Just yesterday, we shared a snippet of a Game Informer interview with Sony Interactive Entertainment Chairman, Shawn Layden, pointing out his praise for other platforms (including Switch) and comments on Sony's future. That very same interview also touched on the topic of cross-platform play, with Layden suggesting that Sony is much more open to the idea than people believe.
"People keep saying, 'Why doesn’t Sony allow more people to have it?' We’re open for business on this one. All it takes is for publishers and developers who wish to permission it. As ever, just work with your PlayStation account manager, and they will walk you through the steps that we’ve learned through our partnership with Epic on how this works. I don’t believe right now there is any gating factor on that. I think they’re open to make proposals, because the Fortnite thing worked pretty well.
We've found ourselves talking about cross-platform play more and more over the last year or so, with players on Switch, PC and Xbox One regularly enjoying the feature across a number of big titles. Sony was famously late to the party, eventually allowing the feature to be included in games like Fortnite and Rocket League, but this comment seemed to suggest that this would all be behind us. Finally, those of us wanting to play a friendly game of the next big release on Switch with our best friends on PS4 would be able to do just that.
However, Finn Brice, CEO of Wargroove developer Chucklefish, responded to this very comment over on Resetera; as you may well be aware, Wargroove launched on Switch at the beginning of this month, with cross-platform play being immediately supported with players on PC and Xbox. Brice says that Chucklefish did talk to its Sony account manager, as suggested by Layden, but "were told no".
"Hi all,
CEO Of Chucklefish here, we just launched Wargroove with crossplay between PC, Switch and Xbox so I wanted to chime in.
We made many requests for crossplay (both through our account manager and directly with higher ups) all the way up until release month. We were told in no uncertain terms that it was not going to happen.
From our side, we can *literally* toggle a switch and have it working. Of course policy work might be more complicated for Sony.
Just wanted to provide some balance on the issue and say that it certainly isn't a question of developers having not contacted their account managers or having dropped the ball. We were told no."
Naturally, this opens the entire topic up for debate once again. Brice's comment would suggest that we might not be seeing cross-platform play be a regular thing across PlayStation and Switch after all, despite an overwhelmingly strong reaction from fans to have it implemented.
As always, feel free to share your thoughts on this one in our comments section below. Do you think it should be available in all games?
[source resetera.com, via gameinformer.com, m.windowscentral.com]
Comments 49
When Nintendo is doing online better than you, you know you have a problem.
LO AND BEHOLD, THE UNDYING JOKE MAKES A TRIUMPHANT RETURN!
Also, PushSquare's radio silence seems to have ended. You know, I posted this just to keep cross-play somewhere.
Sounds like baffling miscommunication between layers of Sony management. And no, I'm not playing devil's advocate, but when you're a chairman making a widely covered PR speech, conscious "blatant lies" that any concerned third party can bust within a day seem like a bit of a stretch to expect by default from an adult person who's made it this far in the industry.
That’s just silly on Sony’s part, to lie in a press statement when they know they have devs that they turned away. I used to be a bit of a PS fanboy, but they have disappointed me this generation.
Can someone please explain to me why Chucklefish or any developer has to have Sony’s permission for cross play? It’s not Sony’s game, why do they have a say. Could they actually sue if Chucklefish did flip the switch and allow crossplay themselves?
@SimplyCinnamon53
Because dem shareholders and shiz.
Never forget, Playstation wouldn't exist if Nintendo didn't piss off Sony. That being said, it's been like 20 years they should probably play nice by now
Some things never change
"4(04) The Players"...
why is this even surprising?
Sony are just very anti-consumer.
Hoo boy, Sony needs to get with the times. Their draconian online service ain't cutting it.
I think why they said no is because it is not a big AAA game, or from a large publisher. Either way it's crap.
For the Payers.
Have that L.
Typical Sony. They just want to remain in their own little bubble. Oh well, just leave them in the dust. Let them learn the hard way of their own mistake. ^^
Pretty sad that a company who's been dabbling in crossplay since the ****ing PS2 is refusing now. What even?
@SimplyCinnamon53 every platform has guidelines that 3rd party developers have to follow in order for the game to be officially licensed. If they did something that Sony specifically told them not to, the game could be removed from the digital store and physical copies could be discontinued, and the developer could be banned from making new games for the system as well
I love my ps4 but god, sony sucks sometimes.
I’ve always been a Sony guy. I enjoy their products and they have always worked great for me. Playstation being no exception but this is just petty and dumb. Tired of these artificial walls blocking people off from gaming together. Hopefully they cave to pressure again like they did with Fortnite.
PS: obviously I’m a “Nintendo guy” too
That's Sony for you.
Sounds like they are playing favorites if this is true.
Sony sucks. Truly, this is ridiculous. Why are they so insecure?
Sony didn't spend years indoctrinating their consumers to think they're somehow better than others to just drop that and acknowledge other systems because of slight social pressure to be more consumer-friendly.
What's with Sony being all troublesome these days? Devs are even saying that they had to make changes to their games because Sony said so or something. Like, seriously, WTF Sony?
@SimplyCinnamon53 According to Jim Ryan, the new head of PlayStation, back in an interview around E3 2017, its because of the kids, or shareholders, or no specific objection.
We never got a concrete answer.
