'Ark: Survival Evolved' Devs Says Sony Vetoed PlayStation 4 Cross-play

The dinosaur-themed survival game Ark: Survival Evolved is the latest title to join the ranks of [...]

Ark Survival Evolved
(Photo: Studio Wildcard)

The dinosaur-themed survival game Ark: Survival Evolved is the latest title to join the ranks of games that Sony has rejected for PlayStation 4 cross-play.

Ark: Survival Evolved has been in Q&A mode recently on Twitter since the game is so close to it's long-awaited release date after being in development since 2014. Releasing towards the end of the month for the PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, one hopeful Twitter user inquired about the possibility of cross-play between Xbox and PlayStation owners. The game's lead designer replied to the user with a disappointing answer, but one that was pretty much expected.

For gamers that have been following the cross-play debates that started picking even more around June during E3, the reveal that Sony has deemed Ark: Survival Evolved cross-play a no-go should come as no surprise. Minecraft and Rocket League are the two main games that have been discussed recently for cross-play potential, both of them revealed to have eventual cross-play with the Nintendo Switch and Xbox One.

Nintendo and the Switch seem to have no problem letting their fans play with console-owners from other neighborhoods, a stance that makes Sony's reasoning for objecting it even more questionable. When pressured in recent months about the possibility of gaming across multiple platforms, Sony suggested that they had a responsibilty to maintaining their players' safety during online gameplay, something they claim wouldn't be as simple when interacting with players from other consoles. Considering how conscious Nintendo is about younger ages in regards to gaming selections and content, the response from Sony didn't mean much to a lot of cross-play pushers.

The upcoming game from Studio Wildcard may not be playable across different consoles, but that alone won't stop players from picking up the game who have been waiting on it for some time now. After being in early access for a while, receiving some controversial paid DLC before the full game was even out, and having the release date delayed, those who have supported the game are likely more than ready to finally own it for real.

Ark: Survival Evolved releases on Aug. 29 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

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