The demand for cross-play has become widespread in the industry in recent years, as more and more people have started recognizing the benefits the functionality brings with it. Microsoft and Nintendo have been quite open to enabling cross-platform play and cross-progression on their systems, but Sony has, for the most part, been reluctant to do so – even though few titles have managed to break through their restrictions.
However, according to developer Brian Wilson, who’s currently working on puzzle adventure title Where the Bees Make Honey, due out soon on PC, Sony’s reluctance on the matter of enabling cross-platform play isn’t about whether they want to do so as much as it is about whether they can.
“The longer I’ve been in this industry, the more I’ve learned that developing is far harder than it seems,” said Wilson while speaking with GamingBolt. “With that being said, I don’t think Sony is hesitant on if they want, but rather if they actually can.”
That said, Wilson wishes that Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo can come to a middle ground and hopefully make cross-play a norm, which he feels would be mutually beneficial for all three. “Maybe,” said Wilson, when asked if he feels cross-platform play can become a defining feature of the coming generation of consoles. “I think once and if it all works together, it will become the norm and that’s really interesting for Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.”
The number of games looking to have cross-play enabled across all platforms has only continued to grow- only recently, people behind the likes of Apex Legends and Rainbow Six Siege have expressed their interest in having the functionality enabled in their games as well. One can only hope that the dream soon becomes a reality.