In the current console generation, Microsoft and Nintendo have allowed cross-platform play with several titles, but Sony is continuing to keep its stance on the matter by not allowing it for any title, as seen last week with the release of Fortnite on Nintendo Switch. While the company states that it is done due to security reasons, it seems like the real reason is different.
On his Official Twitter profile, former Sony Online Entertainment John Smedley revealed that Sony doesn't allow cross-platform play due to money, as they don't want players to buy something on another console and then play it on PlayStation.
btw when I was at Sony, the stated reason internally for this was money. They didn't like someone buying something on an Xbox and it being used on a PlayStation. simple as that. dumb reason, but there it is.
Last week, Xbox's head Phil Spencer commented on cross-platform play, stating that blocking it doesn't help gaming grow.
If you bought your son, your child, an Xbox, and I bought my child a PlayStation – and I’m just a parent, it’s their birthday, whatever – and the kids want to go play Fortnite and they all of a sudden go home and can’t play with each other, it doesn’t feel like it helps the consumers. If it doesn’t help the developers and it doesn’t help the consumer, then it doesn’t feel like it helps to grow gaming to me.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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