Sony has had a rough time quelling fans' anger since the launch of Fortnite on the Switch, which lacks crossplay support with the PS4 due to Sony's policies. The issue isn't necessarily that gamers can't play with their friends on certain platforms, though that is another complaint, but that Epic accounts linked to PSN accounts can't be used on the Switch, blocking progress for players that wish to use both. Now, Sony boss Shawn Layden has commented on the issue, instilling hope that Sony may find a solution in time.
During the Gamelab conference in Spain, Shawn Layden was questioned by Robert Purchese, a reporter from Eurogamer, if Sony is listening to fan's feedback and if there were any plans to open up the platform for crossplay. While unable to go into detail, Layden did offer a brief statement:
"We're hearing it. We're looking at a lot of the possibilities. You can imagine that the circumstances around that affect a lot more than just one game. I'm confident we'll get to a solution which will be understood and accepted by our gaming community, while at the same time supporting our business."
While it's nice to see Sony acknowledge fan's feelings, Layden's comment probably won't do much for people upset by Sony's poor response to crossplay, especially after recent comments that the decision is simply about money. Sony's best option would be to give in to fans' demands for crossplay support, thus winning back goodwill among gamers.
On the other hand, there's not much incentive for Sony to implement crossplay from a business perspective. They currently have the largest install base on the market, so opening up the platform could ultimately wind up doing more harm than good for Sony.
It's also possible that Sony will simply try to wait out the issue, leaving fans' complaints unaddressed. Either way, Sony needs to offer a solution to the issue soon. The controversy has already caused a drop in Sony stock share price, and further delays could have even more of a negative effect on the business. Hopefully, Sony will be able to find a mutually beneficial arrangement that could expand to even more games in the future, as well as protect their own interests.
Source: Eurogamer