Cross-Network Play
First, 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. 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, and Xbox Live players will always have the option of choosing to play only with other Xbox Live players. We’re thrilled to confirm that Psyonix’s 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, with an open invitation for other networks to participate as well.
I think the ability for cross network play (XB1 and Windows 10, even PS4) has always been there. The companies just never allowed it. Now with Xbox being a Windows 10 extension it makes sense. Only issue is that console players will be at a big disadvantage in FPS games. Keyboard and mouse are just that much more accurate.
The first game that is going to support cross-platform multiplayer is Rocket League. Microsoft mentions cross-platform multiplayer between the Xbox One and Windows, but you can also expect support for PlayStation gamers as well given that the current version of Rocket League supports cross-platform multiplayer between PlayStation 4 and PC players. It’s unclear how developers are supposed to deal with duplicated PlayStation Network and Xbox Live screen names.
In a potentially huge announcement, Chris Charla, director of ID@Xbox, has announced that cross-network play will be coming soon to Xbox One, meaning that you’ll be able to play with - and against - players on non-Xbox networks such as PSN and Steam.
The first game to take advantage of this new feature will be Psyonix’s car-football smash-hit Rocket League. The developer has announced that Xbox One players will be able to play with PC players this spring, with information on other platforms - presumably PSN - coming soon.
Charla has said that it is up to developers if they want to use this feature and that Xbox One players will always be able to choose to play against just Xbox One players.
With all that in mind, what other games would you want to use this feature?
PSN custodian doesn’t directly acknowledge Microsoft’s open invitation, but suggests it is open-minded to partnerships.
Sony’s response, issued one day later to GameSpot, suggests the market-leading platform holder remains open-minded about cross-console play but stopped short of discussing a deal with Xbox Live.
"PlayStation has been supporting cross-platform play between PC on several software titles starting with Final Fantasy 11 on PS2 and PC back in 2002,” reads the statement from the corporation.
“We would be happy to have the conversation with any publishers or developers who are interested in cross platform play."
Sony’s response was to a direct question about whether it would be interested in working with Microsoft.
very easily could be purely PR on both ends. MS could have said that, without ever actually planning to do it, to make them look like the good guys. this would put pressure on Sony, which it did, and could cause Sony to look like assholes.
Well (as I get ready for you PS4 guys to puff your chests out) M$ is losing this round of the console generation so they would be more open to these type of things right now.
So more like how Rocket League currently allows PS4 and PC (Steam) players to mix for matchmaking, but you have no way of choosing a player from the opposite platform to play with.
So it helps player volume (good god launch days are going to fucking kill servers) but friends would still be ‘split’ into their console-specific sides of the fence.
Good point. I have to admit I hadn’t considered that. They could draw the line anywhere really.
Its a cool idea. But I don’t think it’ll happen. (The xbox/pc/ps4 crossplay idea) Microsoft has a bad habit of trying to run the show and make people come play in their yard for a fee instead of meeting everyone at the playground for free.
