Despite long-term resistance to the idea, Sony has finally opened a crack in the door for cross-play with other platforms, starting with a beta test of the massively popular shooter Fortnite on PlayStation 4.
In a statement posted on the PlayStation blog on Wednesday, John Kodera, President of Sony Interactive Entertainment, said:
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.
Sony has previously blocked cross-play between PS4 and Xbox One for Fortnite, Rocket League, and Minecraft, despite Nintendo and Microsoft supporting it. Microsoft and Nintendo teamed up to promote cross-play in Minecraft in an unusual move.
The policy change is “major,” according to Kodera, and Sony is now working towards fully supporting cross-play in Fortnite. Sony is opening a beta today to test its cross-play support and says it’s looking to open up its platform in the future. This move could signal more support of cross-play games on PS4, and either way it’s a major change for PC, PS4, and Xbox users to be able to play games against each other.
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