Microsoft's New Cross-Platform Initiative Could Link Xbox Live And PSN

[Steven Bogos]

Microsoft's New Cross-Platform Initiative Could Link Xbox Live And PSN

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Microsoft has given developers the tools to enable cross-platform play between Xbox Live, PC, and "other console networks".

When choosing your gaming platform, you have to consider several factors: price, exclusive games, and what the majority of your friends use. Microsoft has envisioned a future where the latter of those options is no longer an issue, with the introduction of its bold new cross-platform initative [http://news.xbox.com/2016/03/14/letter-chris-charla-idxbox-updates-gdc/], that aims to link Xbox Live with PC, and "other console networks" (read: PSN).

"In addition to natively supporting cross-platform play between Xbox One and Windows 10 games that use Xbox Live, we're enabling developers to support cross-network play as well," explained Microsoft. "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."

Microsoft clarified that this is simply an option being offered to developers: the devs themselves would have to code it into their games, and they would have to get the go ahead from the owner of those "other console networks" (read: Sony) in order to do it. It also said that Xbox Live players would always have the option to only play with other Xbox Live players.

Rocket League will be one of the first games to take advantage of this new capability by enabling cross-network play between Xbox One and PC players. Microsoft has offered "an open invitation for other networks to participate as well."

This is potentially massive news. The ball is entirely in Sony's court right now, as Microsoft has built this new system and put the onus on them to accept it. The upside could be a world where players of any system can play all of their games together, meaning you are no longer shoehorned into getting a console just because the majority of your friends play it. I'm excited.

Source: Microsoft [http://news.xbox.com/2016/03/14/letter-chris-charla-idxbox-updates-gdc/]

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[major_chaos]

Well if there isn't some crazy catch this could be wonderful for multiplayer titles, here's hoping Sony will play ball.

 

[Veldel]

Well if there isn't some crazy catch this could be wonderful for multiplayer titles, here's hoping Sony will play ball.

Considering Sony has been pushing for cross playing and its been microsoft not wanting to do it til now Id say they most likely will.

 

[Something Amyss]

Well if there isn't some crazy catch this could be wonderful for multiplayer titles, here's hoping Sony will play ball.

Considering Sony has been pushing for cross playing and its been microsoft not wanting to do it til now Id say they most likely will.

And then we have to get the devs onboard.

 

[The Enquirer]

Interesting. This could work really well or completely backfire. On one hand most players already have ps4's based on the sales, which would, as the article says, eliminate the "I want to buy this because my friends have it" effect. On the other hand they are essentially forcing people in the console market to choose between hardware now, and the ps4 wins in that department by a considerable amount.

In addition to that I'm not sure why they didn't just outright state it was PSN. In the event it turns out not to be, they built a ton of hype for something that didn't happen, and regardless of how good the idea is, it'll still receive a lot of flak. If it is PSN they very easily could have forced a response from Sony. Maybe these talks have been happening behind closed doors between the companies for a while though and things are looking good.

 

[Saelune]

Wait what? Really? I am impressed Microsoft, since Sony seemed ok with the idea, and that I figured it would always be you preventing it. I hope this is as good as it sounds. Its nice to have the occasional good idea between all the shitty ones.

 

[ThatOtherGirl]

Well if there isn't some crazy catch this could be wonderful for multiplayer titles, here's hoping Sony will play ball.

Considering Sony has been pushing for cross playing and its been microsoft not wanting to do it til now Id say they most likely will.

And then we have to get the devs onboard.

Honestly, it shouldn't be that hard. Server client design is such that any competent dev is already making their games like this.

 

[Pyrian]

Heyyy... The Wii U exists! ;-)

And then we have to get the devs onboard.

By and large, devs didn't like splitting their userbase in the first place; it was a console license agreement requirement.

 

[Something Amyss]

Honestly, it shouldn't be that hard. Server client design is such that any competent dev is already making their games like this.

I wasn't thinking in terms of technical difficulty.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Sweet!...Now if I only had friends who played on Xbox One.

Cool idea and I hope they make it work, but all of my friends play on the same system. I wonder how PC players will factor in. Mouse and keyboard, from what I understand, is a much better way to play some games, especially shooters, so I don't know how fair that's going to be.

 

[Something Amyss]

Wait what? Really? I am impressed Microsoft, since Sony seemed ok with the idea, and that I figured it would always be you preventing it. I hope this is as good as it sounds. Its nice to have the occasional good idea between all the shitty ones.

Well, I mean, technically it HAS been Microsoft preventing it. They're taking the credit now, but Sony has actually wanted this for...has it been long enough to say decades yet? Ages, anyway.

 

[Saelune]

Wait what? Really? I am impressed Microsoft, since Sony seemed ok with the idea, and that I figured it would always be you preventing it. I hope this is as good as it sounds. Its nice to have the occasional good idea between all the shitty ones.

Well, I mean, technically it HAS been Microsoft preventing it. They're taking the credit now, but Sony has actually wanted this for...has it been long enough to say decades yet? Ages, anyway.

I'm not giving them credit for it, I'm saying exactly that I thought Microsoft would never allow it, so I'm surprised they are, and I am not doubting that Sony will be fine with it cause...they've seemed to be fine with it.

Sweet!...Now if I only had friends who played on Xbox One.

Cool idea and I hope they make it work, but all of my friends play on the same system. I wonder how PC players will factor in. Mouse and keyboard, from what I understand, is a much better way to play some games, especially shooters, so I don't know how fair that's going to be.

Well, see, the thing is...that's a huge myth. Why? Cause the one thing people ALWAYS forget, the human element. Until the worst mouse/keyboard player can always beat the best controller player, then its not actually an issue. I know I personally am better with a controller. Playing CoD on PC with a keyboard where I did aweful, then a controller (which I use for CoD on console) and I did as I usually do. I also play TF2 on PC with a controller and do fine. Its such a tiring myth. Maybe it would matter in a RTS, but then keyboard players would have difficulties in 3D platformers.

