Microsoft made some excellent headlines a little while ago with an unexpected offer. Microsoft’s Chris Darla wrote a blog post reporting cross-network play between PC and Xbox One for Rocket League, into which he snuck a little phrase about being open to cross-network play with “other console and PC networks.” People ran with the story, the implication being that Xbox One was talking specifically about Sony, PS4 and PSN. Microsoft’s European head of ID@Xbox Agostino Simonetta recently talked to Eurogamer, and he said that Darla’s post was no hollow sentiment. The technology is there, he said, and the company is ready.
“As far as we’re concerned – we’ve made the announcement and we’re ready – whoever wants to get on board. It remains an open invitation to any network that wants to do the same.”
It’ll be very interesting to see how this develops. Originally, I interpreted this as a dare, mostly. Microsoft didn’t expect Sony to move particularly quick on any sort of cross network play with Xbox Live (though the company is no stranger to cross network), and so it could make a statement like that pretty safely, garnering positive press without much risk. It’s looking like they’re more serious about it now, though, and maybe we will actually see something happen. Like Simonetta says in the interview, it comes down to the developer. Rocket League developer Psyonix has been pretty gung ho about this sort of thing so far, so maybe the sleeper hit can keep itself on top by making some waves here.
Still, Sony has little motivation to accept Microsoft’s offer. The company is sitting on the largest multiplayer base in the console world, and plenty of people pick one console over another because their friends are already on one network. Statistically speaking, that advantage swings pretty hard to Sony right now, and I don’t imagine Tokyo is all that keen to give it up. The motivation comes, basically, if they have to: they started this generation as the pro-gamer company, and they want to do what they can to hold onto that. Could the pressure start to mount? It’d be good for gamers if it did, certainly. Anything to break down these artificial walls is a good thing.
