Interesting tidbit in today's Polygon article about Pure Chess, specifically regarding cross-platform policies for PlayStation. Apparently Nintendo was open to allowing other platforms, and the developer expects that Sony will do the same:

…They said, 'Yep, no problem. You can have other console players playing against Wii U players. You can have smartphone players play against them. No problem,'" Gaskell told Eurogamer at the time. "We're still talking to Sony about them relaxing their policies, but we don't think they'll have any issue with it. So when we launch Pure Chess, you'll be able to play against Wii U, 3DS, iOS and Android players. And when we patch PlayStation, those consoles will be added to the mix as well.

The implications for Destiny are obvious, and this pretty much confirms my suspicion that only the red tape from Microsoft and Sony are in the way of allowing a cross-gen, cross-platform Destiny experience.

The implications for Destiny are obvious, and this pretty much confirms my suspicion that only the red tape from Microsoft and Sony are in the way of allowing a cross-gen, cross-platform Destiny experience.

I'm really hopeful, but not holding my breath. Especially with Sony betting big on Destiny I don't think they'll be willing to allow it. Please prove me wrong though Sony and Microsoft.

Santa needs to bring down the law on sony and microsoft outlawing fun

Interesting tidbit in today's Polygon article about Pure Chess, specifically regarding cross-platform policies for PlayStation. Apparently Nintendo was open to allowing other platforms, and the developer expects that Sony will do the same:

…They said, 'Yep, no problem. You can have other console players playing against Wii U players. You can have smartphone players play against them. No problem,'" Gaskell told Eurogamer at the time. "We're still talking to Sony about them relaxing their policies, but we don't think they'll have any issue with it. So when we launch Pure Chess, you'll be able to play against Wii U, 3DS, iOS and Android players. And when we patch PlayStation, those consoles will be added to the mix as well.

The implications for Destiny are obvious, and this pretty much confirms my suspicion that only the red tape from Microsoft and Sony are in the way of allowing a cross-gen, cross-platform Destiny experience.

Cross platform play with Nintendo is one thing, but not with MS. Cross platform play between console and a PC versions if there is a PC version is not happening, nor is it a good idea as Shadowrun illustrated.

The only thing to possibly expect is PS3 and PS4 to be able to play together. I believe MS has already said no Xbox 360 and Xbox One cross platform play.

Again, it would be great if true, but this all really hurts the whole 'shared world shooter' thing if you can only share with ¼ the folks playing. This is really a situation where Bungie should have only done next gen versions of the game, making the segregation much more bearable.

Again, it would be great if true, but this all really hurts the whole 'shared world shooter' thing if you can only share with ¼ the folks playing. This is really a situation where Bungie should have only done next gen versions of the game, making the segregation much more bearable.

How is it segregation to give people who wouldn't be able to play the game the ability to do so?

If Destiny was next-gen only, I wouldn't be able to play it all. That's not segregation - that's exclusion.

Again, it would be great if true, but this all really hurts the whole 'shared world shooter' thing if you can only share with ¼ the folks playing. This is really a situation where Bungie should have only done next gen versions of the game, making the segregation much more bearable.

How is it segregation to give people who wouldn't be able to play the game the ability to do so?

If Destiny was next-gen only, I wouldn't be able to play it all. That's not segregation - that's exclusion.

You'd buy a next gen system, and then play it.

You'd buy a next gen system, and then play it.

This makes the incorrect assumption that everyone who wants to play Destiny can afford a $400-$500 next-gen system, which is just crazy. PS4 and XONE are very expensive still!

This makes the incorrect assumption that everyone who wants to play Destiny can afford a $400-$500 next-gen system

Maybe not quite. The assumption Cody seems to be making is that the presumably drop in overall player base would be worth the increased cohesion (for people who have multiple consoles, there'd be fewer variables in deciding amongst friends which version(s) to get, and it's probably true that Destiny would push a few PS4/XB1 if it wasn't coming out on the seventh-gen consoles).

You'd buy a next gen system, and then play it.

Nope.

This makes the incorrect assumption that everyone who wants to play Destiny can afford a $400-$500 next-gen system

Maybe not quite. The assumption Cody seems to be making is that the presumably drop in overall player base would be worth the increased cohesion (for people who have multiple consoles, there'd be fewer variables in deciding amongst friends which version(s) to get, and it's probably true that Destiny would push a few PS4/XB1 if it wasn't coming out on the seventh-gen consoles).

Yeah. I mean, PC MMOs have had this issue pretty much solved, since:

1. Everybody has a computer
2. You can adjust settings so as to run on a wide variety of hardware
3. You can't really pirate MMOs
4. PCs are easily hooked to TVs and can operate with gamepads, replicating that console experience

Basically, everybody could play. Everything Bungie seems set out to do here seems like the perfect fit for a PC only release. The game is already going to run on hardware 9 years old, so a PC release should be able to play on tons of systems.

