-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
Shawn Layden blames publishers and developers for lack of PlayStation crossplay (Up: Wargroove dev Chucklefish responds in thread - "We were told no")
- Thread starter Aokiji
- Start date
Actually, this is a sign that the media training works. From Sony's perspective, this is Layden showing that he's good at doing this. He's not throwing out a bunch of nonsense because he's scrambling, he's throwing it out because those are the PR-developed defenses and he's employing them.
The whole point is that the company wants him to follow a script, and he's following it to the letter. The real thing on display here isn't that Layden is bad at PR, but that Layden is good at following a bad PR script.
There's a very good chance that Sony's not denying literally anyone, but instead is just only approving games that are big enough that an outcry could occur. So if they're afraid about you making waves, you get an approval, but if you're not, your application for crossplay will remain pending until such a time that you become too big to ignore.
Saying "well, those applications haven't been denied, they're just pending" is a bad defense.
They asked year(s?) ago with the Xbone launch. And then several months ago with the launch PSN crossplay "beta."
They still don't have crossplay in their games. Is it "pending?" How the fuck so we know?
All we do know is that Hi-Rez have several games that are ready to support crossplay immediately, but Sony won't let them. The end.
Why they dont just remove the games for ps? They could work.
Alright, no problem. If/when they ever deny a reasonable request for console cross-play, I won't hold back my disdain.
It is more that pending is at this moment so close in partnership to denial because it shouldn't be this hard to begin with, especially when we've got "pending" titles that have devs publicly shaming Sony for no word of feedback. I definitely agree with you that it will ramp up as we go further down the path, as Nintendo, PC, Microsoft and mobile all openly accept it, and that pressure is huge for just one company even with the success they have standing against it.
I don't know how easy or difficult it actually is, other than Sony has to explain and/or make excuses whereas Microsoft to the best of my knowledge just makes it happen.
So unless I'm just not understanding this correctly, which is possible because I don't play multiplayer games much so this isn't on my personal radar, it seems like it's somewhere on the spectrum of disingenuous PR speak and really awkward implementation that is inferior to the competition. Even at face value it's lacking.
So unless I'm just not understanding this correctly, which is possible because I don't play multiplayer games much so this isn't on my personal radar, it seems like it's somewhere on the spectrum of disingenuous PR speak and really awkward implementation that is inferior to the competition. Even at face value it's lacking.
Era: "Sony is shit! They are holding back crossplay! Hold em to the fire!"
Shawn Layden: "We're open for business. Just get with your PS manager and get it set up!"
Era: "You're lying! You just want specific 3rd parties! Hold em to the fire again!"
Somewhere the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Sony probably is open to it now, but there's a lot more to opening up a game for crossplaybfrom 3rd party developers than just flipping a switch and letting everyone play with each other.
Shawn Layden: "We're open for business. Just get with your PS manager and get it set up!"
Era: "You're lying! You just want specific 3rd parties! Hold em to the fire again!"
Somewhere the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Sony probably is open to it now, but there's a lot more to opening up a game for crossplaybfrom 3rd party developers than just flipping a switch and letting everyone play with each other.
Refusing to approve might as well be a denial.
This crossplay "beta" bullshit started what, 6 months ago? So Hi-Rez has been waiting for 6 months with no approval? They were ready to flip the switch 6 months ago. What's the hold up?
Even calling crossplay a "beta" in the first place is disingenuous. Sony is not testing any tech here. The devs have handled everything themselves. Sony is calling it a beta so they can continue to hamstring devs who want to add crossplay to their games. It's bullshit spin designed to mask the fact that they're still being shitty.
3 months then. Forgive me.
edit: actually it started in September. So yeah, 6 months.
Explain why crossplay with PC is so easily done(and approved) whereas crossplay with Switch and X1 is so "hard".
It's pretty much literally flipping a switch. The PS4 being the ONLY console that still has such problems to get games to crossplay with other platforms means that the problem is with Sony, not the developers.
Psyonix also literally said it was flipping a switch and that all the work was done, it was just being stopped by sony years ago.
There is not a technical hurdle stopping this.
Also the games that had console crossplay enabled "by mistake" on a few games, only to have that feature disabled after Sony realized it was happening. It's fucking insane people are STILL defending Sony on this matter.
