worse is like arguing Hitler vs. Stalin.

Re: You have ask why?

[stealth_finger]

How much spyware and adware does Sony try to cram down everyone's throat with their PC monopoly? How many developers are Sony treating like utter shit and restricting with their console monopoly? How many DRM filled and always online single-player games are Sony selling?

Apart from the pc monopoly the answers are probably pretty similar.

Re: You have ask why?

[Captain Splendid]

Ah yes, this is the quality analysis I come here for: comparing two large companies who use time-honoured methods to benefit their bottom line to two of the worst mass murderers of the twentieth century.

Stay classy, slashdot!

Re: You have ask why?

[wardrich86]

It sucks because they have the better console. But the best solution is to just ditch consoles and join the PCMR.

Re: You have ask why?

[Raistlin77]

Ah yes, this is the typical Slashdotter that can't comprehend English: mistaking a simple analogy as a direct comparison.

Grishnakh isn't comparing apples (Microsoft) to oranges (Hitler), (s)he is saying that comparing apples (Microsoft) to apples (Sony) is like comparing oranges (Hitler) to oranges (Stalin).

Re: You have ask why?

[Anonymous Coward]

audio CD rootkit. I had to reinstall windows 98. something only 90's kids will remember.

Fail. The best you got is something from decades ago that isn't even spyware or adware. Microsoft, Nintendo and Valve are evil _right now_.

No Man's Sky... The Chuck Norris of bad games.

Fail. No Man's Sky is not made or controlled by Sony and is DRM-free on GOG.com, try again.

Re: You have ask why?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll give you a little education, son.

Back before you were born, Nintendo used to restrict developers from making games for any other console under threat of litigation. Those developers were generally treated very poorly by Nintendo as well, since they couldn't go anywhere.

Also before you were born, Valve started selling games via a DRM platform called "Steam". Many of these games were single player yet still require the user to have an internet connection and phone home just to play.

Sony hasn't ever done any of those things.

Re: You have ask why?

[meerling]

Those are not rootkits whether you like them or not.

Sony on the other hand has rootkitted unsuspecting users.

I also live in a city where Sony once had a business. They are really hated here as they can't be trusted at all. They bounced paychecks 4 times (I know of 3, but people who work for them swear it was 4). They had gotten huge payoffs and tax incentives from the city in the first place (something I think isn't right, but that's another story), and then about halfway through the time they demanded even more or they'd bail. The city said no, we have an agreement, you already got your free money. Sony bailed. Lot of people got seriously screwed by Sony, and they are pretty unpopular here.
Yes, this is in the USA.

Sure, I don't like some of the things Microsoft has done, but Sony is pure scum!

Re: You have ask why?

[Anonymous Coward]

Which developers did Sony treat like shit and forbid from producing games for other systems? Where are all of the single player Playstation games that need an internet connection for DRM?

Oh, that's right, they don't exist. In fact you can thank Sony for making such fools of Microsoft that Microsoft had to reverse position in regard to Xbone games single console lock-in.

Re: You have ask why?

[Stormwatch]

Does Windows count as a rootkit?

That "is Windows a virus"? joke has been around since the 90s.

Re: You have ask why?

[Captain Splendid]

Grishnakh isn't comparing apples (Microsoft) to oranges (Hitler), (s)he is saying that comparing apples (Microsoft) to apples (Sony) is like comparing oranges (Hitler) to oranges (Stalin).

You are correct. He is, however comparing Apple vs Microsoft to Hitler vs Stalin. Which is exactly the kind of pointless hyperbole over basic, boring corporate decisions that keeps him a virgin.

Re:You have ask why?

[Anonymous Coward]

Did you know that a PS3 controller will not work under Windows without extensive 3rd party tools and tweaking? The PS3 controller uses standard Bluetooth, so why doesn't it just work like it does under other operating systems? Because Microsoft are dicks and went out of their way to purposefully prevent PS3 controllers from working under Windows. I don't have a PS4 controller to test, but I bet it's the same story there.

Microsoft is a shitty company with borderline legal products.