Plus why do people think a typewriter is better than a device designed for gaming?

 

[Steven Bogos]

Heyyy... The Wii U exists! ;-)

And then we have to get the devs onboard.

By and large, devs didn't like splitting their userbase in the first place; it was a console license agreement requirement.

Only argument I have here is the wii u shares few multiplatform titles with the other two platforms, and when they do they are often "stripped down" versions of the game.

 

[razer17]

Please, please, a thousand time please, let Sony go along with this and make cross-platform play the standard.

 

[King_Julian]

yea this is an amazing idea.......xbox vs ps4 players every night........suddenly the "console wars" have become a reality!

 

[Strazdas]

The last 3 games Microsoft did with crossplatform support were all failures. Given that we have ample proof microsoft does not learn from their mistakes, they basically just doomed games to failure.

Honestly, it shouldn't be that hard. Server client design is such that any competent dev is already making their games like this.

give then server client designs we saw for the last couple years, over 90% of developers either know fuck all or intentionally make the worst possible decisions.

 

[SergejH]

I think you all missing a point. "they would have to get the go ahead from the owner of those "other console networks" ". This means, that Sony have to make similar move, but i doubt it. This is basically just another step for uniting PC and XBONE on win x with added bonus of positive PR in console world. If Sony wanted to freely allow crossplatform at least to PC, they will do it long time ago, but only in 3 or 4 games its actually working.

 

[Bobular]

Wait what? Really? I am impressed Microsoft, since Sony seemed ok with the idea, and that I figured it would always be you preventing it. I hope this is as good as it sounds. Its nice to have the occasional good idea between all the shitty ones.

Well, I mean, technically it HAS been Microsoft preventing it. They're taking the credit now, but Sony has actually wanted this for...has it been long enough to say decades yet? Ages, anyway.

I'm not giving them credit for it, I'm saying exactly that I thought Microsoft would never allow it, so I'm surprised they are, and I am not doubting that Sony will be fine with it cause...they've seemed to be fine with it.

Sweet!...Now if I only had friends who played on Xbox One.

Cool idea and I hope they make it work, but all of my friends play on the same system. I wonder how PC players will factor in. Mouse and keyboard, from what I understand, is a much better way to play some games, especially shooters, so I don't know how fair that's going to be.

Well, see, the thing is...that's a huge myth. Why? Cause the one thing people ALWAYS forget, the human element. Until the worst mouse/keyboard player can always beat the best controller player, then its not actually an issue. I know I personally am better with a controller. Playing CoD on PC with a keyboard where I did aweful, then a controller (which I use for CoD on console) and I did as I usually do. I also play TF2 on PC with a controller and do fine. Its such a tiring myth. Maybe it would matter in a RTS, but then keyboard players would have difficulties in 3D platformers.

Plus why do people think a typewriter is better than a device designed for gaming?

I say this as a PC gamer, so correct me if I'm wrong, but don't consoles usually use aim assist?

If that's true then I wouldn't want to play with console users if they're using aim assist (I already hate the smart pistol in Titanfall too much), or console players wouldn't want to play with PC gamers if they loose their aim assist.

I may be wrong about that, but that was always my understanding about console vs PC.

That all said, if it does workout fairly for all players, combining all systems player base for multiplayer can only be a good thing. If a game that has been out for a while only has a small fan base on XBox, a small fan base on PS4 and small fan base on PC, surly combining all of them will create a decent sized player base that will be more able to continue playing the game, extending the lifespan of multiplayer games.

 

[elvor0]

Well, see, the thing is...that's a huge myth. Why? Cause the one thing people ALWAYS forget, the human element. Until the worst mouse/keyboard player can always beat the best controller player, then its not actually an issue. I know I personally am better with a controller. Playing CoD on PC with a keyboard where I did aweful, then a controller (which I use for CoD on console) and I did as I usually do. I also play TF2 on PC with a controller and do fine. Its such a tiring myth. Maybe it would matter in a RTS, but then keyboard players would have difficulties in 3D platformers.

Plus why do people think a typewriter is better than a device designed for gaming?

Only y'know, we saw this happen already with Shadowrun and the PC players had to be gimped with innaccurate aim. Microsoft previously halted its cross platform initiative due to the PC players demolishing the console players in Gears of War and Unreal Tournament in testing.

Plus you can't circle strafe with a controller, which was one of the main issues console players had with PC players in Shadowrun. They just couldn't keep up. The gamepad may be designed for gaming, but that doesn't invalidate the fact that it's weaker in other areas. Keyboard players may well have difficulties in 3D platformers, but then I just plug a controller in.

TF2 also isn't really a game where FPS skills are that apparent, there's no precision weapons aside from the sniper rifle and Bow. You can spray and pray otherwise, CoD, while admittedly much more realistic than TF2 and much closer to the "precsise" still isn't a game designed around being that accurate, it also has inbuilt auto aim when a pad is plugged in. Try CSS or CS:GO or Unreal Tournament and see how you do. "And I did as I usually do" isn't really indicative of anything, only that you were at least somewhat better than you were on the M/KB. It doesn't indicate it's a myth, especially when you're admittedly not very good with a M/KB. You'd need to be mostly equally skilled for that to even be remotely considered a proper test. As it is, it's anecdotal evidence at best.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Well this is weirdly out of character for Microsoft. It's like if Hannible Lecter were to offer to share a bottle of his favourite wine, but as your eyes focus, you see it's really just Buffalo Bill with a strawberry Cornetto. What's the catch, Bill??