Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have traditionally tried to keep their different consoles separate from one another.
However, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch gamers are starting to find out that things are changing on that front.
A new game is now playable on all three consoles as a cross-platform title and it appears that others, perhaps even Apex Legends, will be going crossplay in the future.
The new update means that gamers will be able to play together on another big game, regardless of the system they are using.
Rocket League has become the second game that boasts cross-platform support, following in the footsteps of Fortnite Battle Royale.
It’s taken a while for PS4 fans to catch up, having been left behind when Xbox and Switch moved forward in 2018.
Players on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Steam PC can now randomly matchmake with or against each other in all Online match types.
This includes Casual, Competitive, and Extra Modes but Rocket players need to make sure the new option has been enabled.
The new system is in beta, meaning that more features are being planned for the future.
“But what about cross-platform parties?” a new post on cross-platform play reads from Psyonix.
“In our first update this year (more information coming soon), we will release our cross-platform party system, which allows you to partner up with friends on any platform with the push of a few buttons.
“Should you want to play with friends on other platforms before cross-platform parties release, however, you can! Just select Play from the Main Menu, then Private Match, followed by Create or Join Private Match, and you’re set from there.
“Today’s announcement is an important one for us here at Psyonix because we know how much our community has wanted full cross-platform support for quite some time.
“It’s because of you, our fans, and our generous partners on all systems and services that have made this possible in the first place.”
As mentioned by Psyonix, cross-platform parties are coming to PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch very soon.
According to the latest information from the dev team, this new update will be coming to all platforms in the coming weeks.
The Rocket League update is scheduled for February, meaning we should hear about it very soon.
So what other games could be getting the cross-platform treatment next?
It appears that Respawn Entertainment want to see Apex Legends become the third game to tackle crossplay in the future.
For now, Apex Legends does not include cross-platform support on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
“We currently don’t support cross-platform play, but are always working on new features and improvements we can add to our game,” an official Respawn message reads.
However, while there is currently no support for crossplay in Apex Legends, it looks like things will change in the future.
Respawn Entertainment want to bring cross-platform support to their new Battle Royale shooter; however, it won’t boast the level of integration found in Fortnite.
The Battle Royale juggernaut is one of the biggest games in the world right now that allows players to not only play across platforms but also share the same account.
Apex Legends is never going to allow fans to use cross-progress or cross-purchases like seen in Fortnite Battle Royale.
The reason for this is that this wasn’t available during the early stages of Apex Legends’ development, with the current system unable to support it. However, crossplay is a thing that Respawn are aiming for in the future.
There is no current release schedule in place for this new feature, but with how popular Apex Legends is proving, things could start moving quickly.
Apex Legends is not currently available on Nintendo Switch, the good news being that Respawn has not ruled out a port in the future.