PlayStation vs. Xbox: Sony Says 'No' to Cross-Play With Other Platforms to Protect PS Players
The debate is now beyond who has the better console.
Recently, Sony commented that they are simply concerned for the safety of the younger PlayStation players so they are saying "No" on the matter of cross-play with gamers on the Xbox and Nintendo platforms.
It can be recalled that at the Microsoft press event for the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2017 this week, the company announced that "Minecraft" will finally work with cross-platform playing.
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This means players on mobile, PC, Xbox or Nintendo Switch — basically all gaming platforms except Sony's PlayStation — can start interacting with each other when playing "Minecraft" games. The same function has also been enabled for another hit game, "Rocket League," which was developed by Psyonix.
In an interview with Eurogamer, PlayStation global sales and marketing head Jim Ryan explained Sony's side on why they are not joining the cross-platform playing option. Ryan said: "We have a contract with the people who go online with us, that we look after them and they are within the PlayStation curated universe. Exposing what in many cases are children to external influences we have no ability to manage or look after, it's something we have to think about very carefully."
According to the Entertainment Software Rating Board, "Minecraft" game editions are rated E 10+ or generally appropriate for everyone aged 10 and above while "Rocket League" is advisable for all ages.
Apart from the PlayStation players wanting to join the "Minecraft" party, Ryan's explanation also did not sit well with Xbox chief Phil Spencer, who took Ryan's statement as "an assertion that somehow [Microsoft is] not keeping 'Minecraft' players safe."
Spencer said in a Giant Bomb interview: "I don't know why that has to become the dialogue. Like, that doesn't seem healthy for anyone." He added: "We would never put Minecraft in a place where we felt like ... we weren't keeping our players safe."
Needless to say, the "Minecraft" cross-play feature is one exciting advancement for the world of gaming that Sony is apparently not keen on being a part of, and this has disappointed some PlayStation players since they would be missing out on the fun.
It is also important to note that Nintendo, a known family-friendly gaming platform, did not see the danger in collaborating with Microsoft for the "Minecraft" cross-play that Sony presented.
