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Sony Faces Growing Fortnite Backlash At E3

Sony faces an ever-growing Fortnite criticism at E3 By Leo Kelion Technology desk Editor



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14 June 2018



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Sony executives are under pressure to respond to complaints regarding "cross-play" restrictions that were imposed on Fortnite.



Gamers have discovered that if they had played the game for the first time on an PlayStation console it is not possible to play with the same Fortnite account with the newly released Nintendo Switch edition.



This means that they are not able to use clothes, other in-game purchases, and rewards that they have earned.



There is no limitation when it comes to switching between the Xbox One and Switch.



Gamers aren't able to share Fortnite accounts between Microsoft and Sony's platforms.



The Switch's ability to be portable is a draw for many who have bought it as a second gaming device.



Sony has yet to confirm it is responsible for the limitation however, it did issue the following statement to the BBC.



It stated that it was always open to hearing suggestions from the PlayStation community about ways to improve their gaming experience.



"With... more that 80 million monthly active PlayStation Network users, we've created a huge gaming community that can join forces on Fortnite.



"We also provide Fortnite cross-play for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android devices, thereby increasing the possibilities for Fortnite players on PS4 to play with more gamers on other platforms."



"We do not have anything else to add beyond this point," a spokeswoman added.



Epic Games, publisher of Fortnite and Microsoft both have previously stated that Epic Games had chosen to stop PlayStation gamers from competing with other console owners in Battle Royale's multiplayer fight-to-the-death game mode.



Global hit



Sony has come under fire for blocking cross-play in other games in the past including Minecraft and Rocket League.



However, the magnitude of Fortnite's popularity means that the backlash has the potential to be more destructive this time around.



Epic announced this week that the game has 125 million players across the globe.



Nintendo announced that the game that is free to play was downloaded more than two million times within the first 24 hours of its debut on Tuesday on Switch.



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Concerns over the issue are already in the process of risking to shadow Sony's PR efforts at the E3 video games show in Los Angeles.



The players have asked Fortnite to allow them to share their Fortnite logins with cross-play.



I'm annoyed at PlayStation for holding my Fortnite account hostage because they don't want to play with other players. Minecraft online It's a bit depressing that I can't use a third party login on the Switch because it's tied to PS4. The Sony is a joke. #BlameSony pic.twitter.com/OfRG55meXr



- PKMN Maestro Jerry (@PKMN_Maestro) June 12, 2018



How can @Sony PS's slogan be 'For players' if they block cross-compatibility with everyone fortniteswitch?



- Max Hart (@M_H7) June 12, 2018



The answers are all from people who have asked Sony about unlocking Fortnite accounts.



Good. https://t.co/eiFbAbclSE



- Jim Sterling (@JimSterling) June 13, 2018



Since @Sony seems to be blocking #Fortnite cross-play between PS4 and Nintendo Switch, I will be switching to Xbox One as my non-Switch platform of choice so that I can play together with my children. I would recommend anyone who is able to do the same.



- Erik Kain (@erikkain) June 12, 2018



While the PlayStation 4 is the most loved console of this generation, an industry watcher said that it was not invincible to attacks.



Samantha Loveridge, associate editor at GamesRadar+, told the BBC that Sony must be aware of how it handles the situation.



"Fortnite is huge and it's growing exponentially - it's coming to Android - Sony should start thinking about its closed-garden ecosystem.



"One way or the other gamers need to be given an explanation for the reason for this compatibility issue."



Sony allows compatibility with both iOS and PC versions of the game. This indicates that the Xbox/Switch stopping it is a strategic decision rather than a technical issue.



While players await a response from the PlayStation firm, its competitors have taken on the pressure.



Nintendo North America chief Reggie Fils Aime said that the choice of competitors was theirs to make. We believe that being both developer-forward and fan-forward is in the best interests of the game."



One of Microsoft's gaming executives as well as one of its corporate accounts, have tweeted about this issue.



It's great to see cross-play and progress between Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. Many have a Switch. We are looking forward to seeing you in the! https://t.co/mMRXj2GA10



- Mike Ybarra (@XboxQwik) June 12, 2018



@NintendoUK, would you like to play Fortnite later?



- Xbox UK (@xboxuk) June 12, 2018



The BBC is not responsible to the content on external websites. View the original tweet on Twitter



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Related Internet Links



GamesRadar+



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