Re: You have ask why?

[Jason1729]

The best part of Sony is your wish will be granted. With proprietary lock in once you start, you just can't stop giving Sony money.

Last photo course I took the guy with the Sony DSLR had to buy a $250 adapter to use the studio strobe radio trigger....same trigger plugged right into our Nikons and Canons.

Enjoy your memory stick duo, rootkit CDs and proprietary audio formats.

It is amazing that Sony is trying to release a single-board computer to the hobbiest market. Every single customer in their target group hates them with a passion.

Re: You have ask why?

[pots]

Weak. Sony has done a lot of bad things, but that does not vindicate their competitors. Microsoft is right up their with Sony.

On the other hand, Valve is at least somewhat less despicable and I have no idea what beef the grandparent has with Nintendo. At their worst, they've been kind of naive in some respects (online crap, child safety hoopla), but they've never done anything that I can think of to really betray the trust of their customers.

PS4/XB1 game developer here

[Anonymous Coward]

Been there, professional game developer here, we had cross-play working between PS4 and XB1 almost 2 years ago, and it looked like Sony might go for it back then. Today, everyone knows it's not happening. This game developer is looking for publicity, is all. Sony have explained why to them, they're just pretending not to know, and they can't say anyway because of all the NDAs.

The issue isn't getting Sony's network to talk to Microsoft's. The networks don't have to talk at all. Our servers can handle connections from our client on any platform. All we need is basic UDP. (There's no "PC network" that they have to talk to to get PS4/PC cross play working either, of course.)

Sony allow PS4 cross play with PC but not with live chat. They can't have you talking to PSN members unless there's a facility to be reported and blocked. So PS4/PC cross play is missing a key feature already because of this. We dropped it for this reason.

With XBL, Microsoft announced this when it was clear that XB1 had dramatically undersold PS4 globally. It was pretty obvious from day one it wouldn't fly with Sony. Why would they give Microsoft a helping hand? The entire thing is a political move from Microsoft, it never was a feature that would ever happen. Note that the biggest name on the complainants list - Minecraft - is owned by Microsoft.

It's pretty simple. If you've got 4 PS4s for every XB1, Sony want the XB1 user to buy a PS4. They don't want to hand that XB1 user new features on a plate so that they don't have to buy a PS4. Call it lock-in, or call it common sense. They want to capitalize on their market domination, not throw it away. If MS were winning this console cycle, of course, the boot would be on the other foot. MS never suggested this feature between PS3 and X360, even though it was just as technically viable then as it is now. It's just never going to happen between two rabidly competing entities in a billion-dollar market.

Re:PS4/XB1 game developer here

[Talderas]

Sony allow PS4 cross play with PC but not with live chat. They can't have you talking to PSN members unless there's a facility to be reported and blocked. So PS4/PC cross play is missing a key feature already because of this. We dropped it for this reason.

Could you elaborate what you mean by this? I have to look at FF14 as an example of PS4/PC crossplay. I am aware that there's a PSN messaging, chat, and voice service that PS4 FF14 users can use and communicate which PC players cannot gain access to, but the PS4 users can also communicate with PC users using chat windows. They may have to use a shitty software keyboard but they definitely can communicate anything they want as long as it can be expressed in text.

Re:PS4/XB1 game developer here

[CronoCloud]

They may have to use a shitty software keyboard but they definitely can communicate anything they want as long as it can be expressed in text.

The Sony machines have USB (and Bluetooth for the PS3/PS4) for keyboards. Any game or application that uses the standard PS3/PS4 text entry widget automatically supports external keyboards. Hell, even the PS2's network adapter setup disc supported USB keyboards.

Re:PS4/XB1 game developer here

[Talderas]

Yes, the PS4 supports it. It's also not relevant to the question, whether they're using a shitty software keyboard or a hardware keyboard plugged in via USB the PS4 players can use the in game chat functions of FF14 to communicate with PC players. I'm seeking more information about what the AC meant when he wrote

Sony allow PS4 cross play with PC but not with live chat. They can't have you talking to PSN members unless there's a facility to be reported and blocked. So PS4/PC cross play is missing a key feature already because of this. We dropped it for this reason.

