Psyonix announces that cross-network play officially arrives for Rocket League today, which allows for Xbox One gamers to face off against Steam PC users.

It's now official: Rocket League is the first ever Xbox One title to support cross-network play with Steam PC versions of the game. The brand new feature will go live at 3PM PDT today, and will drastically expand the player pool for Rocket League as a whole.

Microsoft had actually prepared Fable Legends to become the inaugural cross-network title on the Xbox One, but the closure of Lionhead Studios left the doors wide open for Rocket League to swoop in and take the glory. Admittedly, Rocket League is a title where having such a feature will make a much larger difference, and will likely impact more gamers as a whole.

Players will be able to include their PC or Xbox-based counterparts with a simple toggle option in the settings menu, and those who wish to avoid cross-network play can easily toggle the feature off should they wish to do so.

In an official statement, Psyonix Vice President Jeremy Dunham hyped up the official release, and stated that this is something that console-based gamers have unsurprisingly been asking for since day one:

"We're really excited to bring Xbox One and PC players closer together. Cross-network play has been something that Xbox One gamers have been asking us for since the day we launched, and thanks to Microsoft's new cross-network policies, we're proud to give it to them."

While it's a huge step forward for console gamers to be able to join up with their computer-based friends, it's clear the masses want even more: many Xbox One gamers would like to test their mettle against the PS4 userbase, and vice versa. Microsoft said the company was open to the idea, which prompted Sony to come forth and say they would welcome discussion with developers who are interested in cross-platform play.

Those still ripping around in the vehicle-based domes of Rocket League will have been spoiled for content of late, as the studio recently added a basketball mode to the game free of charge for all, cementing the game's position as a platform with room to grow – something we think The Division and Destiny could learn from. Psyonix will also be releasing a physical edition of the game this June, which will include four new cars for those who buy the game the old fashioned way.

While the inter-console matchmaking has yet to become official, the arrival of cross-network play between Steam users and Xbox One gamers is sure to make it a busy night on the field for gamers.

Do you think PS4 and Xbox One gamers will ever be able to compete in the same arena, Ranters?

Rocket League is currently available for PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.