News - The Future of Cross-Play

A few days ago Sony announced they would (finally) allow cross play for Fortnite (Epic Games - 2017) and, while I don't play Fortnite myself, I do feel this is good news for everyone!

Most players/gamers have always wondered why they couldn't play the same game with other friends in other consoles or PC, after all, it's all the same game anyway?! The answer was always the same. The game doesn't allow it or Sony/Microsoft don't need/want it! Of course, now we know that was all a bunch of crap and the companies were just trying to make the most of their own "exclusivity" deals.

But - thankfully - times, they are a changing...

Mainly, because now game development, being it on mobile, console or PC focus on the same architecture and also the same server(s) connectivity, so why not allow them same game to be playable anywhere and on any device? Sounds like a good business and also saves money right?!

Fortnite might of been the first but there's a log line of free-to-play developers who could benefit from this innovation. Digital Extremes huge success Warframe (2013) is one of them!

Now... it's still unclear how cross play will work! For now, it seems you just play with your own account with other players each on their account in other devices or platforms and that's already a very cool thing. But, looking forward, I'm hoping you can play with your own game account on all devices. Sure, that will still take some time (it remains to be seen how things like Xbox, PSN or BattleNet accounts coexist for the same player) but it does provide a new look on a bright future.

And, for those saying "games in the big screen and will not be the same on a mobile phone", you are correct, they will not be the same. However, let me remind you that's also what we said about movies and series coming to mobile and yet here we are! Before going to bed looking at yet another episode of Stranger Things (Netflix - 2016) on our phone/tablet/tv just before sleep...

Food for thought!