Did they drop cross play because they didn't want to create an in game method for PC and PS4 users to communicate? Were they wanting to use a voice service facilitated by the game that PS4 users couldn't connect to because the PS4 keeps a lock on the voice traffic?

Re:PS4/XB1 game developer here

[stealth_finger]

Sony allow PS4 cross play with PC but not with live chat. They can't have you talking to PSN members unless there's a facility to be reported and blocked. So PS4/PC cross play is missing a key feature already because of this. We dropped it for this reason.

Why would you drop it just for that when there are workarounds and voice chat is one of the most underused non-essential features ever?

Re:PS4/XB1 game developer here

[LeftCoastThinker]

Another name for it is monopoly/near monopoly (they have ~75% of the console market) and/or interference with commerce, both of which can get you into trouble. IMHO Sony corporate are a bunch of greedy idiots who treat their customers no better than Microsoft. The Sony gaming division is essentially a US run company now and in general has made a lot of good choices for the PS4. It would be interesting to see how a class action/federal anti-trust investigation would play out in this scenario.

Alternatively, I would love to see developers start selling cross platform games (buy our game once and get it on any console and PC) via a single disc and digital unlock codes similar to what you get with multi-format bluray discs (bluray, DVD and digital iTunes and digital Ultraviolet).

Market Leader

[Luthair]

Sony is the market leader in this generation of consoles, by blocking cross-platform play they keep the players available for online play on the XboxOne version low which further hurts the perception of the console.

Re:Market Leader

[thegarbz]

Sony is the market leader in this generation of consoles

Yes they are, but when you consider the PC as something people also use to play games then Microsoft happily makes up the gap.

Re:Market Leader

[MeNeXT]

So frustrating current users is a good business model?

Re:Market Leader

[slinches]

As long as it frustrates users of the competition's products more, yes.

Now if people decide that these sorts of shenanigans are enough to keep them from buying any of the products, that would no longer hold. Unless we start holding these companies accountable for customer hostile policies, why would we expect them to change?

Re:Market Leader

[Arashi256]

Exactly this. Honestly, I'm sure all developers want as many players as possible for their games regardless of platform. But if you release a game on a specific platform that isn't a PC, you're going to have to abide by the platform-holder's rules. That's not the developer's fault. And Sony isn't going to hand their sizable player-base to Microsoft because that only benefits Microsoft. The player-base count is part of the platform proposition - why would Sony add value to Microsoft's product when they'd much rather those XB1 users bought a PS4?

Re:No mention of Linux

[stealth_finger]

For those that are interested Ark is also out on early-access on SteamOS/Linuxflavorofchoice. Though there is no mention in the article. Not too surprising...

Because the article is more about cross play and sony than it is about ark or minecraft.

Giving MS a helping hand?

[Viol8]

" It was pretty obvious from day one it wouldn't fly with Sony. Why would they give Microsoft a helping hand?"

Err, isn't this about giving GAMERS a helping hand, or have you forgotten about them , you know, the people who ultimately pay your wages?

Re:Giving MS a helping hand?

[someone1234]

Obviously you can say "fuck off" because you are not afraid that your company will ever die because of its blatant neglect of its paying customers.

Re:Giving MS a helping hand?

[spire3661]

Wow, you really are an asshole. Even if your arguments had merit(they dont), you come off as a petty child who doesnt understand consumer optics.

Re:Giving MS a helping hand?

[stealth_finger]

" It was pretty obvious from day one it wouldn't fly with Sony. Why would they give Microsoft a helping hand?"

Err, isn't this about giving GAMERS a helping hand, or have you forgotten about them , you know, the people who ultimately pay your wages?

Developers, publishers and platform holders are very different beasts.

Re:Giving MS a helping hand?

[Grishnakh]

Err, isn't this about giving GAMERS a helping hand, or have you forgotten about them , you know, the people who ultimately pay your wages?

Why should they give two shits about the gamers? The gamers are all happy to line up to pay $$$ for these systems and games, no matter how badly they're treated.

