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Sony 'Not Keen on Crossplay' - Hi-Rez Studios

Executive producer at Hi-Rez Studios confirms that Paladins supports crossplay between the Nintendo Switch and Xbox but not the PS4 as Sony is not keen on crossplay.

gangsta_red2001d ago

This is pretty much official from Sony now. That they just don't want crossplay with Xbox or Switch.

Sad from a developer point of view that has this set up and ready to go and able to help their game stay afloat with users.

Also harsh on friends/gamers that might only own one different console from one another.

Paladins...I seriously hate these kind of F2P games.

Christopher2001d ago

I kinda understood Xbox, even if the reason is anti consumer, but blocking Switch makes no sense considering how small the online market is there. Either way, this is something Sony is choosing as their spear upon which to die (not literal, but they aren't backing down and are upping the restrictions). Perhaps next generation will have another humbling moment for Sony to remind them how important it is to support consumers even when it also supports the other manufacturers.

This doesn't take away their accomplishments, but shines a much brighter light on issues like this.

IamTylerDurden12001d ago (Edited 2001d ago )

We have no idea what will happen next gen. To assume Sony will be against Xbox crossplay next gen is not necessarily accurate. Sony was the one pushing Xbox for crossplay last gen, but Microsoft declined it. Things change generation to generation, i find it funny that Microsoft is attempting to villainize Sony for the exact same thing they dad last gen.

It has nothing to do with Sony trying to be anti consumer. The company with the larger install base has more to lose and less to gain from crossplay. That's why Microsoft blocked it last gen and Sony this gen. People are switching from Xbox to PlayStation at a high rate these days. There are kids who like their Xbox but are only switching in order to play with their friends who moved to Sony's console. If these kids were still able to play with their friends via crossplay they might not switch from Xbox to PlayStation. You get it? The implementation of crossplay has more potential to positively impact Xbox's sales and negatively impact PlayStation's. It would probably be a small impact, but an impact nonetheless. Hence why Sony isn't keen on the idea this gen whereas Microsoft wasn't last gen.

Christopher2001d ago

***We have no idea what will happen next gen. To assume Sony will be against Xbox crossplay next gen is not necessarily accurate.***

There are no absolutes, but it is extremely likely that things will happen. Xbox will push their next console as being completely BC compatible with Xbox One, 360, and OG Xbox. In additional, Microsoft will use any PR they can to sell Sony as not being for consumers, which includes not allowing for x-play while they promote it.

I find it funny that anyone would think otherwise after Sony pulled the massive PR stunt about used/lending games with the PS4 after the XBO announced their original digital plans. Why wouldn't you think Microsoft wouldn't do something similar?

Neonridr2001d ago

@IamTylerDurden1 - but it's the exclusives that dictate which console they support, not whether or not they can play with others from competing consoles. The fact that Jimmy can play with PS4 users in the latest Call of Duty on his XB1 is not going to stop him from getting a PS4 if he wants to play Spiderman or TLOU2.

JaguarEvolved2001d ago

Last gen when Sony wanted cross-play between Xbox and ps3 Microsoft didn't want to do it. Now that Microsoft has sold only 30 million xbox one consoles compared to sonys 80 million ps4 they want to leach off of sonys success. Im glad sony doesnt want cross-play with a failure of a console like the Xbox one.

Christopher2001d ago (Edited 2001d ago )

@Jaguar: And what's their reason for not doing x-play with Switch for the same game? PC?

ZeroX98762001d ago

@Neonridr

Would love to have crossplay, but a lot of my friends who has Xboxes only bought it to be able to play with their already established friend list on Xbox. Worst part is that most of them hates Halo and gears of war (they all love the Forza franchise A LOT though!).

Alucard_4202001d ago Show
darthv722001d ago (Edited 2000d ago )

@jag,"Last gen when Sony wanted cross-play between Xbox and ps3 Microsoft didn't want to do it." yes and the people in charge over at Xbox were fools to turn it down. Things are different now with other people in charge who WANT to explore that idea that was shot down last gen. Maybe you need to think that someone new in charge wants to make right what someone else did wrong previously.

Sony shouldnt be holding any grudges but it seems like they are. Neither side should be holding back on bringing people together.

2000d ago
Atanasrikard2000d ago

@gamerzero

1. This isn't coming from Microsoft, this is coming from Hirez Studios.
2. Were you saying the same thing when Microsoft had the better, more successful console? Or was MS the villain back then for not doing crossplay? Hypocritical much?
3. As others have stated, the people in charge back then, aren't in charge now.
4. Have you ever heard the saying, two wrongs don't make a right?
5. You either aren't okay with it from either side or you are okay with it from both sides. You don't get to make MS the villain for something and then when they get people who are trying to make changes, tout Sony as a hero for the same thing.

One more thing, do you hold someone to a statement they made years ago, even though their viewpoint may have changed? People grow, people change. Same thing can be said about a company, since they are all just groups of people.

Alucard_4202000d ago

@darthv72 MS said no to cross play at the start of the gen. https://kotaku.com/final-fa...

since someone flag me to be inappropriate I will put a link to prove my point.

