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Sony Is The Final Piece Of The Puzzle In Rocket League Cross-Console Play
During GDC, Rocket League developer Psyonix put a crack in one of gaming’s oldest, most powerful walls. The studio announced that Rocket League on Xbox One would be cross-platform compatible with PC just like the PlayStation 4 version.
Now that this is live on Xbox One, both consoles are now tapping into the same pool of PC players. The follow-up question was obvious. “What would it take to go one more step and allow those PS4 and Xbox One players dipping into the PC player pool to see and play with one another?”
It turns out the problem was quite solvable and we could see implementation soon. In an interview with IGN, Psyonix’s Jeremy Dunham says that once Sony gives approval, the feature can be live within a business day. Microsoft has apparently already signed off.
When we spoke to former Sony vice president of developer and publisher relations Adam Boyes at GDC, the answer we got about this was hopeful. "We're always open to stuff like that," Boyes continued. "It's all about what the developers and publishers want to do. They get in touch with us and handle everything on a case by case basis."
Psyonix is breaking new ground here, and if successful in getting the necessary approvals, would tear down gaming’s previously impermeable barrier. We’ll update as we know more. We’ve reached out to Sony for comment and will update should we receive a response.
[Source: IGN]
Our Take
Sony is on the spot politically. Being the barrier to this after Microsoft has already given the go-ahead wouldn’t be a good look.
But then the possibilities (and the questions) become enormous, with the potential to change how we buy hardware and game in the living room. If this wall comes down, it would have an enormous ripple effect on the console space, especially if developers and publishers embrace cross-platform play.
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