Fortnite's cross-play revolutionizes gaming industry

In 2017, Microsoft's Better Together update for Minecraft made headlines by introducing mainstream cross-play, allowing users to play together across Xbox, mobile, Windows 10 and later Nintendo Switch platforms. This move not only popularized the trend but also unified versions, names and downloadable content, solidifying Minecraft as a lingua franca among devices.

The battle for sony's heart

While Minecraft and Nintendo pushed the cross-play envelope, Sony remained resistant. However, the tide turned when the gaming industry's momentum and user demand became too strong to ignore. The catalyst for Sony's change of heart was none other than Fortnite, the behemoth game with a massive player base and daily revenue in the millions.

Epic Games, Fortnite's developer, understood that convincing console manufacturers alone wasn't enough. They also needed to make it easier for game studios to implement cross-play. As a result, Epic launched its multi-platform services and, by the end of 2018, provided free tools proven successful with 200 million players. This marked a turning point, as within five years, cross-play had become a requirement for many multiplayer games, with Steam, Xbox, Switch, PlayStation and Epic all seamlessly connected.

Today, cross-play is no longer a nice-to-have feature but a commercial necessity. It's part of a broader trend centered around converting consoles into ecosystems, with cross-play and cloud gaming gaining significant traction. By embracing this shift, the gaming industry is poised to usher in a new era of interconnected play.