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[Huge Succeeded]

How else is PS4 signing in to play minecraft right now? With their PSN right?

Edit: Rocket league doesn't force you to sign up for another account just for cross-play.

Neither does Minecraft. You should probably look up the Better Together update and what it entails. The MS account enables cross-platform invites/communication on cross-platform servers as well as platform-agnostic DLC purchases. Given that the intention is to make it so that all of the new dedicated servers (which in Minecraft are typically backed by full fat web presence including home websites, forums, online interactive maps, and so on) are cross-play to consolidate MC's massive overarching community, and that all these disparate versions of Minecraft become identical and run on the same codebase...

 

[Huge Succeeded]

I don't think Minecraft and rocket league are big enough to make a fuss over crossplay. And I know you have to start somewhere and this would be perfect but it seems like the majority of people don't care. If COD would do it, that would be something now.

Whoa now. Minecraft and Rocket League are way bigger than you think. Minecraft in particular is way bigger, and way more important, than Call of Duty. And Rocket League has about as many copies out in the wild as there are of Infinite Warfare, while retaining more players.

There's only one console game I can think of where cross-play (and the things that crossplay enable) would be anywhere near as big of a deal as it is with Minecraft, and that's GTA V.

 

[Rellik]

Not happening. This would require PSN users to create an Xbox live account to do cross play. I am pretty sure Sony doesn't want their users to add to Xbox Live's numbers.

It's a hotmail address, something most already have because of Windows.

Sony didn't care when people had to log into Steam.

 

[riotous]

And was barely supported to the point where steve jobs had to try and bargain a deal for office support by making IE the default browser. People wanted the OS that ran office better. Office was used as the bargaining chip much like Minecraft. Good support and other OSs didn't come until office itself lost its userbase.

Oh so, what you meant by "refused to make" was "they've made office for mac for 30 years."

 

[Shock32]

Whoa now. Minecraft and Rocket League are way bigger than you think. Minecraft in particular is way bigger, and way more important, than Call of Duty.

There's only one console game I can think of where cross-play (and the things that crossplay enable) would be anywhere near as big of a deal as it is with Minecraft, and that's GTA V.

Come on man COD would be huge if they announced crossplay. For the first time ever PS vs Xbox on the most popular shooter released each year. That would be way bigger than PS and Xbox playing Minecraft together.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

Come on man COD would be huge if they announced crossplay. For the first time ever PS vs Xbox on the most popular shooter released each year. That would be way bigger than PS and Xbox playing Minecraft together.

No, it wouldn't. It wouldn't be anywhere near as big. Except to console gamers inside of their own bubble, ignorant to how big Minecraft actually is, ignorant to how dedicated its fanbase actually is.

Minecraft's 100+ million players being able to play with each other on literally any platform the game exists on, in dedicated servers backed by full fat web presence...that is way, way, way, way bigger than Infinite Warfare's 10 million players being able to matchmake together on XB1 and PS4 would be.

 

[Bastables]

No, it wouldn't. It wouldn't be anywhere near as big. Except to console gamers inside of their own bubble, ignorant to how big Minecraft actually is, ignorant to how dedicated its fanbase actually is.

You mean the mincraft Java fan base? With all the mod and consumer/local server support that the win10 version lacks? The Java minecraft that's not getting the better together update?

 

[VeeP]

How else is PS4 signing in to play minecraft right now? With their PSN right?

Edit: Rocket league doesn't force you to sign up for another account just for cross-play.

Have you played Rocket League? Last time I played on PS4, I wasn't able to message or invite PC players into my lobby. I haven't played in months but as far as I know that hasn't changed.

With Minecraft, if your on PC and I'm on Xbox and EviLore is on his iPad, I can invite both of you guys to my game BECAUSE of the unified account. At least that's my understanding of it, correct me if I'm wrong.

How about a simple and standard and easy and neutral Minecraft account system? Only for the game. Where's the problem about that?

I mean, what's the problem with the account system the game's publisher already owns? And uses? Across multiple systems. From emails, to skype, to Xbox, to Windows Store, etc.

But oh wait, Sony is afraid Microsoft might send Xbox One X emails according to some in this thread.

 

[MUnited83]

Come on man COD would be huge if they announced crossplay. For the first time ever PS vs Xbox on the most popular shooter released each year. That would be way bigger than PS and Xbox playing Minecraft together.

LMAO, no, it wouldn't. Minecraft is bigger than COD, by far.

 

[SmokedMeat]

.