SpineSaw2000d ago

How exactly is Sony not supporting their consumers on this issue and to be clear their consumers are the PS4 gamers? The PS4 gamers are not asking for cross-play and in no way demanding it with Xbox gamers so how exactly are they in the wrong? I'm sure a few of the 80 million PS4 gamers would like to see cross-play with many more not caring either way and that leaves the rest of the 80 million PS4 gamers taking a hard pass on gaming with the Xbox crowd. I see this as Sony being very pro-consumer on this issue. Xbox gamers made their choice to game on Xbox with its empty multi-platform lobbies and if anything it's Microsoft being anti-consumer to its own Xbox users. How you ask? Close down the Backward compatible service and see how fast those empty Xbox multi-platform lobbies fill up and if they don't fill up well, in no way is this a Sony problem now is it? Time to face the facts that the PS4 gamers don't care about cross-play with Xbox.

darthv722000d ago

@alucard... you do know that Bahlmer and Mattrick were still in charge when that decision was made..... right? It wasnt until they both were replaced that changes were being made to undo the policies that were put in place.

think of it like out with an old president and administration and in with a new one who has different policies and ideas.

TFJWM2000d ago

Sorry this doesn't really tell us anything other than they weren't keen with the way crossplay would be setup. Who knows if they were even given the option to just go with Switch. Considering Sony does crossplay with Switch and PC we really don't have enough info as to why they didn't do it here.

RauLeCreuset2000d ago

"Why wouldn't you think Microsoft wouldn't do something similar?"

The difference you're missing is Xbox consumers actually cared about that issue when Sony mocked MS for it.

rainslacker2000d ago (Edited 2000d ago )

Sony doesn't allow it because they have no compliance standards in place to handle it. They can do it on a case by case basis, as evidenced by Switch getting a game with cross play.

The question is, why are there no policies in place? Is it actually Sony just saying no, or are there extenuating circumstances that Sony can't or won't agree to.

One thing I do know about Sony is that if something isn't currently approved by them, you aren't going to get much from them on how to get what you want. They'll talk to big devs or pubs about this stuff, but smaller devs don't usually get the same kind of consideration. They'll simply refer you to the current compliance standards, which may seem cold, but it's how they operate, and I think some of the devs that have talked about this issue in the past, seemed to think that it was evidence that Sony was actively against it.

TheCommentator2000d ago

@ IamTylerDurden1

"I find it funny that Microsoft is attempting to villainize Sony for the exact same thing they dad last gen."
What? What does Hi-Rez's statement have to do with MS?

"It has nothing to do with Sony trying to be anti consumer. The company with the larger install base has more to lose and less to gain from crossplay."
The person who plays on the PS, the PS CONSUMER, loses out because Sony wants to make more money by not allowing crossplay... but that isn't anti-consumer? Look, you can defend Sony's greed all you want, but don't be ignorant enough to dismiss their clearly anti-consumer practices (it's not like this is their only anti-consumer practice, BTW, they have a decades-long history of it).

Omegasyde2000d ago

Sony is not anti-cross play hence a lot of pc vs ps4 games.

However, Sony is a business at the end of the day.

Why
would
Sony
do
this?

It has zero to gain from this. It has the biggest playerbase and most released games.

Want to play against PS4 players, buy a PS4.

Gh05t2000d ago

@Omega

"Want to play against PS4 players, buy a PS4."

Oh the arrogance is palpable.

What if you own a PS4 and want to play with your family or friends that only have an Xbox?

Not everyone is as homogeneous as you, some of us like to play with other people.

Stogz2000d ago Show
Omegasyde2000d ago

^ “what if you want to play with your family and friends and only have an xbox..”

Strawman’s argument.

I could also argue if there was a mobile version of the game and complain that I can’t play my cousins on PS4 vs iPhone.

I rather Sony focus on game development than needless features that doesn’t benefit anyone with a PS4.

Try again.

Babadook72000d ago

Microsoft sure is keen (read vocal) about cross play though. At least now that they are losing so bad.

Tres212000d ago

How is xbox making sony the villian? Have the been doin smear campaigns?
And it does help anyone but MS? How about the studios that implemented it but cant use it?
If consumers wanted it last gen but they all of a sudden changed their mind when they switched to ps4?
If Sony keeps making great exclusive why would that stop anyone from buying a ps system? cause if someone bought an xbox and not ps im sure getting cross play wont stop that if great exclusive didnt help.
Sony should focus on game development than needless features that doesn’t benefit anyone with a PS4....we are talking about 3rd party games, sony for example wouldnt be working on cross play for their exclusive games u kno that right?

bluefox7552000d ago

I don't think cross play is as important to people as you think it is. This is why Sony can ignore it, and it has no effect on their sales. No one really seems to care about the feature outside of people that use it as a console war talking point.

pinkcrocodile752000d ago

I'm not bothered about cross play between PS4 and XO, I'm happy for Sony to isolate themselves from the rest of the gaming world.

The longer they keep themselves isolated the better for the competition

Alucard_4202000d ago

@darthv72 and what is your point? You can't just put that under the rug and look away like it never happened. They are trying to fix what they have done in the past and good for them. But you can't turn a blind eye on previous stuff from MS, it is still on the company.

S2Killinit1999d ago (Edited 1999d ago )

I think all this is paid for by Microsoft interests. Think about it, Microsoft has everything to gain and Sony has everything to lose. They want unfettered access to Sony’s install base. Sony would be crazy to give them that, so Microsoft starts a smear campaign. Sony should allow crossplay on a game by game basis so as to not open the floodgates to Microsoft.

+ Show (24) more repliesLast reply 1999d ago
Goldby2001d ago

its not worth it for them this generation.
the only way i honestly see this happening is if it happens at the beginnign of a generation, aka ps5 and xbox 2

gangsta_red2001d ago

Yes I do.

Overwatch doesn't have a million UI strings begging you to purchase or farm for items to unlock characters.

antz11042000d ago

This game offers so much more content then Overwatch.

XisThatKid2000d ago

Didn't know Overwatch was f2p