Re:Giving MS a helping hand?

[stealth_finger]

Obviously you can say "fuck off" because you are not afraid that your company will ever die because of its blatant neglect of its paying customers.

Did you not read the comments or have a vague understanding of how it works. I'm not a developer in any way shape or form but even I know that regardless of if a developer wanted to give you a 1000+ hour game, fully featured, all bells and whistles, even sucks you off and all for free, if sony (or ms (consoles only)) says no. It ain't gunna happen. End of.

Re: Giving MS a helping hand?

[stealth_finger]

Not OP.

I own a multi-million dollar game shop.

Well then your lot need to fuck off insisting digital versions price match physical to keep your business alive.

Re: Giving MS a helping hand?

[BronsCon]

Yes, and the XBone owner will buy a game he maybe wouldn't have if he can play it with his PS4-owning friends. Of course, then one or two of them who haven't bought it yet will buy it because more of their friends are interacting and playing it, which means a greater potential benefit to Sony... all by agreeing to something that benefits the end users: gamers.

This is something these large corporations have seemingly forgotten. What's good for your customer is good for your company. That holds true so long as you properly define customer. When you cease to profit from someone, they no longer fit that definition. When you piss them off or refuse to give them what they want, you cease to profit from them. Likewise if you deliver goods or services that cost more than you're charging, but we're very clearly on the "piss off and refuse" side of the scale by quire a large margin; a large enough margin that we would all clearly benefit from swinging the other way for a while.

Re:Giving MS a helping hand?

[BronsCon]

How does your company pay your wages? Do they have a press in the back that just fucking prints money? No, I'm guessing they don't, in which case... ultimately... it's customers who pay your wages. Without them paying the company, the company has no money to pay you. Dumbass.

Millennial?

Re: Giving MS a helping hand?

[Arashi256]

Nativity? The glasses of Christmas-past?

Re:Giving MS a helping hand?

[Arashi256]

Oh, please. The developer above clearly would be happy for this to happen. He was explaining why it won't....and it's down to common sense business from Sony (or just as easily Microsoft, if they were winning this cycle). You're looking for some righteous indignation where none exists.

Business as Usual

[zifn4b]

Both Sony and XBox One are interested in selling Playstation Plus and Xbox Live subscriptions to access online game play elements and additional content. The cross-platform multiplayer design runs directly counter against that business model. It's all about money. Nothing new.

Re:Business as Usual

[rmdingler]

It's all about money. Nothing new.

Speaking with Eurogamer in June, Sony's Jim Ryan suggested that, in the case of Minecraft, Sony was wary to expose that game's young players to "external influences we have no ability to manage or look after."

Clearly, you missed the part where it's all about the children.

More likely explanation

[DeplorableCodeMonkey]

might be that Sony just doesn't want to partially give away its sizable advantage in console sales by letting Microsoft hook into that vast network of players

The XBox X has them scared because it represents a new step toward merging console and PC gaming for average buyers. That means you get into Microsoft's orbit and suddenly you find that you're part of a much bigger ecosystem than Sony can put together now.

Re:More likely explanation

[DontBeAMoran]

Buy saying "lock-in" implies there's a key to open it. Call it what it really is: "Vendor prison".

Curious

[DontBeAMoran]

Does anyone at Sony know that Final Fantasy XIV allows PS4, Windows and Mac players at the same time? I'm pretty sure that covers their fears of "external influences we have no ability to manage or look after."

Re:Curious

[Megane]

But it doesn't allow Xbone players, does it? That's the whole point here, they just don't want to share. And I see no reference to a Mac client anywhere, unless you're claiming that running Boot Camp is "Mac players".

Re:Curious

[DontBeAMoran]

https://store.na.square-enix.c...

Re:Curious

[CronoCloud]

Not just FFXIV, War Thunder (PS4, PC-Windows, MacOS, Linux) and DCUO (PS4, PS3, Windows) as well.

Re:Like Microsoft's phone ecosystem?

[DontBeAMoran]

PS4 has sold many more units than the XBox One and the gap is growing very rapidly.

