Shuhei Yoshida says linking up Xbox Live and PSN could be the ‘easiest part,’ but will it happen?
[dropcap size=small]R[/dropcap]ecently Chris Charla, of Microsoft’s ID@Xbox indie publishing program, wrote an open letter stating that they are supporting and working on the idea of cross-network play, and are openly inviting other networks to join them in the venture.
[W]e’re enabling developers to support cross-network play as well. This means players on Xbox One and Windows 10 using Xbox Live will be able to play with players on different online multiplayer networks – including other console and PC networks…Of course, it’s up to game developers to support this feature.
Should other networks agree, this could mean that cross-network play would allow Xbox gamers to play games with just about anyone on PC and PlayStation.
In regards to PC cross-platform play, this isn’t the first we’ve heard about the idea from the folks at Xbox. Microsoft was very keen on the idea of play between Xbox and PC last year at their E3 event, where they discussed its possibilities quite extensively.
And indeed, Chris Charla revealed in the update letter that cross-platform play between PC and Xbox has already been accomplished with Psyonix’s game, Rocket League.
But what about PlayStation? The floor was left open to fellow console giant Sony, with many questioning its feasibility, and if they would be on board.
Shuhei Yoshida, of Sony Worldwide Studios, spoke with Eurogamer at the Game Developers Conference about the possibility of connecting Xbox Live with the PlayStation Network. In the interview, Yoshida reveled that the technical aspect of linking up the networks could be the ‘easiest part.’
Of course, more comes into play. He went onto express his awareness that Xbox’s policies had changed, and was keen to say that PlayStation has already been working on cross-platform play between its console and PC:
I understand their policies changed, right? We’ve been doing that with PS3 and PC, PS4 and PC most recently with Street Fighter 5 and Rocket League and other games. That’s noting new for us, in terms of working with developers and publishers to allow cross-platform play between PC and PS4.
PC to console play, is, however, much more feasible than console to console, as Yoshida explains:
Because PC is an open platform it’s much more straightforward…Connecting two different closed networks is much more complicated so we have to work with developers and publishers to understand what it is they are trying to accomplish.
We also have to look at the technical aspect – and the technical aspect could be the easiest. We also have to look at policy issues and business issues as well.
So while it may be technically easy to link up the networks, it appears to be more of an issue in the business sense – which doesn’t come as much of a surprise. There are also a lot of complications that have to be considered when it comes to the publishing side of things, as well as policy issues.
At the moment, it’s simply a possibility. PC and console cross-network play is sure to expand in future, but reaching a day where we’ll see the two rival consoles link up networks is less certain.