Strange that Windows 10 is separate from PC. Consoles are neck and neck with mobile, but that does include every one of them.

 

[Ploid 3.0]

Sony is making it so their platform is the worst platform to play the most popular game in the world on. That seems really, really stupid.

There are still Xbox 360, PS3, Wiiu, and maybe more versions that won't get the new setup. It will be far from the worst platform to play it. You can even say the mobile versions will still be worse to play on than a PS4 version due to controls.

 

[gtj1092]

Funny we're still arguing over this. Angst over this seems to be a message board only phenomenon.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

You mean the mincraft Java fan base? With all the mod and consumer server support? The Java minecraft that's not getting the better together update?

no, I'm talking about the 120+million strong overarching playerbase. The Java version only accounts for about 25% of those players, and those players are being given compelling reasons to switch over to the W10 version or play both anyway, because of cross-platform dedicated server support.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

Funny we're still arguing over this. Angst over this seems to be a message board only phenomenon.

The Better Together update is the biggest thing that's ever happened to Minecraft as far as a large swath of Minecraft's player base is concerned. We just don't talk very much about Minecraft here, but even kids who play Minecraft are aware of and excited for the massive changes coming to their favorite game, because Minecraft's net presence is pretty unique. Minecraft players stay aware of updates to the game through communication with other players in MC communities, as well as through watching their favorite streamers or content creators speak on updates to the game.

 

[Bastables]

no, I'm talking about the 120+million strong overarching playerbase. The Java version only accounts for about 25% of those players, and those players are being given compelling reasons to switch over to the W10 version or play both anyway, because of cross-platform dedicated server support.

With no mod support, nor any of the popular user run servers...

 

[snap]

What's funny about this is that MS actually refused to make Office for other operating systems that is until macs started selling gangbuster and people started migrating to google docs. So no, your example doesn't stand.

that's.... not true. Office for Mac came out of that late 90s deal that ended the Apple/Microsoft lawsuit over the Windows UI.

 

[unapersson]

Neither does Minecraft. You should probably look up the Better Together update and what it entails. The MS account enables cross-platform invites/communication on cross-platform servers as well as platform-agnostic DLC purchases. Given that the intention is to make it so that all of the new dedicated servers (which in Minecraft are typically backed by full fat web presence including home websites, forums, online interactive maps, and so on) are cross-play to consolidate MC's massive overarching community, and that all these disparate versions of Minecraft become identical and run on the same codebase...

The thing I don't understand (something that makes me wonder if this account id stuff is even the issue anyway) is that Microsoft already support using an external identity provider as an authentication source and once they've authorised that id giving access to all kinds of Office 365 and Azure resources.

So forcing a Microsoft login would seem to be an unnecessary step for them.

So maybe it simply is more of an issue related to linking the two networks together, which would bring it closer to the decision making around what occurred with Rocket League.

These guessing games are fun.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

With no mod support, nor any of the popular user run servers...

You mean specifically the user run servers that were exclusive to the 25% of the userbase who play the Java version anyway? because W10/mobile servers are going crossplay, and console versions never had server support to begin with until Better Together.
After the Better Together update, something like 75% of the game's userbase will all be playing in the same pool of dedicated servers. I don't think it makes sense to suggest that those players will 'lose out on the popular user run servers', when the popular W10/Mobile servers will be there from day one, when Mojang's own four dedicated servers/communities will be available day one, and when new popular player-run servers will undoubtedly crop up in the wake of this huge userbase consolidation, and be made newly viable with many more users, now free of restrictions (I can play on my Xbox version and play with PC friends in a common server where we can build together!), and now newly able to join servers to begin with.

 

[Herp Derpington]

Strange that Windows 10 is separate from PC. Consoles are neck and neck with mobile, but that does include every one of them.

Because Win10 is separate from PC Java. Moving forward Win10 will be the main platform and Java will be supported but I'd assume in a more experimental fashion where they can move fast with ideas because the playerbase expects it. Win10 though will get all final updates first.

 

[Nanashrew]

To get it through people's heads.

Minecraft's main component is online and people often play it similarly to an MMO and go on adventures with friends. The unification, the crossplay, and all the new online functionalities was the logical next step for the game.

Sony doesn't get special treatment in this. And if they were to give Sony special treatment, it would still suck for Minecraft players on PS4 because they would be trapped to their ecosystem, not allowed to use Microsoft's new dedicated servers, and don't get ANY of the benefits of the new update outside of updates. Period.