Tought it has in november, stil, it is really bad to aprove a game in 4 months.
No, but there is still the regular corporate bureaucracy and buttons they need to be pushed to make that determination. In the end, we'll see if devs follow Layden's advice and get in touch with the PS managers to turn it on.
This is a peculiar assumption, kind of scummy if true. But I don't buy it.
What am I defending here? Asking questions for the sake of clarity is just that.
We know because they've clarified their position. They've asked Sony multiple times but haven't received a clear answer yet = case pending .
This isn't true. They're ready when Sony is, let Sony decide first.
I understand where you're coming from. I just need some clarity on this, devs do too.
Beta should hopefully end soon. Just open it for everyone.
It seems painfully obvious Sony is being dragged kicking and screaming towards crossplay, and it's really only the massive games forcing their hand.
Such as:
At some point they'll have to completely cave, but I think from their perspective, the later it is, the better. I really don't buy their explanations contrary to this.
Such as:
At some point they'll have to completely cave, but I think from their perspective, the later it is, the better. I really don't buy their explanations contrary to this.
Could have something to do with allowing PC cross play since last gen.
they are literally holding the feature till PS5 reveal and its obvious. They want that to be their pro-consumer feature saying "we care about the players, we heard you loud and clear". It's so obvious with all the PR spin they have been throwing they are just holding it for good news.
We have no clue what talks have been had between Sony and Hi Rez or where they are in that conversation. It's obvious they are open to it now, so now it's the waiting game.
He's being a bit disingenuous here given it's all implemented on the dev side.
Like...Sony are literally gating it because they're saying NO until they decide they're going to say yes.
Like...Sony are literally gating it because they're saying NO until they decide they're going to say yes.
What seems more likely?
1) Devs who already have existing cross-play infrastructure that works on everything but PS have been complaining about being unable to do cross-play but just haven't bothered to talk to the people they need to talk to in order to get it done.
2) The devs have done that, but for some reason Sony requires over 6 months of internal bureaucracy before they can give a thumbs up or thumbs down.
3) Sony's afraid of issuing explicit denials and so has simply been sitting on requests rather than denying them.
I might suggest that you're being a little obvious by clearly invoking "just asking questions" like that.
They're probably thinking of Final Fantasy XI, which did cross play between PS2, PC and Xbox 360.
Though, any discussion of online policies for the PS2 era are a bit disingenuous IMO. Sony had no policies back then. PSN did not exist. Every game needed its own account, and it was every developer for itself at the time. PS3 was the first time you had a unified account, and Sony became more involved in the control aspect.
Last edited:
Maybe the account managers have just been on vacation this whole time.
What is that position, exactly? Allow crossplay in Fortnite (after nearly a year of massive backlash) and no other games? Because that's what they've done. I don't give a shit what some talking suit says.
It is true. They were ready last year when the game launched on Xbox. They were literally ready to flip the switch.
As for "They're ready when Sony is, let Sony decide first," I'm at a loss for words. What a disgusting take.
OR:
Sony's not happy with the idea of cross-play, but recognizes that some games are big enough to have a cross-play argument that causes them PR problems. So they create a "beta" for cross-play that allows them to green-light cross-play for the games that are big enough to cause them public headaches while continuing to deny anyone who's small enough that they can be ignored.
lol yeah, that's a garbage excuse that most people, specially devs, won't buy
i'm sure it'll work on certain people tho and they'll reference it the next time another dev complains about cross play being blocked for their game by sony
i'm sure it'll work on certain people tho and they'll reference it the next time another dev complains about cross play being blocked for their game by sony
User Warned: Using paid corporate booster / shill rhetoric
How much are you getting paid, my dude?
Ah, I see. You learn something new everyday.
1. Unlikely
2. Likely
3. Unlikely
I don't appreciate your suggestion. I'm not the one sharing far fetched assumptions.
Console cross-play all the way back on PS2, that's something.
Precisely. They have years of experiences with countless thoughts on "all the different ramifications of cross-play, cross-purchase, cross-progress" on a open platform, yet they are getting leap-frogged by other platforms (such as Nintendo) who have much lesser experiences.