@Gravitron ya but iirc its because sony tried to legally obtain all use of Nintendo's ip when they were going to make a console together and then when that didn't work made their own system.
grabs popcorn your move, Sony. Your king is in check, you gonna leave it there?
It seems arrogant of Sony. They want to play gate keepers because they have the best selling current gen console. Nintendo and Microsoft have been arrogant before, and it bit both of them in the butt.
Now where are those Sony defenders, that were so adamant in that other article, a few days ago, saying that Sony most definitely is playing along with the whole crossplay thing?
Seems to me like they're just doing it selectively, instead of across the board, as it should be. Bunch of @ss-hats...
@Medic_Alert That's highly debatable, and a wrong example. Nintendo is still the same as they were back then. They're just plotting their own course, regardless of the competition. They're not acting stubborn or defensive because of unspecified or invalid reasons, like Sony is now doing.
And pretty much up to the Switch? You seem to have forgotten about a little console called the Wii, not to mention Nintendo's always successful range of handhelds, which has never seen any real dips, ever since the original Game Boy up to the New 3DS.
I love sony almost as much as Nintendo since their 1st party games are also very high quality but like Ninty they make some truly baffling business decisions....
Oh Vita, you had so much god damn potential
@Grandiajet Yeah to be honest Sony is being arrogant right now but they all have been like this in the past. I remember Microsoft had the same cross play stance as sony last gen because they were on top.
I'm assuming you know of Ninty's past arrogance since you are on a Nintendo website so I won't go into that lol.
Arrogant Sony is definitely in full force as we approach next gen.
@edgedino Ya so basically Sony would have the rights of all Disc based games produced by Nintendo. Which in retrospect might not have hurt Nintendo that much as they didnt have a CD based console til the Gamecube. That being said maybe Gamecube wouldn't have happened. Its interesting to think about what the gaming landscape would be if history went differently
@Medic_alert They weren't defensive, they were always offensive, ever since the NES, except they lost out due to the industry not believing in cartridges anymore, but they weren't acting like Sony is now. What I meant with them still being the same, is that they've always done things in their own way, as I said earlier, regardless of the competition. In that sense, they are in a bubble, and there are definite risks to that, but when it does deliver, it also delivers in spades.
As for the handheld part: well... Sony tried, and was successful up to a certain point, but they ultimately failed, and the fact that Nintendo is still holding its own in the age of ever more powerful smartphones, is actually quite the achievement.
@Gravitron ya but ultimately unless it would have stopped stuff like microtransactions and bad practices it wouldn't be worth that future.
@Medic_alert Forcing someone to do something, and keeping them in an iron grip, like Nintendo did back then, is anything BUT defensive. It's a prime example of offensive behavior.
Agreed on the handheld bit, but only you, me and the gamer crowd know this. The general public doesn't know and probably doesn't care either.
With ANTHEM, The Division 2 and Apex Legends on PS4 - most do not care about WarGroove one way of the other.
The Switch needs to get the top online games in the first place.
People do see the news that PS-Plus subscribers keep going up each quarter? People already judged with their wallets.
@edgedino More competition is always a good thing as far as gaming goes. The big 3 all provide a different experience to accommodate more gamers.
@Medic_alert Hm, yeah... I suppose you could see it in that perspective. For me, after they lost their grip on the industry after the SNES, it was more like they had simply cast off their ship and sailed into their own ocean, not caring about the competition anymore, especially after their last competitive try with the GameCube.
"From our side, we can literally toggle a switch and have it working. Of course policy work might be more complicated for Sony. "
The biggest argument used by PS fans defending Sony's stance on this is always, "it's not that easy!!11!" 😂 I imagine if Nintendo and Microsoft enable it and all the developers have to do is "flip a switch", how on earth could it be hard on Sony's part?!?
If they want to be a bunch of jerks they could at least be honest about it. Good on Chucklefish for calling them out on their lies.
@AlexSora89 Wasn't there a certain someone who said said that Sony just loved Crossplay xD
@Gravitron ya so long as there isn't as much competition like in the dark ages.
Proof beyond words? No? Chucklefish isn't what I would call "beyond" this type of nonsense without proof.
Sony feels threatened by Nintendo's return. But this reluctance to support cross-play for multi-platform games is pretty laughable. It's not like they are being asked to share their exclusive content...
@Agramonte
Most people care about crossplay not being available when the only reason to not have it is Sony. I have ps + because you basically need it for anything online not because I was voting with my wallet for Sony to limit players online experience.
@patbacknitro18
Actual summary of the situation:
@SetupDisk We Pay for it to have access to all the top online games in the next few months available on the platform. That are not even an option on the Switch anyway.
And not even about PS4. I have had people ask me if I am playing the Division 2 open beta on March 1st - or if I am buying ANTHEM so I can join their squad on PC. Not a single person has even mentioned playing WarGroove... It is not even in their Steam library.
A $15 Indie with cross play does not make or break any "online experience" on any platform.
@Agramonte
It's about crossplay for everything not just the one game. The logic you are using to defend Sony on this is quite silly.
@SetupDisk
100% of AAA online games in 2019 do not have it. If this is about making most players on PS4 (or PC) care about "crossplay for everything". What is "silly" is thinking Wargroove is even a blip on the map.
Fist the games most people actually care about need to show up on Switch with cross-play. Games like this do not move the needle in the PS4 community. Another thing they make loud and clear with their wallet
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