Not around where I live. I know one person with a PS4, four people with an Xbox One and three people with a Nintendo Switch.

Easy solution:

[Qbertino]

Don't buy proprietary lock-in platforms, such as PS, XBox, etc.

We need a console that doesn't suck and lasts for a little longer than just a few years. I'm kinda hoping the new Atari reboot will be that. Ouya was a faliure, sadly. The emphasised to much on the "free" aspect AFAICT.

Re:Easy solution:

[CronoCloud]

and lasts for a little longer than just a few years.

US release dates for PlayStation hardware
PlayStation: September 9th, 1995 ENOS LIVES
PS2: October 26th, 2000
PS3: November 17th, 2006
PS4: November 15th, 2013

So 5, 6 and 7 years respectively aren't long enough considering that many PC gamers thought the extended PS2/PS3 lifespan "held gaming back"

Re:Easy solution:

[Merk42]

and those dates are only when the successer was released. PS1 games were still being made after the PS2 release, PS2 after the PS3 release, etc.

Re:Easy solution:

[spire3661]

Really? Shadows of War and Alien:Isolation suck? Rocket League sucks??

Re:Easy solution:

[Arab]

That's all good a well, but your graphics card cost twice what a PS4 does.

Re:Easy solution:

[spire3661]

Please enlighten us as to what you consider 'good'.

Re:Easy solution:

[erapert]

Total War: Shogun 2 and Attilla and Empire?
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided?
XCOM and XCOM 2?
Metro 2033 and Last Light?
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor?
Pillars of Eternity?
All the Valve games?
Chivalry: Medieval Warfare?
Antichamber?
HITMAN (2016)?
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings?

And those are just some of the games I have in my own collection on Steam. There's way more out there.

I won't say Linux is up to par with Windows for the sheer number of titles. But if you've got more games on the platform than you have time to play then what more could you ask for???

Re:Easy solution:

[drinkypoo]

Ouya was a faliure, sadly. The emphasised to much on the "free" aspect AFAICT.

I don't know if you ever owned one, but the hardware was lousy, especially early on but fundamentally as well. And not only was the software lackluster, but they fiddled around replacing the dashboard multiple times when there were fundamental problems with the system. They also refused to unify their controller API with Google, so developers had to implement controllers twice. Then Google brought out Play Games and the rest was history for Ouya. It's questionable whether there was anything they could have done to survive once that happened.

Re: Like Microsoft's phone ecosystem?

[DontBeAMoran]

You're welcome!

I wonder

[ckatko]

If this factored into Player Unknown's Battlegrounds decision to go Xbox Exclusive instead of originally stating planned support both PS4 and Xbox support.

They said cross-platform play was important to them. (Of course being the #1 or #2 most popular selling game on Steam means they could probably get away with segmented players. However, maybe it's easier from a server standpoint with "one" codebase as far as server's clients go?)

The thing is, I thought PS4 had a larger market. Or perhaps Xbox has more "FPS" players?

Granted, a key factor is that Microsoft is "publishing" PUBG on Xbox which means they probably paid a CRAP TON of money to buy exclusive licensing for a year or more. But if you're making hundreds of millions, you'd be damn sure to consider all the factors. And my point is, I wonder if this story is one of those factors.

Re:I wonder

[Anonymous Coward]

Xbox One has a larger percentage of FPS players on it, however it has very little penetration overseas.

For PUBG this isn't an issue since the type of gameplay within the game is frowned upon in most asian countries and will most likely be banned in China. In South Korea most people who play FPS's have migrated to PC's anyhow, and Japan was never going to be a place with a lot of buyers for this type of game. So for them it's easy to forget about PS4.

Re:Wonder about technical considerations...

