Cross platform support, or online games where players on Xbox One and PS4 can play together, has been a hot topic recently.Games like Minecraft and Rocket League have offered support of the feature,and the latest game to join in the cross platform conversation is Fortnite after developer Epic Games accidentally turned on the feature briefly this week.
Thanks to proof found in a reddit thread, we know PS4 and Xbox One Fortnite players went head-to-head against each other over the weekend. The evidence has been well documented thanks to Twitch streams and screenshots taken by gamers.
When asked about the cross platform support, a representative from Epic Games told Polygon an error had been made on the developer’s end, and is now fixed. “We had a configuration issue and it has now been corrected,” the spokesperson said. Unfortunately, this means there is no more cross platform play happening in Fortnite .
I would have liked to see them leave it on.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) September 18, 2017
When asked by a Twitter user what his thoughts on the situation were, Xbox head Phil Spencer wished Epic had not fixed the issue. “I would have liked to see them leave it on,” Spencer said of the cross platform support.
Microsoft has been a strong supporter of cross platform play, especially with the Minecraft: Better Together update uniting almost all versions of the building game to work together. The major hold-up for a wide launch of the feature is Sony, who feels a situation where Xbox One and PS4 gamers can play together would lead to a hostile environment for kids. It’s a classic Think Of The Children move.
Oddly, Sony does allow cross platform play in games like Rocket League and Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, but only between PS4 and PC. Microsoft will allow cross platform support for Rocket League on the PC and Switch when that version launches later this year. As previously mentioned, Minecraft will be going cross platform between Xbox, Switch, mobile devices and Windows 10 when the Better Together expansion is released.
So what do you think? Are you hopeful Microsoft and Sony can finally come together to allow for full cross platform support in the future? What game would you most want to play with friends on other consoles? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
