Sony Backtracks on PS4 Cross-Play Denial; Launches Fortnite Beta Opening to Switch, Xbox One, and More

DualShockers

By Giuseppe Nelva

Published Sep 26, 2018

Looks like full cross-play among all available platforms might finally become a reality, as Sony has finally given in, and is moving the first steps.

Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO John Kodera released a surprise statement today on the PlayStation Blog announcing that Sony is launching a major policy change on cross-platform gameplay.

Kodera-san admitted that PS4 players have been eagerly awaiting an update, and expressed appreciation for their patience. That being said, the house of PlayStation has "identified a path toward supporting cross-platform features for select third-party content"

The first step of this new path is represented by an open beta for Fortnite that allows for "cross-platform gameplay, progression, and commerce across PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and Mac"

According to Kodera-san, this is "an opportunity to conduct thorough testing that ensures cross-platform play is best on PlayStation while being mindful of the user experience from both a technical and social perspective."

He also gave a brief explanation of the process behind the move and promised further information about other games down the line.

"For 24 years, we have strived to deliver the best gaming experience to our fans by providing a uniquely PlayStation perspective. Today, the communities around some games have evolved to the point where cross-platform experiences add significant value to players. In recognition of this, we have completed a thorough analysis of the business mechanics required to ensure that the PlayStation experience for our users remains intact today, and in the future, as we look to open up the platform.

This represents a major policy change for SIE, and we are now in the planning process across the organization to support this change. We will update the community once we have more details to share, including more specifics regarding the beta timeframe, and what this means for other titles going forward."

Over the past few months, Sony has been under pressure from both users and developers demanding a change on the cross-play policies. Apparently, this was enough to get the ball rolling.

What remains to be seen is how radical this change will be, but we will probably know more down the line.