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PlayStation 4 Changes Crossplay Policy, Begins Fortnite Testing (venturebeat.com)

Posted by msmash on from the better-late-than-never dept.

Sony announced this week a major policy shift regarding crossplay with other consoles. PlayStation 4 previously wouldn't allow online games to connect to Xbox One or Switch players. This week, Sony is starting a beta test for Fortnite crossplay. From a report: Crossplay between consoles once seemed like a fantasy, but Xbox One and Switch have enabled people to play together for games like Fortnite and Rocket League. PlayStation 4 would permit crossplay with PC players, but it refused to connect to other consoles. Sony's excuse stated that such crossplay would hamper its capability to deliver a consistent experience. But the decision drew criticism from PS4 fans, especially those that were angry when they tried to install Fortnite on their Switch and found out they couldn't carry over their PS4 progress.

23 of 44 comments (clear)

  1. Sony's full of shit by TheCastro1689 · · Score: 2

    Twitch was (might still be) blocked on PS4 from watching the streams of Xbox and others gameplay as well. Sony just wants to control it's ecosystem and get people to buy Sony. I'm surprised they gave into the pressure.

    1. Re:Sony's full of shit by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      In reality, they just don't want people to know that their consoles are aging pretty badly.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re:Sony's full of shit by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      Why wouldn't that apply to the Xbox One's as well? or the Switch, which has more in common with the Vita than the PS4/Xbox

    3. Re:Sony's full of shit by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Because the story is about the Sony Playstation and I try to stay on topic?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  2. Their hand was forced by olsmeister · · Score: 1

    Once other platforms start allowing crossplay, they have to as well or watch their customers migrate to where they are not as restricted.

    1. Re:Their hand was forced by AmiMoJo · · Score: 2

      Won't PS4 players be at a big disadvantage against people using a keyboard and mouse on PC/XBOX though?

      Or can you connect a keyboard and mouse to the PS4 as well?

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    2. Re:Their hand was forced by known_coward_69 · · Score: 1

      if my kids' school is any indication, most fortnite players are under 12

    3. Re:Their hand was forced by DrXym · · Score: 1
      I expect more likely they got Epic to not try and fuck them over by cross promoting, or allowing PS4 players to purchase items or season passes from outside of the PSN store.

      That's essentially what it boiled down to. Epic are doing the same on Android, stepping entirely outside of the Play store so they can sell items without paying anything to Google for doing so. I imagine Sony were more than a little bit worried about the same thing happening to them.

    4. Re:Their hand was forced by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You can connect a mouse and keyboard to the ps4.

    5. Re:Their hand was forced by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      I expect more likely they got Epic to not try and fuck them over by cross promoting, or allowing PS4 players to purchase items or season passes from outside of the PSN store.

      That's essentially what it boiled down to. Epic are doing the same on Android, stepping entirely outside of the Play store so they can sell items without paying anything to Google for doing so. I imagine Sony were more than a little bit worried about the same thing happening to them.

      Unlike Google and Android, the PS4 is a closed ecosystem. If you do something Sony doesn't like, Sony can contractually enforce you to fix it, or unilaterally remove the game from distributi0on and likely revoke it so the next firmware version will block it.

      What's likely happened is Epic limits Fortnite to PS4 players only, while PC, Switch, mobile, Xbox, etc players are all playing together. Which means there's a ton more players of crossplay fortnite than PS4-only players.

    6. Re:Their hand was forced by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      I've said this many many times on Slashdot: The PS2/PS3/PS4 all have USB ports for a reason. Sony has also supported mouse and/or keyboard on their Playstation hardware LONGER than Microsoft has on the Xbox. YEARS, when Microsoft has only decided to announce support this week.The first game that will support alternate controls on Xbox will be Warframe next month. I have PS2 games with mouse/keyboard support. For both platforms, the developer has the final decision. Some games will some won't.

      On the PS4, Fortnite is one of the games that already does, in both Battle Royale and Save the World modes. In Battle Royale, if PS4 owners join a queue by using a mouse, they are queued with PC players, though at any time they can switch to controller.

      If they start a BR queue using the controller, they are queued with other console users, and may not switch to keyboard/mouse controls.

      Save the World is PVE, so controls don't matter and aren't restricted.

