Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Pending Sony approval, 'Rocket League' cross-play between PS4 and Xbox One is ready

By

ps4 xbox one rocket league cross play ready rlcs verification
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Psyonix, the developer behind Rocket League, is ready to bring Xbox and PlayStation gamers together, pending Sony’s approval. The developer has announced that cross-play between PS4 and Xbox One is ready to launch, but can only move forward once Sony allows it to.

Rocket League is the massively popular car soccer game that now boasts over 19 million players. To keep matchmaking as seamless as possible, Psyonix hosts all games on its own servers. This allows Xbox One gamers to play with their PC brethren, and it’s the same on PS4. But as of now, PS4, Xbox One, and PC gamers cannot all play in the same match.

Recommended Videos

In a surprise move, Microsoft gave the go-ahead to allow Xbox gamers to play against those on PS4. This effectively put the ball in Sony’s court. In an interview with IGN, Psyonix Vice President Jeremy Dunham said that cross-platform play is ready and could be up within a few hours. “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” said Dunham. “It’d literally take a few hours to propagate throughout the whole world, so really we’re just waiting on the permission to do so.” If Psyonix were to pull off such a feat, it would be the first time that gamers on separate console platforms could play against each other online. “We’re anxiously awaiting that, just like the rest of our fans” said Dunham.

Related

While many are speculating that Sony is having philosophical reservations, the real reason could just be that the decision is mired in bureaucracy. “Sony’s such a big company that I’m sure it takes a while for them to figure out what it is that the roadblocks are, what sort of issues they might run into with other titles, any number of things that I can’t even begin to speculate on” said Dunham. “We definitely ask them for updates often, and we’re still very confident that they’re eventually going to open those doors and welcome us in, but we also are really understanding that it’s going to take a while especially given all the ramifications of everything. It was just as much of a surprise to them as I think the rest of the world when Microsoft said that they would do it.”

Ultimately Dunham is optimistic and does feel that cross-platform play is an inevitability.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Imad Khan
Imad Khan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Imad has been a gamer all his life. He started blogging about games in college and quickly started moving up to various…
Soul Hackers 2 splits the difference between Persona 5 and Shin Megami Tensei V
Ringo, Arrow, and other party members stare at something in the distance in Soul Hackers 2.

Atlus has perfected the JRPG and is now reveling in it. Persona 5 is one of the best games of the 2010s, thanks to its endearing cast of characters and impeccably stylish presentation. Meanwhile, Shin Megami Tensei V was no slouch in 2021 as it provided a dark and hardcore demon-driven RPG experience. After demoing the game at Summer Game Fest Play Days, t’s clear that Atlus has found a clear sci-fi middle ground with Soul Hackers 2.
Souls Hackers 2 is a tried-and-true Atlus JRPG with dungeon crawling, casual friend hangouts and conversations, and polished weakness-driven JRPG combat. It hits many of the same notes as Persona 5 and Shin Megami Tensei V, so it won’t change what you think about the genre. Still, if Persona 5 or Shin Megami Tensei V had won you over to this new era of Atlus JRPGs, then Souls Hackers 2 will give you dozens of more hours of JRPG enjoyment.

What’s here for Persona fans?
My demo of Soul Hackers 2 began in the Hangout, where protagonist Ringo and her party can hang out and heal between dungeon-crawling escapades. Then, I proceeded to go into the futuristic sci-fi city, buy some weapons, gear, and healing items from eccentric shopkeepers, and get a drink with my party members named Arrow.
After Ringo and Arrow got to know each other better by discussing what they liked to drink, they gained Soul Levels to make them stronger. Right off the bat, this was all very reminiscent of Persona with the expectation of the futuristic sci-fi setting. The UI in and out of battles takes a cue from Persona 5 by trying to look very stylish, though Soul Hackers 2 leans more into a digitized style than Persona 5’s luscious anime-style menus.
I didn’t spend enough time with this part of the game or the small character moments within it to get a feeling of whether or not its narrative will come together as well as Persona 5. Still, that game got me to fall in love with an eccentric cast of high-school cliche characters, so Soul Hackers 2 has the potential to do the same with a cast that leans into sci-fi stereotypes.

Read more
One Piece Odyssey is a new JRPG based on the popular anime
Luffy and the Straw Hat pirates walk through a forest in One Piece Odyssey.

During a special One Piece livestream, Bandai Namco Entertainment announced One Piece Odyssey, an expansive JRPG based on the long-running anime that will launch later this year.
The announcement trailer focuses on highlighting the game's world and putting a spotlight on many of the popular One Piece characters that the game will feature. "A storm, a shipwreck, a mysterious island," the trailer's description teases. "Expect the unexpected on your next adventure with the Straw Hats!"
One Piece Odyssey - Announcement Trailer
While we know that One Piece Odyssey will be a JRPG with quests, dungeons, and turn-based combat. A developer interview video shows some footage of Luffy exploring One Piece Odyssey's world and solving an environmental puzzle in a dungeon. 
The announcement also confirms that ILCA, the developer of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, is the primary developer of this game. In the aforementioned interview video, producer Katsuaki Tsuzuki also confirmed that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda advised the development team on the project and even provided art for the characters and enemies. 
A message from Oda also appears at the start of the announcement trailer, and he certainly seems quite excited about the project. "I thought to myself, wasn't it like three years ago when I designed the characters?!" he said, revealing how long One Piece Odyssey has been in development. "But when I actually saw the game ... wow! It felt like I was watching a movie! What incredible immersion."
One Piece Odyssey will be released for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S later in 2022. 

Read more
The best PS4 horror games
the best ps4 horror games home sweet

Horror games don't often share the limelight with major AAA titles, despite telling some of the most unique stories in video games. Although you'll find more horror games on PC, the PS4 still offers a treasure trove of spooks and scares. Here are our best PS4 horror games, with everything from Bloodborne to Inside. 

Most of the titles below are simply walking simulator games with little in the way of mechanics. Story is the focus for the majority of this guide, so if you're looking for a little more action, make sure to check out our list of the best PS4 games overall.

Read more