14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has surprised a lot of gamers by announcing that its new Xbox One home console is ready to introduce cross-platform play capabilities with the PC, even if the machine is not running Windows 10, and that it was also willing to work with Sony and Nintendo on extending these features to their own devices.
Agostino Simonetta, the leader of the ID@Xbox in Europe, tells Eurogamer that, “As a platform we don’t force developers to release at any point – it’ll be when the developers are ready. We’re ready. Rocket League is the first game – and it is a heavily network-orientated game. Any title that wants to update their game to include cross-network play, any title that wants to launch soon and take advantage of that, we are ready.”
The Microsoft executive also refused to comment on whether Sony has made any moves to link its own PlayStation Network with Xbox Live and says that the company is ready to work with anyone who wants to expand gaming options in the console space.
Developers have said that linking the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 is not hard from a technical standpoint and that teams will be able to begin working on updates for their own video games as soon as the two platform holders make an announcement.
Cross-platform play might only arrive under public pressure
Microsoft is ready to introduce the feature because it wants to add another interesting option for those planning to pick up the Xbox One, which is lagging behind in terms of sales, having managed to move around 20 million units to gamers.
Sony, which has delivered 36 million units to its own fans, is less interested in creating a connection between PSN and Xbox Live and might only change its position if the public uses its voice to ask for cross-platform capabilities.
PlayStation 4K might be announced and launched before the end of the year, with the company planning to introduce a GPU that offers double the processing power and will be better when it comes to delivering virtual reality content.
Microsoft is also set to be exploring the option of launching a new version of the Xbox One, which would also feature improved hardware and might be revealed before the end of 2016.
There are also rumors that Nintendo is planning to announce the NX soon and that the new platform will be offered in stores before the end of summer.