The Internet has been abuzz lately with excitement over comments from Microsoft suggesting that their games – both Windows and Xbox One – may in future allow gamers to play multiplayer titles against other players on different platforms. This would mean that someone playing a multiplayer game on Xbox would be able to play against a friend playing on PC or, if Sony were to allow it, on PS4.
While Sony hasn’t been entirely enthusiastic about the idea, the company also isn’t dismissing cross-platform multiplayer compatibility, leading many gamers to speculate about which of their favorite modern games might be improved by allowing a more inclusive approach to multiplayer matches. Many of the current crop of top-tier multiplayer games already benefit from large player bases, but breaking down the barriers between consoles would help these online communities grow in size, strength, and diversity.
If Sony decides to play nice with Microsoft, gamers could see a lot of titles taking advantage of cross-platform opportunities, and even updating existing games to strengthen existing communities and bring lapsed players back to the fold. While this is all speculation at this point, here are 10 Games That Should Allow PS4 and Xbox Cross-Play
10. Destiny
One of the biggest games of the current generation, Destiny is built with multiplayer in mind, allowing for players to both enjoy levels by themselves or with friends, as well as allowing multiple players to share space on the same maps to create a world that’s peopled by genuine human players instead of NPCs, which makes them feel varied and rich with life and personality.
Destiny is an easy choice for cross-platform multiplayer, as it’s one of the consistent highest sellers on both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles, meaning that there are already plenty of players enjoying both the core game and its impressive expansions. Thus far, though, the PS4 and Xbox communities are separated by their hardware choices – uniting the two gaming factions would make for a more inclusive, enjoyable experience on all sides.
9. The Division
Another Mass Multiplayer Online shooter, The Division’s online interactions essentially work like Destiny but in a more grounded setting, allowing players to interact with various strangers in a frozen, post-apocalyptic New York. The game’s Dark Zone is particularly notable for its free-for-all gameplay as rival teams battle it out to get their hands on nifty bobble hats and other precious loot.
Considering the chaos that exists in the Dark Zone already, it would be fantastic to see the barriers between Xbox and PlayStation players fall down, allowing both sides to get together, team up to find the best loot, and then stab each other in the back and run away. The Dark Zone would be the perfect place for age-old console rivalries to either bury the hatchet or finally work out the aggression that’s been bubbling under the surface for decades.
8. Rocket League
With the smash hit automobile soccer game finally arriving on Xbox One after a lengthy wait, players who’ve sided with Microsoft in the current console generation have finally been given the chance to play a game that PlayStation owners have enjoyed for years. Rocket League sees players driving cars around a soccer pitch, working together to nudge a giant ball towards the opposing team’s goal. As bizarre as the premise is, and as challenging as this game may be at times, Rocket League has found a solid audience of players on both consoles who love the chaotic battle to score goals.
Considering how much more practice PlayStation players have had at the game, it would almost be cruel to let them compete on the same field as Xbox owners – except considering the random chaos that the game’s matches normally dissolve into, there’s a good chance no amount of experience will make much of a difference to the outcome of games played in a cross-platform online environment.
7. Mortal Kombat XL
Everybody loves a good fatality, regardless of which platform gamers are playing on. The fighting game series has been around for over twenty years now, and is known for its brutal violence, heaps of blood, and over-the-top finishing moves which see spines ripped from bodies and losing players sliced in half, without skimping on the gore for even a second.
If The Division’s Dark Zone doesn’t manage to give players a chance to work through their console war aggression, a Mortal Kombat title is the place to get gamers to really get to know each other better. Be warned, though: the slightly different layout on Xbox and PlayStation controllers will give losers an excellent opportunity to blame unresponsive or awkward buttons on their defeat.
6. Grand Theft Auto V
Everyone’s favorite sandbox of destruction and mayhem already has a strong community surrounding it, offering players the opportunity to team up to commit crimes, or just letting players get together to blow things up, drive fast cars and shoot guns at each other.
The Grand Theft Auto series generally works on the premise that more is always better – each game’s map gets larger compared to the previous titles, and features more vehicles, weapons and other secrets to discover. Combining the Xbox and PlayStation communities means throwing far more players together, creating a far larger group of raging psychopaths to get into trouble together.
