Summary
- Former Microsoft VP Mike Ybarra has called for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox to have shared friend lists.
- The comments come as Xbox moves more into publishing and further from the console business.
- Ybarra admits it’s unlikely the friends list idea will happen, but that also felt true of cross-platform gaming once upon a time.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer has had a lot to say about the future of the platform, particularly when it comes to Xbox games showing up on rival platforms. Now former Microsoft VP Mike Ybarra has been weighing in on what the cross-platform landscape looks like for Xbox, suggesting PlayStation and Nintendo work with Xbox so that console gamers can have one shared friends list across all three platforms.
Ybarra’s friends list suggestion is part of a tweet responding to news that Xbox is no longer in the business of trying to take players away from PlayStation and Nintendo. As Ybarra quite rightly highlights, this isn’t news anymore. Xbox appears to be in the process of making its games available anywhere, becoming more of a publisher than a console creator. However, as Ybarra also notes, that potentially poses a problem for those loyal to Xbox.
Related
PlayStation’s Logo Will Appear More Frequently In Xbox Reveals, Phil Spencer Confirms
Soon we’ll call them Xbox State Of Play Directs.
There might be a future where there isn’t a new Xbox console – at least not one that’s designed to compete with a future PlayStation that launches at the same time. However, since Xbox games will be available everywhere, as hard as it might be for some to bite the bullet, Xbox loyalists will be able to continue playing its games on other platforms. Friends lists are a stumbling block though, hence Ybarra’s comments.
PS/Nintendo should work with Xbox on some type of friends transfer system etc. Eventually that should be done to help people stay connected with their friends.
Mike Ybarra Wants Gaming’s Big Three To Have Shared Friends List
I Imagine Some In Charge Of Making This Happen Will Be Less Open To It Than Others
If Xbox owners are eventually forced to abandon their ecosystems and play on other platforms, their friend lists won’t only be left behind, but rebuilding them will be difficult, if not impossible. Friends might not join them on the same platform which means, as it stands, those people will no longer be able to be friends, at least not in a video game sense. In some instances, it might mean they can’t even play together anymore.
It wasn’t all that long ago that cross-platforming gaming in general was a no-go. PlayStation dug its heels in for as long as possible but eventually caved and now people can play together in games like Fortnite and Marvel Rivals regardless of their chosen platform. Even though Ybarra thinks it’s unlikely we will ever see “a universal gaming social platform”, the cross-platform play barrier was broken down eventually. Maybe that means we can have a cross-platform friends list eventually too, especially with Xbox owners potentially being forced to jump ship in the future.
Next
Phil Spencer Wants To Keep Backing Single Player Games On Xbox, Not Just Live Services
After some high-profile live service failures from multiple studios, Phil Spencer says Xbox is committed to smaller, single-player games.