You people are essentially saying an MMO should not have crossplay and it's completely and utterly STUPID.

 

[AndrewDean84xX]

LMAO, no, it wouldn't. Minecraft is bigger than COD, by far.

I think this is what people are not getting. Minecraft is bigger than just about every other franchise in gaming today. Love it or hate it, doesn't matter. It sells, people play it everyday and buy DLC all the time.

 

[Uno Venova]

Funny we're still arguing over this. Angst over this seems to be a message board only phenomenon.

It's pretty much left mindshare online since shortly after E3. At this point I just want to see if the controversy will translate into anything tangible once this update happens.

 

[almostjuliuscaesar]

Negotiation clause: Only if MS bend the knee

ha!

 

[Niceguydan8]

Minecraft seems to be part of an overall policy by Sony where they won't share their userbase. A pretty good strategy for the majority of console games, in that case it isn't so stupid.

I mean as of now it is, sure. The biggest game in the world doing crossplay most other current places looks kind of bad, but not a huge deal. When (IF) multiple games start doing that, I think it looks a whole lot worse. At that point it's PC+Switch+Xbox+Mobile(unsure about this) or whatever combination of platforms vs just the PS4.

If more titles do that, it will make Sony look progressively worse. Friends that love their Mario games can play with friends that love Halo/DotA/whatever. Friends that love their God of War won't necessarily be able to play some of their favorite games with anyone else unless they own a PS4. I think that, if this crossplay stuff becomes a trend, it's going to actually hurt Sony a decent amount. It's not an appealing restriction, especially to people that don't give a shit about Sony having a larger singular install base than any other console (see: most console owners)

 

[Huge Succeeded]

It's pretty much left mindshare online since shortly after E3. At this point I just want to see if the controversy will translate into anything tangible once this update happens.

You should be more specific:

overarching crossplay discussion slowed down shortly after E3 (if by shortly you mean 3 weeks later... which yeah that's shortly I guess)
The BT update, on the other hand, is a very big thing within the Minecraft community.

 

[AndrewDean84xX]

The Better Together update is the biggest thing that's ever happened to Minecraft as far as a large swath of Minecraft's player base is concerned. We just don't talk very much about Minecraft here, but even kids who play Minecraft are aware of and excited for the massive changes coming to their favorite game, because Minecraft's net presence is pretty unique. Minecraft players stay aware of updates to the game through communication with other players in MC communities, as well as through watching their favorite streamers or content creators speak on updates to the game.

My 8 year old daughter knows more about the update coming than I do. Influencers and streamers of Minecraft keep Minecraft gamers in the know. It's crazy. She asks me just about every day when I get home from work, "Did the update release today?" She asks because she's not allowed to play unless I'm home and in the same room. I have to be extra safe, and train to keep her safe from the future pedo-xbox live gamers that Sony warned me about. You know, instead of checking a few boxes for her account to not allow messages or chat.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

I mean as of now it is, sure. The biggest game in the world doing crossplay most other current places looks kind of bad, but not a huge deal. When (IF) multiple games start doing that, I think it looks a whole lot worse. At that point it's PC+Switch+Xbox+Mobile(unsure about this) or whatever combination of platforms vs just the PS4.

If more titles do that, it will make Sony look progressively worse. Friends that love their Mario games can play with friends that love Halo/DotA/whatever. Friends that love their God of War won't necessarily be able to play some of their favorite games with anyone else unless they own a PS4. I think that, if this crossplay stuff becomes a trend, it's going to actually hurt Sony a decent amount. It's not an appealing restriction, especially to people that don't give a shit about Sony having a larger singular install base than any other console (see: most console owners)

That's how I look at things. I wouldn't even care if Sony capitulated on this one thing and continued to deny cross-play elsewhere. It would at least show that they're willing to consider it when it means something huge for the game in question - not just a wider pool of players to matchmake (and do nothing else) with, like Rocket League.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

My 8 year old daughter knows more about the update coming than I do. Influencers and streamers of Minecraft keep Minecraft gamers in the know. It's crazy. She asks me just about every day when I get home from work, "Did the update release today?" She asks because she's not allowed to play unless I'm home and in the same room. I have to be extra safe, and train to keep her safe from the future pedo-xbox live gamers that Sony warned me about. You know, instead of checking a few boxes for her account to not allow messages or chat.

How many times have I seen this exact thing shared in other Minecraft threads these last few weeks!