[Anonymous Coward]

Regarding this topic there was an Xbox Live Vs. Playstation Network study by IHS Markit in 2016: http://compass.xbox.com/assets/9d/cb/9dcb5ba2-b779-4969-b5cc-3772140825e0.pdf?n=WhitePaper_Xbox%20Live%20vs.%20PlayStation%20Network-DRAFT-V4-.pdf

While the login, matchmaking/finding players and uninterrupted play is more reliable on Xbox Live, I doubt that PlayStation players could feel a difference or tell if they are more lagged during the game (while the game is connected to the developer's servers). And even if that would be the case, most players would blame the developers for providing a better support for one system compared to the other.

This shouldn't surprise anyone

[flink]

In the XBox360/PS3 generation, when the 360 was in the lead, the roles of the two companies were exactly reversed. Sony was saying they'd love to enable cross platform play and MS was making disingenuous excuses for why they couldn't: "for the good of the players".

The only way this is ever going to happen is if the two companies see a common interest in working together. If the console market as a whole took a nose dive in favor of PC online gaming, for example, they might see a benefit in keeping multiplayer queues full by enabling cross console play. Or if MS and Sony were neck and neck and Nintendo was way out ahead of them, then they might see a benefit.

But as it is right now, all enabling cross platform play will do for Sony is allow people who already own XBoxes to forgo buying a PS4 as a secondary console. Or worse, allow new console purchasers to choose their console solely on price, and not who has the largest installed base to play with.

I'm not saying I agree with it, but I understand their position. With Scorpio coming out and PS4 losing the edge in graphical capability, the PS4's major advantage in the eyes of the average consumer is that (all else being equal), more of their friends probably already own a PS4, so they will have more people to play with on that platform. No way is Sony going to voluntarily erase that advantage.

PC Master Race? Keyboard+Mouse Controller

[Anonymous Coward]

I remember a story a while back where cross platform was allowed between PC and PS4 users in a FPS game but it was short lived due to the fact that Keyboard+Mouse users were destroying players using console controllers.

I wonder if they may be worried that the console wars could translate into some sort of real online war in which their users might again be on the loosing side?

It's Sony

[meglon]

They don't need a reason to fuck things up, hell, they don't even need to try... it just comes naturally to them.

Re:PC Master Race? Keyboard+Mouse Controller

[wierd_w]

The problem is that some enterprising person could set up a PC to act as a relay between the networks, and it would be difficult to police.

Re:No mention of Linux

[BronsCon]

With cross-platform play these functions need to be reimplemented in the game and some are outright impossible to get.

Aye, well, today that's true. Once we have cross platform play, the various platforms can tout their own benefits, such as those you listed here, and users of one platform will jump to another if they like the features they see there (to which they're currently blind) better. Of course, then the losing platform will implement the feature and win those users back, the formerly-winning platform becomes the new losing platform and opens up their implementation, then everyone implements it in an interoperable way and we all win.

That's the endgame with corss-platform gaming, and that's why Sony doesn't like it.

Er what, Sony pioneered this stuff, MS refused

[HalAtWork]

Back on PS2 Sony worked with Square to allow
cross platform play with PC for FFXI, 360 had the game too but MS refused to link up and stayed off by themselves.

Because of that FFXIV did not come to Xbox platforms

PS3 Sony partnered with Valve to bring cross platform multiplayer, chat, achievements, etc allowing Steam to work across PS3 and PC. Again MS refused.

Gearbox wanted Borderlands 2 to work across all platforms, and here is what MS had to say via Kotaku:

"Here's a Microsoft spokesperson saying "no," while promoting how awesome the Xbox 360's online service is: "Xbox Live delivers the best entertainment experience unmatched by anyone else, with 35 million actively engaged members. We have a high level of expectation for our game developers to ensure that all Live experiences remain top notch. Because we can't guarantee this level of quality, or control the player experience on other consoles or gaming networks, we currently do not open our network to games that allow this cross-over capability.""

Now this generation, Sony helped launch Rocket Cars as a free download on PSN and it had cross platform play with PC. Same with Street Fighter V

So is it really any wonder now that MS is playing runner up that Sony got fed up of this fair weather crap and gave MS the very same excuse that MS gave back in the day?

So why again is Sony getting shit for this?

Re:Er what, Sony pioneered this stuff, MS refused

[JD-1027]

So why again is Sony getting shit for this?

