Todd Howard Wanted Cross-Platform Multiplayer in Fallout 76, But Sony Won’t Allow It
Fallout 76 will be Bethesda’s first core RPG title to feature multiplayer when it releases in November. Announced at E3, the multiplayer appears to emphasize cooperative play over competitive, with PvP combat strictly controlled. Fallout 76 cross-platform multiplayer was actually planned to feature as well, according to Todd Howard, but one thing prevented it: Sony.
Fallout 76 Cross-Platform Multiplayer
Speaking in a recent interview with GameStar.de, director Todd Howard explained that he would have liked to incorporate Fallout 76 cross-platform multiplayer. However, those plans were cancelled due to Sony’s refusal to allow it. “You cannot do cross-play in 76,” stated Howard; “we’d really love that but right now we can’t.”
Rather than skirting around the issue, Howard was unafraid to lay the blame at Sony’s doorstep. When asked why cross-play wouldn’t be a feature of Fallout 76, he replied simply; “Sony is not as helpful as everyone would like.” He remained hopeful to some extent, ending his comments by stating that; “We’ll see what happens in the future.”
Sony has a long track record of opposing cross-platform multiplayer. Major online titles like Fortnite and Rocket League have attempted to implement the feature, only for Sony to refuse to allow it. The Rocket League VP even said, back in 2016, that; “We’re literally at the point where all we need is the go-ahead on the Sony side and we can, in less than a business day, turn it on and have it up and working, no problem.”
Sony’s Policy of Opposing Cross-Play
Sony has not commented publicly to explain their anti-cross-play policy. However, it’s very likely to be a matter of sales; with the current state of the console market, it is theoretically beneficial for Sony to oppose cross-play. The PlayStation 4 is generally believed to have sold much better than the Xbox One, for a variety of reasons. Now, when gamers are looking to buy a console; most will consider multiplayer and look to buy a console which they know they can play with their friends on. If there are more PlayStations in homes than Xbox Ones; there is a greater chance that those buyers will have to buy a PlayStation to be able to play with their friends. If Sony were to allow cross-play, however, it removes the advantage of that market trend.
Fortunately for gamers, Sony tends to receive negative coverage every time a cross-play issue like this emerges. Especially now, near the end of the current console generation, they may at last relent and allow cross-play. Whether Sony will ever allow Fallout 76 cross-platform multiplayer, however, remains to be seen.