5. Call of Duty Black Ops 3
One of the staples of gaming for many years now, the Call of Duty franchise has gained widespread mainstream acceptance at a level that most video games can only begin to dream of. Its big action set pieces and occasionally controversial single player storylines draw in crowds, but it’s nothing compared to the popularity of the multiplayer modes.
As popular as the series might be, however, with a new title releasing every year in time for Christmas, there is some danger the franchise might grow stale. Letting players on multiple systems battle it out together would breathe some much-needed novelty into a series that’s already given players different types of war simulation set in every era from World War II all the way into the not-too-distant future, and which could use an infusion of fresh blood in its various online communities.
4. Street Fighter V
While currently only available on PlayStation 4 and PC, Street Fighter V would make for an interesting experiment into the possibilities of cross-platform compatibility including home computers. Microsoft have noted that the company intends to allow PC players to compete against console owners, which may prove difficult – especially in a variety of shooter games, where using a keyboard and mouse is generally considered a lot more accurate than a controller, and it might lead to console players being unfairly disadvantaged while playing online.
There are no such problems with Street Fighter V, which, as a fighting game, holds no special love for either the keyboard or the handheld controller. The most authentic way to play games in this series is with an arcade stick, but even this setup wouldn’t give any particular player an advantage, providing a game that would be equally balanced on all platforms and with all input devices – just be ready, as with Mortal Kombat XL, for sore losers to blame their button locations for their personal Street Fighter failings.
3. Rainbow Six Siege
The latest installment in the tactical shooter Rainbow Six series emphasizes teamwork and a variety of playstyles, depending on which approaches and special abilities each player prefers. Some enjoy the quiet, careful subtlety of scoping out an enemy stronghold with a miniature remote-controlled robot, while others prefer the more direct approach of smashing down walls with an enormous sledgehammer.
Regardless of a gamer’s preferred playstyle, more variety is always going to help this game. If that includes a more varied player base as both PS4 and Xbox gamers are thrown together, it’ll no doubt give plenty of Rainbow Six fans a great opportunity to see how their personal strategy holds up against an all new group of adversaries.
2. Minecraft
There are few games which have quite as broad an appeal as Minecraft. The open world game of exploration, creativity and resource management has hooked players of all ages and backgrounds with its innovative playstyle and the enticing prospect of creating a personal digital castle to keep away the monsters. Plus, it’s immensely fun to create giant Lego shapes across the landscape – players working together have produced fantastic feats of digital engineering that often take many, many man-hours to get right.
Considering the size and scope of the Minecraft fanbase, introducing cross-platform multiplayer support would be a logical step to helping players of all consoles share experiences with greater ease. While Minecraft is now owned by Microsoft, the company has been willing thus far to share and share alike with their cash cow, as evidenced by the recent release of Minecraft for Wii U. If there’s money to be made in allowing cross-platform play, Microsoft will do doubt be willing to break down walls between platform versions.
1. Anything by EA or 2K
Sports games come in all shapes and sizes, and manage to move more than a few units each year. Whether your game of choice is FIFA, Madden, NBA or even PGA Tour, if a sport is popular enough, there’ll be a game released for it annually. A lot of sports fans and gamers alike are eager to get their hands on games featuring the latest roster of professional athletes, and experience the fantasy of taking their team to the top each season.
Playing against friends is a vital part of the sports experience, as real-world rivalries can be acted out on the digital stage. Making it easier for friends to get together online and play their favorite sports would be incredibly welcome by a variety of sports communities around the world.
Conclusion
Letting Microsoft and Sony gamers team up or face off for online experiences would be a revolution for gaming on all platforms. How likely it is that this could happen remains to be seen – while Microsoft are all for joining together, the current market leader Sony might feel that the company wouldn’t sell as many consoles if gamers knew they could choose between platforms, consequence-free. The large online community of PlayStation 4 owners is one of the big draws for the console, and it’s unlikely Sony will be willing to lose this advantage.
While it’s by no means a certainty that we’d see cross-platform support in the near future, considering that gamers have been clamoring for more open online platforms for years indicates just how much of an impact this would make on gaming. It would be interesting to see the way that online communities would develop and change if there weren’t an arbitrary line blocking Microsoft and Sony gamers from engaging together.
What game would you like to see with cross-platform multiplayer? How likely do you think it’ll be that Sony agrees to sharing online spaces? Share your thoughts in the comments below.