Sony is blocking Fortnite cross-play and progression between the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, and Fortnite fans are furious. Hundreds of Fortnite fans are reacting angrily on the Resetera forums and Reddit after learning that you can’t use a Fortnite account that’s been used on the PS4 with the Nintendo Switch. This means that any progress, skins, and purchases can’t be shared between PS4 and Nintendo Switch, so the dream of playing Fortnite at home on a PS4 and then using the same account on the go on Nintendo Switch is truly dead.
“This Fortnite account is associated with a platform which does not allow it to operate on Switch,” explains a message on the Switch version of the game if you attempt to log in with an Epic Games account that has been used on the PS4. While there are options to decouple a PlayStation account from an Epic Games account, Fortnite players are warning that this doesn’t fix the problems. It appears the only option for PS4 players wanting to use the Nintendo Switch Fortnite version is to create a new Epic Games account.
“Fuck you, Sony,” says one commenter on Resetera. “Because I played on a PS4 (on an account that I mainly play on PC, and is cross-platform compatible with the Switch), I can’t play on Switch. I would gladly un-link my PS4 from my account if it meant I could play on Switch.” Another over on Reddit describes Sony holding Fortnite skins hostage in 2018 as “an actual joke.” Reddit PlayStation fans are appealing to Sony to change its mind, and the replies to Sony on Twitter show the frustration is boiling over. Greg Miller at Kinda Funny is equally annoyed by Sony’s move, while Microsoft’s Xbox UK account is making light of the situation.
Personally this doesn’t affect me as I don’t play Fortnite but it does suck. If I was the dude from the second tweet I posted I would be livid.
The go to argument is “Well you can’t use your GTA Online character on multiple platforms” Yes that is true but you know that up front. If you are used to being able to switch from PC to Xbox/Switch and there is no warning that you are locked to PS once you link your account to PSN then that is kinda shady.
I am fine if Sony doesn’t want cross platform gaming. It doesn’t affect me at all. If this is going to be their practice going forward though it makes me second guess on where I link my accounts for games that I do play across all 3 platforms(don’t have a switch).
While it’s true that you can’t move your GTA character around from Xbox to PS to PC, where that go to argument fails is I don’t have to have two separate Rockstar Social Club accounts to play the game on multiple platforms. What Sony has done forces me to have two Epic accounts for Fortnite: one for PS4 and PC - because I used that account for Save the World on PC then linked my PS4 account to that initially - and one for Xbox and Switch for cross play. Even games that can be played cross platform don’t force this normally - Sony is just getting back to their bullshit arrogance after playing up the “for the gamers” shit this gen in the wake of Microsoft’s fuck ups.
It’s also hilarious they’ve managed to piss off Greg Miller, who hosts a Playstation centric podcast called “PS I Love You”, and has defended Sony through many of their missteps.
This is a big part of the reason they’re back to their old ways - when Don Mattrick practically handed this gen over to Sony at the 2013 E3 Presentation, Sony could be gamer friendly and know that they would have the upper hand no matter what. Now that Phil Spencer has MS tracking upward and gaining traction, Sony is paranoid and going back to the shit that lost them the PS3/Xbox 360 generation.
The other part that’s great is the hypocrisy of the PS fanbois on the internet over this (not here, but just about everywhere else). This isn’t a new issue, you had to have a separate account for Xbox and PS Fortnite. That was fine with them because “lulz M$”. But now that it’s affecting the almighty Nintendo? Oh shit, what a travesty!!!
”We’re always open to hearing what the PlayStation community is interested in to enhance their gaming experience. Fortnite is already a huge hit with PS4 fans, offering a true free-to-play experience so gamers can jump in and play online. With 79 million PS4s sold around the world and more than 80 million monthly active users on PlayStation Network, we’ve built a huge community of gamers who can play together on Fortnite and all online titles. We also offer Fortnite cross-play support with PC, Mac, iOS, and Android devices, expanding the opportunity for Fortnite fans on PS4 to play with even more gamers on other platforms.”
…today, Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida reportedly told the press that his company generally doesn’t believe in the idea of opening up the PlayStation to cross-platform multiplayer.
“On cross-platform, our way of thinking is always that PlayStation is the best place to play. Fortnite, I believe, partnered with PlayStation 4 is the best experience for users, that’s our belief,” he said, according to The Independent.
“But actually, we already opened some games as cross-platform with PC and some others, so we decide based on what is the best user experience. That is our way of thinking for cross-platform,” he reportedly added.
That second quote does make it sound like Sony would be open to cross-play on a case-by-case basis, if Sony believed that cross-play would be the “best user experience.” That’s something.
But you know what would be the best user experience for me, Sony?
If I didn’t have to make a mental spreadsheet of not only which games my friends and colleagues own, but whether they own the PS4, Xbox, PC or Switch version of the game before I can consider organizing an online game session – that would be the best user experience.
I’ve got a 21-month-old daughter now, and I don’t have time for that. Nor the time or willpower to convince people to buy different consoles, or different versions of games, than the ones they already have.
Sony didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.