"My kid keeps talking about this big update coming up"
"Switch got a new MC update? Is it the new Better Together update my kid won't shut up about?"

 

[unapersson]

To get it through people's heads.

Minecraft's main component is online and people often play it similarly to an MMO and go on adventures with friends. The unification, the crossplay, and all the new online functionalities was the logical next step for the game.

Sony doesn't get special treatment in this. And if they were to give Sony special treatment, it would still suck for Minecraft players on PS4 because they would be trapped to their ecosystem, not allowed to use Microsoft's new dedicated servers, and don't get ANY of the benefits of the new update outside of updates. Period.

You people are essentially saying an MMO should not have crossplay and it's completely and utterly STUPID.

But an MMO that doesn't allow voice chat or playing with a party, the way the game is generally played? Whereas the non-"Better Together" version does?

I still can't help seeing it as a step back compared to what we have now.

 

[Venom.]

If Microsoft insist that PS4 to play against other platforms requires an Xbox Live log - in I understand them wanting to promote their online ecosystem. However whether Sony agree to this or not Microsoft should continue to provide other updates to the game including the super high res graphics pack. If they do not then it goes against the spirit of the pledge that Phil Spencer made to continue to support all platforms.


https://news.xbox.com/2014/09/15/games-minecraft-to-join-microsoft
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXNWchwDiG8

 

[Uno Venova]

I mean as of now it is, sure. The biggest game in the world doing crossplay most other current places looks kind of bad, but not a huge deal. When (IF) multiple games start doing that, I think it looks a whole lot worse. At that point it's PC+Switch+Xbox+Mobile(unsure about this) or whatever combination of platforms vs just the PS4.

If more titles do that, it will make Sony look progressively worse. Friends that love their Mario games can play with friends that love Halo/DotA/whatever. Friends that love their God of War won't necessarily be able to play some of their favorite games with anyone else unless they own a PS4. I think that, if this crossplay stuff becomes a trend, it's going to actually hurt Sony a decent amount. It's not an appealing restriction, especially to people that don't give a shit about Sony having a larger singular install base than any other console (see: most console owners)

It can change things if the bigger games on consoles like BF, COD and RDR actually do it, and if the online experience changes in ways other than a bigger pool. But that's all just hypotheticals at the moment.

 

[Marty Chinn]

To get it through people's heads.

Minecraft's main component is online and people often play it similarly to an MMO and go on adventures with friends. The unification, the crossplay, and all the new online functionalities was the logical next step for the game.

Sony doesn't get special treatment in this. And if they were to give Sony special treatment, it would still suck for Minecraft players on PS4 because they would be trapped to their ecosystem, not allowed to use Microsoft's new dedicated servers, and don't get ANY of the benefits of the new update outside of updates. Period.

You people are essentially saying an MMO should not have crossplay and it's completely and utterly STUPID.

But currently, the market has several MMOs that are not crossplay. That's just the landscape of where things are right now. You're making it sound like all MMOs have cross play so this should too but unfortunately, this is the norm right now.

 

[Rikimaru82]

Then explain why Sony doesn't allow Rocket League crossplay with other consoles?

Sony already allows other parties into their ecosystem. Playing FFXIV requires a SE account, playing Dreadnought requires a Grey Box account, etc.

Last time I checked MS is a direct competitor with Sony whereas SE is not

 

[Nanashrew]

My 8 year old daughter knows more about the update coming than I do. Influencers and streamers of Minecraft keep Minecraft gamers in the know. It's crazy. She asks me just about every day when I get home from work, "Did the update release today?" She asks because she's not allowed to play unless I'm home and in the same room. I have to be extra safe, and train to keep her safe from the future pedo-xbox live gamers that Sony warned me about. You know, instead of checking a few boxes for her account to not allow messages or chat.

This is something I and others tried to explain and how big and up to date the community always is. Minecraft's multimedia presence is just about everywhere and places like YouTube have a very, very large base of Minecraft players with thousands to millions of fans who watch daily/weekly. Just about anyone who's into Minecraft is aware of this update and what it means.

 

[lukeskymac]

Sony really sucks for the industry.

Transparent.

 

[AndrewDean84xX]

How many times have I seen this exact thing shared in other Minecraft threads these last few weeks!

"My kid keeps talking about this big update coming up"
"Switch got a new MC update? Is it the new Better Together update my kid won't shut up about?"

