In this current generation of consoles, playing with your friends was pretty simple. Xbox 360 owners could play with each other; PlayStation 3 owners could compete with fellow system owners; and so forth. However, when it comes to cross-platform play, very few games provided an opportunity to do so.
However, it appears that console manufacturers could be backing down and allowing more options to play across various consoles. Nintendo, for example, has loosened up, as developers for both Pure Chess and Cubemen 2 stated that their games would be cross-playable with those on the PC. “On Pure Chess we asked whether we could do cross-platform multiplayer, expecting it to be the typical closed console platform I’ve been used to working with for 20 years,” said Pure Chess developer Phil Gaskell, speaking with Eurogamer. “Within a couple of days they said, ‘Yep, no problem. You can have other console players playing against Wii U players. You can have smartphone players play against them. No problem.”
“We’re still talking to Sony about them relaxing their policies, but we don’t think they’ll have any issue with it,” said Gaskell. “So when we launch Pure Chess you’ll be able to play against Wii U, 3DS, iOS and Android players. And when we patch PlayStation those consoles will be added into the mix as well.”
Microsoft has also suggested the idea, as general manager Phil Harrison stated the possibilities of playing between PC and Xbox One. “I’m not allowed to leak things, but I think what you’re talking about makes a lot of sense,” when someone at AusGamers suggested it.
Sony has eased up as well, especially with such releases as Final Fantasy XIV and Valve’s Portal 2 presenting ideas with PS3/PC connectivity. However, there’s no word yet on any PlayStation 4 games that would allow for it. It’s hard to see why not, though.
Source: Ars Technica