Bungie is presumably doing consoles for a reason, so there must be some explanation as to why Mac + PC + Steambox is not their preferred release, beyond the history of being a console FPS developer for 10 years.

I'm not going to scream "PC Master Race" since I do see advantages to consoles, but not in a shared world genre like this unless it's platform exclusive.

This makes the incorrect assumption that everyone who wants to play Destiny can afford a $400-$500 next-gen system

Maybe not quite. The assumption Cody seems to be making is that the presumably drop in overall player base would be worth the increased cohesion (for people who have multiple consoles, there'd be fewer variables in deciding amongst friends which version(s) to get, and it's probably true that Destiny would push a few PS4/XB1 if it wasn't coming out on the seventh-gen consoles).

I would say that the Sony/Microsoft split is the main cause for segregation, since they're actually on the same competitive tier, and many people pick one or the other.

I don't think the group of people who can afford a new system but aren't ever going to get one because the first Destiny is coming out on a console they already own is large enough for concern.

I think the group of people who can't afford a new system anytime soon is much larger, so Bungie would only be including them in the fun, and "not segregating them from others", since they simply wouldn't be there at all if that option wasn't there. Eventually in the future, these folks may be getting a new console and they'll migrate over to one of the next-gen populations.

But I am biased. I'm personally perfectly happy with splitting the population if it means I can actually play it on my 360, as a next-gen console is not possible for me in any near-future I can predict.

Yeah, this new gen is not quite there yet, Cody. I do understand your point, but I'm sure they'd rather not exclude any potential customers, even if it breaks the cohesion a bit.

It's a gamble, mostly. Do they leave people behind or do they risk making their game less shared than they would like?

Yeah, this new gen is not quite there yet, Cody. I do understand your point, but I'm sure they'd rather not exclude any potential customers, even if it breaks the cohesion a bit.

It's a gamble, mostly. Do they leave people behind or do they risk making their game less shared than they would like?

I'm not too worried about it honestly. I always have enough people to play with in Titanfall which is on the XB1 which technically has the smallest reach of the 4 consoles Destiny will be released on. Destiny will be populated enough on all consoles, you just might not be able to play with some of your friends.

I'm not too worried about it honestly. I always have enough people to play with in Titanfall which is on the XB1 which technically has the smallest reach of the 4 consoles Destiny will be released on. Destiny will be populated enough on all consoles, you just might not be able to play with some of your friends.

See, it's never Bungie's fault! It's those traitorous bastards called "friends".

See, it's never Bungie's fault! It's those traitorous bastards called "friends".

I blame Joey.

See, it's never Bungie's fault! It's those traitorous bastards called "friends".

I blame Joey.

That limited fool is not capable of such treachery. I believe we can all agree that Ross is the true villain here.

See, it's never Bungie's fault! It's those traitorous bastards called "friends".

I blame Joey.

That limited fool is not capable of such treachery. I believe we can all agree that Ross is the true villain here.

HE WAS ON A BREAK COME ON.

If Destiny was next-gen only, I wouldn't be able to play it all. That's not segregation - that's exclusion.

Question: How long do you expect devs to keep supporting the 360 and PS3, anyway? They're not going to keep doing cross-gen games forever. Eventually you will have to upgrade if you want to play the latest games.

If Destiny was next-gen only, I wouldn't be able to play it all. That's not segregation - that's exclusion.

Question: How long do you expect devs to keep supporting the 360 and PS3, anyway? They're not going to keep doing cross-gen games forever. Eventually you will have to upgrade if you want to play the latest games.

I have no expectations, only dreams! The only new game I'm interested in right now is Destiny. Other than that, I have a big backlog to keep me happy for quite some time, so I have zero interest in a new console right now.

If they go down in price a ways and start to accumulate a game library that piques my interest and hits the point where the games actually warrant the new technology (besides an increase of grit in the art direction, which I'm quite sick of), I might be interested.

But even then I can still wait longer for these potential games to get cheap. Very few games do I not have patience for - I just bought Bioshock the other day for five dollars, for example!

Question: How long do you expect devs to keep supporting the 360 and PS3, anyway? They're not going to keep doing cross-gen games forever. Eventually you will have to upgrade if you want to play the latest games.

+1
It may not be the game in question, but eventually there will be an Xbox One exclusive. Halo 5?

EDIT: You posted mere seconds before my response, Leviathan! You're MUCH more patient than I am. I applaud you. Also, teach me.

Question: How long do you expect devs to keep supporting the 360 and PS3, anyway? They're not going to keep doing cross-gen games forever. Eventually you will have to upgrade if you want to play the latest games.

+1
It may not be the game in question, but eventually there will be an Xbox One exclusive. Halo 5?

I can't think of any announced next-gen exclusives that excite me right now. If anything I'm ready to go back and play the PS3 exclusives that I missed out these recent years.

EDIT: You posted mere seconds before my response, Leviathan! You're MUCH more patient than I am. I applaud you. Also, teach me.