I only hope MS is ready for the onslaught of gamers and downloads, when that day comes. I hope I'm ready for my kids freaking out session. All while I play Splatoon 2 or Warframe, lol.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

But an MMO that doesn't allow voice chat or playing with a party, the way the game is generally played? Whereas the non-"Better Together" version does?

I still can't help seeing it as a step back compared to what we have now.

That's pretty silly, to me. (you don't party up in MC btw, you just join the same server, generally speaking)

You're saying that

-- Being able to play with friends on huge dedicated servers, but if they're playing on another platform you have to use something like Discord for voice chat (assuming there's no in-game solution, which there likely will be)

is a step back compared to

-- the same thing except all of the console versions are still gimped (because that's how it is right now on W10/Mobile)

or

-- the console version being limited to 8 friends on the same service playing in a limited-size world that exists on one of their consoles and no dedicated support at all (but they can use chat to talk)

But currently, the market has several MMOs that are not crossplay. That's just the landscape of where things are right now. You're making it sound like all MMOs have cross play so this should too but unfortunately, this is the norm right now.

Minecraft isn't really analogous to a conventional MMO, it's just referred to as such here as a shorthand to emphasize just how important its online element is to the full package, and how social the game is in practice.

Minecraft is more like a MMO sandbox game. The mark you leave on a game world is the game, you're not just consuming content designed by the developers. Now that console versions of the game will support dedicated servers, that means console players can leave their mark on shared worlds with one another, which is the main draw of this game, and which cross-platform support enables in a more inclusive fashion. Minecraft is also available and played on far more platforms than any other MMO, by far, so cross-play is a more ambitious endeavor in MC's case than it would be for most conventional multiplat MMOs (of which there are few), with wider implications for its community's future.

 

[Chronospherics]

Wrong, wrong and wrong.

You can join private servers, you can play on these servers with friends(example: Xbox guy can play with a pc friend), you can communicate via quick chat options(that's more than enough in today's age of online toxicity).

In private games? And yeah, of course, I don't want to freely communicate with the people I intentionally grouped up with... I can never understand how people like you try to rationalise that.

If you don't want to talk to people online, then don't, but there is absolutely no sense in justifying the lack of the option as rational due to 'toxic' behaviour. It's just nonsense.

 

[VincentMatts]

I think this is what people are not getting. Minecraft is bigger than just about every other franchise in gaming today. Love it or hate it, doesn't matter. It sells, people play it everyday and buy DLC all the time.

I didnt believe it either until i saw the numbers. Honestly, i really dont get it. Its shocking to me that minecraft sells that much for that long. Just insanity.

 

[AndrewDean84xX]

I didnt believe it either until i saw the numbers. Honestly, i really dont get it.

What's there not to get. It's a game that lets you create a game world, that you can even invite friends to play online with. My daughter loves Minecraft, the same way I loved Legos as a kid.

 

[FN-2187]

My 8 year old daughter knows more about the update coming than I do. Influencers and streamers of Minecraft keep Minecraft gamers in the know. It's crazy. She asks me just about every day when I get home from work, "Did the update release today?" She asks because she's not allowed to play unless I'm home and in the same room. I have to be extra safe, and train to keep her safe from the future pedo-xbox live gamers that Sony warned me about. You know, instead of checking a few boxes for her account to not allow messages or chat.

Yep. My 7-year-old son has asked me a number of times if "the new Minecraft graphics update is out yet."

 

[Marty Chinn]

Minecraft isn't really analogous to a conventional MMO, it's just referred to as such here as a shorthand to emphasize just how important its online element is to the full package, and how social the game is in practice.

Minecraft is more like a MMO sandbox game. The mark you leave on a game world is the game, you're not just consuming content designed by the developers. Now that console versions of the game will support dedicated servers, that means console players can leave their mark on shared worlds with one another, which is the main draw of this game, and which cross-platform support enables in a more inclusive fashion. Minecraft is also available and played on far more platforms than any other MMO, by far, so cross-play is a more ambitious endeavor in MC's case than it would be for most conventional multiplat MMOs (of which there are few), with wider implications for its community's future.

I wasn't saying it was; the person I was replying to was making that comparison. I were merely pointing out even with MMOs, the current landscape is most are not cross play compatible.

 

[hemo memo]

If this is truly for us (the players) you'll allow it.

 

[Nanashrew]

But currently, the market has several MMOs that are not crossplay. That's just the landscape of where things are right now. You're making it sound like all MMOs have cross play so this should too but unfortunately, this is the norm right now.

They really should be though. Even Square wants FF14 on other systems and to be crossplay.

