Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios Chairman Shawn Layden explains why it took so long for PlayStation 4 cross-play to be enabled for Fortnite.
Several days ago, Sony Interactive Entertainment finally enabled PS4 cross-play after being on the receiving end of months of fan backlash about its blocking of the feature by beginning with an open beta for Fortnite cross-play. While many wondered what took Sony so long to implement the feature, SIE Worldwide Studios Chairman Shawn Layden decided to clear the air and explain the reasons why the tech firm only recently permitted it to happen.
According to Layden, Sony apparently had to overcome certain hurdles in order to enable Fortnite cross-play on PS4, with the SIE Worldwide Studios Chairman stating that there were particular technical, business, and customer service issues that needed to be addressed first. Layden also stated that implementing cross-play “isn’t just about flipping a switch and ‘there you go’”, as he explained it to be “a very multi-dimensional attribute or feature”.
“So we had to look at it from a technical point of view, we have to work with our partners from a business point of view, we have to make sure that if we enable this, do we have the right customer service support, do we have the right messaging out there, do we have all these different things that you have to get in line. It’s rather ordinal–they have to go in a certain order to get them all set up.”
While Layden declared that PS4 cross-play “isn’t just about flipping a switch”, Epic Games might argue differently. As a matter of fact, the developer accidentally let PS4 and Xbox Owners play together in Fortnite about a year ago for a brief period of time following “a configuration issue” that was rectified shortly thereafter.
With Fortnite cross-play now available on PS4 in beta, there’s no doubt that many are wondering what other titles could benefit from the feature, and if Sony will be faster on implementing it this time around. Layden didn’t offer any concrete examples, but the future does look bright for those wanting the feature, as he said, “I think that certainly once we can prove that this is all holding together, sturdy, and well, I would anticipate seeing other games in the [cross-play] service over time.”
Taking all of this into consideration, it will be interesting to see what other releases Sony gives the cross-play treatment down the line. One game that can be ruled out from getting cross-play is Fallout 76, but that doesn’t necessarily mean all other Triple-A published and developed games will exclude themselves from offering the feature in the future.
Fortnite is available now in early access for iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. An Android beta is currently underway.
