Epic Games Brings Xbox And PlayStation Cross-Play To 'Fortnite'

Cross-platform play between Xbox and PlayStation has seemed like a pipe dream for a long time. It would take a massive game in order to force Sony and Microsoft’s hand before they would even consider cross-platform. That game has proven to be "Fornite" and players can now reap the benefits.

In a report from Engadget, Epic Games has brought cross-platform matchmaking to “Fortnite” with Patch 8.10. The new patch requires players to opt-in to keep enjoying Epic’s battle royale giant, otherwise they will be limited to Creative Mode and Playgrounds.

The reason Epic gave was that it could now run more modes and better balance player experiences for a more universal image of the game.

This move by Epic speaks to the impact that “Fortnite” has had on the game industry. The battle royale genre was on the upswing thanks to “PUBG,” but “Fortnite” launched it into the stratosphere. Until recently, it was the most popular game on Twitch for 11 months and has built up a player base of over 200 million. So, if Epic says they want to do cross-play, who is Microsoft and Sony to argue?

The question going forward is how this could affect the game industry. Consoles have been slowly moving towards more of a PC architecture, making it easier for Epic Games to make cross-play happen. But, as it stands right now, this appears to be limited to “Fortnite” for the time being and may not expand unless another game of that popularity emerges.

Given the massive popularity of “Apex Legends” at the moment, it isn’t completely out of the question for that game, but only time will tell.