Pick a trade that has .01% chance of making you money and makes you feel guilty when you're not working on it, and you'll find it pretty easy to let your wallet and the calender temper your day-one needs. :)

Actually, when I think about it, I guess I never got new games very often, even when I was younger. I would sometimes rent new games in middle school and high school, sure, but I can count my day-one games on my fingers. Final Fantasy VIII and IX, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and Halo 2 through Reach. Skyrim would have been another but I was completely broke at the time of its release (that's what happens you spend way too much of your time making Fistful of Arrows for a year, hah).

Perhaps other people just get excited about more games than I do - but for me, most games I can wait years to play and that works perfectly for my wallet. It also helps that a great number of books, comics, film, albums, and now television vie for my free time. And I suppose I'm years behind on most of those mediums as well.

My god, we're old...

If Destiny was next-gen only, I wouldn't be able to play it all. That's not segregation - that's exclusion.

Question: How long do you expect devs to keep supporting the 360 and PS3, anyway? They're not going to keep doing cross-gen games forever. Eventually you will have to upgrade if you want to play the latest games.

Heh - the last game ever made for the PS2 came out last October. :)

(I'm not saying you'll be able to play Destiny Season 15 on a PS3/360 - I'm saying the market for older consoles might be bigger than you think. :) )

I can't think of any announced next-gen exclusives that excite me right now. If anything I'm ready to go back and play the PS3 exclusives that I missed out these recent years.

I'm a little excited for Watchdogs, but that's playable on a 360. A few weeks ago I would have said that a PS3 is worth it just for The Last of Us, but now's there's rumors that that's coming to the PS4. Journey is awesome, but it's hard to justify a console purchase for a three- or four-hour game.

I bought an Xbox One a few weeks back. I'm underwhelmed. I should have waited. Titanfall is fun, but I can't imagine it being less fun on a 360. That's basically all I've got to play on it.

The Last of Us has ruined me, I'm afraid. My expectations are high.

Man, Half Life 2 would be good after a 10 year lag.

I, too, feel pretty underwhelmed with my XBO right now, but I am really looking forward to Child of Light at the end of this month.

- No text -

My god, we're old...

Yeah kids today. No respect. Earning that Halo 3 vid achievement. Probably never took the vidmaster's oath in their lives. Back in my day, vidding meant beating Cold Fusion without the fusion pistol, going backwards to Carroll Street Station with the Hang Brain chip and using it on total carnage, never hearing "Casualty", grenade climbing at will, beating the ninja without the mercury bow on hard, and always double tapping the run key instead of pressing action.

m$uk is the culprit here.

they started the 'eclusive' crap when they 'published/stole' hale from bungie/mac platform and 'morphed' it into to 'what we have now'

funny thing will happen w/Destiny is that the 'GAMERS' might start to think 'why the fuck shouldn't I be able to play w/my brother/friends on their 'whatever' system.

…THERE IS NO REASON except m$oft GREED like they have been w/Halo from the beginning and the GAMERS suffer and are so FN gullible to support NEXT GEN systems, bitch make me an xbox 360 that doesn't burn up 3x and then C O M E O N…

…there might be 'alternatives' down the road of Destiny, hopefully…

I still cringe, and sometimes go into a blind rage, when I hear the word "casualty." Ugh.

m$uk is the culprit here.

they started the 'eclusive' crap when they 'published/stole' hale from bungie/mac platform and 'morphed' it into to 'what we have now'

funny thing will happen w/Destiny is that the 'GAMERS' might start to think 'why the fuck shouldn't I be able to play w/my brother/friends on their 'whatever' system.

…THERE IS NO REASON except m$oft GREED like they have been w/Halo from the beginning and the GAMERS suffer and are so FN gullible to support NEXT GEN systems, bitch make me an xbox 360 that doesn't burn up 3x and then C O M E O N…

…there might be 'alternatives' down the road of Destiny, hopefully…

Lol, u mad?

But even then I can still wait longer for these potential games to get cheap. Very few games do I not have patience for - I just bought Bioshock the other day for five dollars, for example!

Let me tell you right now, if the whole story hasn't been spoiled for you yet, you're in for one of the best games of the previous generation.

But even then I can still wait longer for these potential games to get cheap. Very few games do I not have patience for - I just bought Bioshock the other day for five dollars, for example!

Let me tell you right now, if the whole story hasn't been spoiled for you yet, you're in for one of the best games of the previous generation.

Would you kindly not post spoilers?

But even then I can still wait longer for these potential games to get cheap. Very few games do I not have patience for - I just bought Bioshock the other day for five dollars, for example!

Let me tell you right now, if the whole story hasn't been spoiled for you yet, you're in for one of the best games of the previous generation.

Would you kindly not post spoilers?

Judging by his comment, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't post any spoilers.

It's an awesome game, Levi! Be sure to let us know what you think. It's been a while since I played it, so it would be cool to revisit it through the eyes of one who is playing it for the first time.

I managed to avoid spoils and play through it just last year. So glad I did.