You might soon be able to team up with friends on PlayStation 4 when playing Fortnite on rival consoles.
Sony has finally said that it is exploring the possibilities of a cross-play “solution” that it hopes will make everyone happy. Microsoft and Nintendo are already allowing gamers to play together, regardless of the device they’re using.
Sony might make the best-selling console of the latest generation, but its famous “for the players” slogan is starting to smell like bullshit. It is the only company that has no consideration for the players when it comes to cross-play between consoles.
Sony won’t allow Fortnite cross-play between consoles
Sony isn’t just blocking cross-play, either. It’s much worse than that. You see, if you’ve ever linked your Epic Games account to a PS4, you cannot use it to play Fortnite on any other console (it will work on PC, Mac, and iOS) — even if you only played the game on PS4 for a few minutes.
Nintendo Switch owners found this out last month when Fortnite finally landed on the eShop. Those who had already played the game on PS4 were forced to create new Epic accounts to sign in to the game, which means none of their progress, purchases, or unlocks carried over.
Now, Sony has finally acknowledged the deluge of complaints received from PS4 owners.
Sony hints at cross-play ‘solution’
“We’re looking at a lot of the possibilities,” Shawn Layden, president of Sony Interactive Entertainment America, told Eurogamer.
“You can imagine that the circumstances around that affect a lot more than just one game. I’m confident we’ll get to a solution which will be understood and accepted by our gaming community, while at the same time supporting our business.”
Layden’s statement is somewhat ridiculous and frustrating. It suggests Sony’s “solution” won’t be complete cross-play support. It also indicates that the company is worried PS4 console sales will be hurt by cross-play support, which is pathetic and greedy.
Nevertheless, it offers PS4 owners — and those who want to play with PS4 owners — some hope.
Will you buy Sony again?
Fortnite isn’t the first game that’s been hurt by Sony’s selfish stance. Rocket League and other multiplayer games have also tried to allow cross-play between all consoles and failed. But Fortnite might just be big enough to make a difference.
I’m a PS4 owner and I used mine to play Fortnite frequently before the game made its debut on Switch. No one knew before this that playing the game on a PS4 would mean you couldn’t later use your Epic account on rival platforms.
Had I known, I would have never played Fortnite on PS4. And if Sony’s “solution” isn’t adequate, I won’t be buying another Sony console again. I know there are many gamers out there who feel exactly the same way.
