PlayStation Cross-Console Play PS4 Sony 1

Sony wasn’t deflecting when it said it was exploring ways to support cross-console play on the PlayStation 4 – it was telling the truth. PlayStation president John Kodera has taken to the PlayStation Blog to announce an extended Fortnite beta which will allow you to play Epic Games’ gargantuan hit across the PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, among other systems. But this is about more than just one game: it’s a company-wide policy change.

“For 24 years, we have strived to deliver the best gaming experience to our fans by providing a uniquely PlayStation perspective,” Kodera said. “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.”

He continued: “This represents a major policy change for Sony, and we are now in the planning process across the organisation 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.”

There’s an argument that the company may have had his hand forced, but whatever the case, this is evidence that it’s not running around with its fingers in its ears; sales haven’t been affected by this “scandal” at all, so it’s re-evaluated things because it thinks it’s the right thing to do. Ultimately, this is huge news, which is going to have a knock-on effect across the entire industry moving forwards.

[source blog.us.playstation.com]