Because there is literally no good reason for not supporting it besides greed over customer satisfaction? Thus, they deserve every bit of it. Don't rationalize bad behavior away for anyone or anything.

Re:PC Master Race? Keyboard+Mouse Controller

[BronsCon]

So you're saying they could connect a PC to both the PC+PS4 network and the PS4-only network? Why can't that same enterprising developer simply set that same PC up as a proxy to connect their gaming PC to the PS4-only network today, then? Is it because you're spouting bullshit? I think it's because you're spouting bullshit. Stop spouting bullshit.

FFXI link

[HalAtWork]

For some reason I messed up the FFXI link in my post so here it is: http://ca.ign.com/articles/200...

So No PC Gaming / Console Intermingling Either?

[Scarletdown]

I suppose if these sociopaths cockblock interconsole online gaming, the odds of PSN/XB Live/PC gaming is still years away?

It would be so glorious for games like Neverwinter and Star Trek Online to be played online cross platform. Granted, we would see a lot more whining and "nerf herding" from the console crowd, but that would be part of the fun, eh? :D

My Space Elf and the crew of the RRW Cheshire Goose would enjoy pwning their space butts (at least once I get back into Star Trek when I don't have a ton of other stuff going on out in the real world. ;)

Kessillia and Crew

Apologies for Shutterfly. I recently fired PhotoBucket and can't upload any more there since that put me way over quota.

And apologies for Kessy being in her swimwear for the group photo. She has been parked on Risa since the end of the Summer Event this year, and can't be arsed to get changed yet or leave. ;)

Compatibility goes both ways

[Just Some Guy]

My kid has a Xbone because that's the predominant platform at his school. All his friends have that, so to play online with them he got the same thing. By axing cross-platform compatibility, they've cut the odds of us switching to PlayStation to approximately 0.00%.

Which is a pity because Sony has a lot of great properties that I'm sure we'd enjoy. But if switching - and no, we're not buying into both platforms - means that my son can't play with his friends then it's just not happening.

Blatant Lies

[AntiSol]

Sony's Jim Ryan suggested that, in the case of Minecraft, Sony was wary to expose that game's young players to "external influences we have no ability to manage or look after."

Sooooooo... what you're saying is that the PS4 doesn't do web browsing? I could have sworn it did...

Why is sony even involved?

[mysidia]

How about you have developers write games that connect to their OWN servers and network infrastructure: instead of depending on some game server system provided by Sony, then Sony's servers don't have a choice to refuse cross-console interoperability; the developers' servers can act as brokers behind the scenes using a protocol that is standardized regardless of endpoint.

At that point Sony can (probably) do nothing to stop without running afoul of anti-trust regulations.

Greenlight program

[HalAtWork]

No, PUBG went to Xbox because they have an unfinished games program, Sony doesn't let unfinished games in its store

Re:Greenlight program

[ckatko]

Thank you for your insight. That's pretty neat.

Although, do you have a source for that? Are you sure they weren't planning on releasing on PS4 and calling the game "finished" by that date? The game is already "beta" and barring a couple more maps and vaulting, it's basically finished--at least finished enough that you could call it finished.

Re:Greenlight program

[HalAtWork]

Well there is historical evidence to support it with other recent games https://aotf.com/news/sony-won...

They do allow betas though on PS+ for which users may play a near final multiplayer portion of a game

I'm not sure how the lines are drawn, I mean PUBG is multiplayer only, but maybe is not feature complete so that could be the issue here

What I've Been Saying From The Start

[grimfate]

- Playstation has a huge lead this generation, which means most people are on their platform.
- That lead means Playstation will have the most people online, which will likely include a decent number of people who abandoned Xbox.
- If you're an Xbox hold-out and you want the largest multiplayer pool of gamer and/or your friends have jumped to Playstation, you need to consider Playstation.
But then:
- Sony allows cross-platform multiplayer between Playstation and Xbox games.
- You can play your Xbox games against your Playstation friends and its large player pool.
- You no longer need to consider switching to Playstation, because the only reason you were considering it just evaporated.