Sony has performed a surprise U-turn following its previous negativity towards Fortnite cross-play by announcing on its blog that the PlayStation 4 will now be supporting the service.
In a short statement, Sony announced that “an open beta beginning today” is now in place for Fortnite players. This beta will “allow for cross-platform gameplay, progression and commerce across PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and Mac operating systems.” Cross-platform play has already been established on other major devices, but Sony previously expressed concerns regarding the service’s impact on consumers.
This loose excuse was likely a result of Sony’s anxiety at compromising its current generational dominance, but it appears that its isolationist viewpoint has changed. In a candid moment, Sony stated that they “see the beta as an opportunity to conduct thorough testing that ensures cross-platform play is best on PlayStation, while being mindful about the user experience from both a technical and social perspective.”
The company justified the long wait for cross-play due to its stringent research. The blog states that Sony “completed a thorough analysis of the business mechanics required to ensure that the PlayStation experience for our users remains intact.” While Sony’s statement is further evidence of the company’s careful ethos, this change will hopefully lead to more cross-play in the future. In the past, Sony blocked cross-play for Minecraft and Rocket League, for example.
While no other announcements were detailed in the blog, Sony did state that this “represents a major policy change for SIE, and we are now in the planning process across the organization to support this change.” Hopefully, Sony’s change in mindset is a symptom that the antagonism of console wars is winding down. Either way, Fortnite tryhards will now be able to flex their skills across all major platforms – get flossin’.
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