The PS4 may have already declared victory over this generation of gaming consoles in terms of overall units sold, but it still lacks a popular feature found just about everywhere else: cross-platform play. As of right now, Xbox One, PC, mobile and Switch gamers can all hop into the same game of Fortnite , but PS4 owners are left in the cold. That might change eventually, according to Sony Interactive Entertainment America's President and CEO.
While talking at the Gamelab conference in Spain (via Eurogamer), Shawn Layden gave some hope to PS4 owners that want to play with gamers on other consoles. "We're hearing it [about fans wanting cross-platform compatibility]. We're looking at a lot of the possibilities," he said during the conference. "You can imagine that the circumstances around that affect a lot more than just one game. I'm confident we'll get to a solution which will be understood and accepted by our gaming community, while at the same time supporting our business."
This is a step in the right direction compared to statements Sony has previously released. Earlier this month, it was discovered that anyone who had logged onto an Epic account (to play Fortnite, for example) on a PS4 could not log onto any other console with the same account. When asked about this, Sony's response was basically "PS4 is good enough, so you don't need other platforms."
"We're always open to hearing what the PlayStation community is interested in to enhance their gaming experience," Sony's statement to The BBC read. "With... more than 80 million monthly active users on PlayStation Network, we've built a huge community of gamers who can play together on Fortnite and all online titles. We also offer Fortnite cross-play support with PC, Mac, iOS, and Android devices, expanding the opportunity for Fortnite fans on PS4 to play with even more gamers on other platforms."
From the sound of it, Sony's policies are also holding back other developers. FIFA 19 Creative Director Matt Prior said "There are a lot of issues to work through. I'm trying to be diplomatic here! There are a lot of issues to work through with various first parties. From a consumer standpoint, it makes the community that much broader, which makes it that much more compelling."
So what do you think? Do you want to see cross-platform compatibility on the PS4? What games would you like to see add cross-platform support? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