To go on a bit of a tangent about Square though.
They're stupid talk every year since 2015 about how other platforms need to allow crossplay is dumb at this point too because of stuff like this. Like, they keep saying it about Nintendo and the Switch, for example, they've been saying it since 2015 when Switch was still called NX but Nintendo has been 100% okay with crossplay for a very, very, long time now. And even with Square's own game, Dragon Quest 10. So the line doesn't fly, Nintendo has always been okay with it, someone at Square is not wanting to tell the truth.

It's time to put up or shut up at this point from Square. I'm tired of hearing the same exact line over and over again.

 

[Niceguydan8]

It can change things if the bigger games on consoles like BF, COD and RDR actually do it, and if the online experience changes in ways other than a bigger pool. But that's all just hypotheticals at the moment.

Isn't the problem with that argument that Minecraft is bigger than all of those franchises by a pretty large margin?

Even Rocket League isn't something to scoff at. At this point it's probably bigger than the Red Dead series.

 

[Vince DiCola]

Whoa now. Minecraft and Rocket League are way bigger than you think. Minecraft in particular is way bigger, and way more important, than Call of Duty. And Rocket League has about as many copies out in the wild as there are of Infinite Warfare, while retaining more players.

There's only one console game I can think of where cross-play (and the things that crossplay enable) would be anywhere near as big of a deal as it is with Minecraft, and that's GTA V.

It's crazy that some folk still see COD as the be all and end all of popularity, Minecraft is HUGE

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

It's crazy that some folk still see COD as the be all and end all of popularity, Minecraft is HUGE

I've even seen it pop up on my Roku. Somehow my 5 year old was able to find a dedicated Minecraft app or something where they had tutorials designed for kids. I know it wasn't YouTube.

 

[Marty Chinn]

They really should be though. Even Square wants FF14 on other systems and to be crossplay.

To go on a bit of a tangent about Square though.
They're stupid talk every year since 2015 about how other platforms need to allow crossplay is dumb at this point too because of stuff like this. Like, they keep saying it about Nintendo and the Switch, for example, they've been saying it since 2015 when Switch was still called NX but Nintendo has been 100% okay with crossplay for a very, very, long time now. And even with Square's own game, Dragon Quest 10. So the line doesn't fly, Nintendo has always been okay with it, someone at Square is not wanting to tell the truth.

It's time to put up or shut up at this point from Square. I'm tired of hearing the same exact line over and over again.

I don't disagree, but what it comes down to is online play should be cross play, not just MMOs. Most games would benefit from cross play but it's unfortunate that the current landscape isn't like that because companies have their own self interests to protect. It just becomes a question of how and when those self interests no longer work in their favor. Until then, I don't think we will see this happen.

Isn't the problem with that argument that Minecraft is bigger than all of those franchises by a pretty large margin?

Even Rocket League isn't something to scoff at. At this point it's probably bigger than the Red Dead series when we are looking on a broader scale (aka outside of enthusiast message boards and such)

Yes if you want to look at pure numbers across all platforms, but no if you look at the impact it has at a console level. Sony cares about the console space, so it's those other games that need to influence it.

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

I don't disagree, but what it comes down to is online play should be cross play, not just MMOs. Most games would benefit from cross play but it's unfortunate that the current landscape isn't like that because companies have their own self interests to protect. It just becomes a question of how and when those self interests no longer work in their favor. Until then, I don't think we will see this happen.

Yeah, that's the point. To make enough noise that it would be to their detriment to not do it...

 

[unapersson]

That's pretty silly, to me. (you don't party up in MC btw, you just join the same server, generally speaking)

You're saying that

-- Being able to play with friends on huge dedicated servers, but if they're playing on another platform you have to use something like Discord for voice chat (assuming there's no in-game solution, which there likely will be)

is a step back compared to

-- the same thing except all of the console versions are still gimped (because that's how it is right now on W10/Mobile)

or

-- the console version being limited to 8 friends on the same service playing in a limited-size world that exists on one of their consoles and no dedicated support at all (but they can use chat to talk)

Playing with friends on one console is what they do now and have a great time doing it, chat is a very important part of that. So for any cross-platform play solution to be an improvement it needs to replicate that. Which means an integrated cross-platform party/chat/friendlist solution that works across the different platforms. Which would take the platform holders working together openly.

So why are we desperate to accept something second rate and pretend its a big step forward. If they're afraid to take that step then what's the point? What we have now is already better than that, just trapped in disconnected ecosystems.