Cross-platform play is an ongoing issue in the world of gaming. Gamers the world over frequently speak of its importance. Few things are more frustrating than not being able to play with your computer gaming friends because you have a PlayStation or Xbox. Gaming giants such as Rocket League and Fortnite swear by cross-play, stating the importance of people being able to game with their friends. After all, what is multiplayer gaming without your friends and family? Sadly for many hyped fans of the series, it looks like Fallout 76 cross-play just won’t be happening.
Why no Fallout 76 cross-play?
While Sony has stated that it is considering the idea, industry giants Bethesda Softworks have voiced their disapproval. According to Bethesda developer Todd Howard, they have everything in place to support the idea technologically. Stating that it’s an avenue they would absolutely love to go down, Bethesda is all-in. Unfortunately, at this time, Sony is not cooperating. Former CEO John Smedley is quoted as stating that the main reason for this was simply money. The PlayStation creators don’t like the idea of gamers buying an Xbox and playing PlayStation 4 content.
“We’d really love that but right now we can’t,” Howard told German-based Gamestar.de in an exclusive interview. “Sony is not as helpful as everyone would like.”
Cross-play hope for the future?
With virtually every competitor with Sony fully embracing cross-play, all hope may not be lost for the future. Current Sony CEO Shawn Layden spoke to Eurogamer at Gamelab in June and stated that they’ve heard the community loud and clear. Sony being on-record stating that they are looking at future possibilities mean that at some point, perhaps cross-play can be revisited for Fallout 76. “You can imagine that the circumstances around [cross-platform gaming] affect more than just one game,” Layden told Eurogamer. “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.”
Sony under cross-play pressure
Fallout 76 is far from the only game Sony’s under fire regarding. Earlier in June of this year, players voiced their disdain over Fortnite as well. PlayStation 4 fans cannot log into the Nintendo Switch version of the game if they have a PSN account. This effectively blocks Epic Games from cross-play and halts progression sync between Nintendo Switch and PS4 – meaning that nothing in-game carries over to another platform. Gamers are criticizing the gaming giant for holding their Fortnite accounts hostage. Sony offered a rather weak response:
”We’re always open to hearing what the PlayStation community is interested in to enhance their gaming experience. Fortnite is already a huge hit with PS4 fans, offering a true free-to-play experience so gamers can jump in and play online. With 79 million PS4s sold around the world and more than 80 million monthly active users on PlayStation Network, we’ve built a huge community of gamers who can play together on Fortnite and all online titles. We also offer Fortnite cross-play support with PC, Mac, iOS, and Android devices, expanding the opportunity for Fortnite fans on PS4 to play with even more gamers on other platforms.”
What are your thoughts on Fallout 76? Should Sony just allow cross-play? Give us your feedback in the comments section.