    7. Re:Their hand was forced by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      For battle royale, yes. The game has pixar-ish looking graphics so it passes the "mom glances at game to see if theres any blood/sex/pentagrams" test. Even though Battle Royale is inspired by the R-rated the film Battle Royale itself

      Really young kids shouldn't be playing since the game is T rated. If I had my druthers every kid caught playing it should be banned...permanently. They're a plague in the original Save the World mode. which is the more complex team based PVE shooter/rpg/tower/defense/sandbox mode that came FIRST.

      The BRats only play STW to earn vbucks for BR and they know jack shit about RPG's so they suck and engage in disruptive behavior.

    8. Re: Their hand was forced by nmo.marques · · Score: 1

      They dont. Check what Chronusmax Plus is. The scourge of console gaming.

  3. Elite: Dangerous PC/XBox/PS4/Mac crossplay? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Let's hope that Elite: Dangerous (the game that made the wait for Duke Nukem Forever seem like a couple of seconds) is next.

    1. Re:Elite: Dangerous PC/XBox/PS4/Mac crossplay? by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      Crossplay? It's Dukina Nukem.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
  4. Re:Video games are for children and loser adults by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    I've tried all the things you mention.

    They're overrated.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  5. Re:Video games are for children and loser adults by Ogive17 · · Score: 1

    Shouldn't you be outside getting laid instead of poking fun of others on /. ?

    --
    "Action without philosophy is a lethal weapon; philosophy without action is worthless."
  6. Ugh! by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

    Now I have to play games with PS4 users?

    Bring back the walled gardens, especially the ones that keep the riff-raff trapped inside.

    --
    “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    1. Re:Ugh! by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      It's the supposed PC Master race that's the riff raff, especially the ones outside of North America, Japan and Western Europe. Cheap-ass Brazilian/Thai/etc pirates and grimdark obsessed Russian/Polish/Hungarian/etc edgelords

    2. Re:Ugh! by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      It's the supposed PC Master race that's the riff raff,

      And I'm sure PS4 users believe that. ;-)

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    3. Re:Ugh! by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

      you think that some tennager who plays one level of LoL over and over on a laptop is something special?
      Or the equivalent who plays the Warehouse in TF2, or de.dust in CS?
      or the Korean college dropout hopped up on Adderall playing Starcraft
      or someone who only plays WoW?

      Or what about the guys more interested in playing benchmarks for e-peen points rather than actually playing games?
      Or the guys who brag about the games they buy for 5 bucks on Steam that they never get around to playing.

      And don't get me started on the fact that vast majority of those people above are running Windows. The operating system that some Linux Elitists say is only used by idiot sheeple lusers too stupid to properly admin their own machines.

      Console gamers focus on the games, they don't go around calling PC gamers peasants or "welfare gamers" or using other slurs. Sure there's some console gamers who only do sports games or the brown shooter of the week, but many console gamers play a large and diverse set of games.

      Besides, when Yahtzee created the "Master Race" thing, he was being sarcastic and calling out PC gamers on their elitism! He's said he should have called PC gamer elitists: "PC Gaming Dick Slur All-Stars"

      So go ahead and brag about being a PC gaming dick slurper.

    4. Re:Ugh! by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      by idiot sheeple lusers too stupid to properly admin their own machines.

      I've not met these elitist Linux users you're talking about, but they seem like my kind of crowd.

      [...] de.dust in CS?

      You're supposed to play CS as a 6 hour session with de_dust2 as the only map on the server list. I don't make the rules, that's just how the game is played.

      Or the guys who brag about the games they buy for 5 bucks on Steam that they never get around to playing.

      I have soooo many games from Steam summer sales over the last several years. Some of them I've actually played. Most of those are trash though.

      Console gamers focus on the games, they don't go around calling PC gamers peasants or "welfare gamers" or using other slurs.

      Because it wouldn't make sense to call someone with a sweet rig a "welfare gamer". They stick to other slurs, or to erratic behavior.

      Besides, when Yahtzee created the "Master Race" thing, he was being sarcastic and calling out PC gamers on their elitism!

      Sarcastic? No way. Really? I wonder if I come off as sarcastic too. Do you? Does anyone?

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  7. It's the money by SB5407 · · Score: 1

    Straight from Sony: "we have completed a thorough analysis of the business mechanics required... (Emphasis mine) The money calculus for it being profitable for them to block the Fortnite Xbox and Switch crossplay must have shifted.