It looks like the gaming community at large can finally lay their torches and pitchforks to rest, as Sony has just announced that they plan to enable cross-platform multiplayer for the PlayStation 4. After much debate and disdain from gamers everywhere following the enabling of multiplayer across all other available platforms for the super-popular Fortnite, Sony spent a fair amount of time defending their decision to keep their players walled in. It’s a sudden change of heart, then, but a welcome one. The feature will be enabled in Fortnite first, naturally, and is in open beta as of today.
See the full statement from Sony below and let us know what you think in the comments!
Following a comprehensive evaluation process, SIE has identified a path toward supporting cross-platform features for select third party content. We recognize that PS4 players have been eagerly awaiting an update, and we appreciate the community’s continued patience as we have navigated through this issue to find a solution.
The first step will be an open beta beginning today for Fortnite that will allow for cross platform gameplay, progression and commerce across PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and Mac operating systems. We see the beta as an opportunity to conduct thorough testing that ensures cross-platform play is best on PlayStation, while being mindful about the user experience from both a technical and social perspective.
For 24 years, we have strived to deliver the best gaming experience to our fans by providing a uniquely PlayStation perspective. 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.
This represents a major policy change for SIE, 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.
In the meantime, please stay tuned for more information via our blog and social channels, including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Kieron's been gaming ever since he could first speak the words "Blast Processing" and hasn't lost his love for platformers and JRPGs since. A connoisseur of avant-garde indie experiences and underground cult classics, Kieron is a devout worshipper at the churches of Double Fine and Annapurna Interactive, to drop just a couple of names.
