Great news for console gamers as Sony has finally agreed cross-play on its best-selling PlayStation 4.
The move comes after lengthy pressures from fans and the gaming industry as a whole and the first game to offer cross-play support for the PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch will be none other than hit juggernaut Fortnite (which is also credited to be the main reason for enabling cross-play in the first place). The decision marks a historic landmark as all console players will now be able to play certain multiplayer games together, regardless of the preferred platform.
In a blog post, Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced the good news. The post notes that after a ‘’comprehensive evaluation process’’ the company has decided to enable cross-play functions for select third-party titles, as the feature was demanded by the community. The new initiative will began with a Fortnite open beta that will include cross-faction progression and transactions for players among all the major platforms, from mobile platforms like Android and iOS to the other consoles and even PC users.
The blog post also acknowledges that while Sony has strived to offer a unique experience on their platform, it has now realized that cross-play opportunities bring additional value for PlayStation users and the gaming community as a whole.
The news is great for prospective battle pass buyers as season six will soon launch. If users opt to buy it directly on the PlayStation, it could bring a generous money infusion to the platform, and the fact that you will be able to link your account may encourage many users to go for it.
Notable lobby for cross-play has been made in the past by Microsoft and Nintendo, which attacked Sony’s decision at every opportunity.
Third-party developers have also advocated the shift, especially EA when it came to FIFA. PS fans were also angry that cross-play worked between the other consoles, and Sony simply opted to block the possibility.
It remains to be seen how it will work in the long run.
Henry Lares is still early into his career as tech reporter but has already had his work published in many major publications including Tech Crunch and the Huffington Post. In regards to academics, Henry earned an engineering degree from Apex Technical School. Henry has a passion for emerging technology and covers upcoming products and breakthroughs in science and tech.