Gearbox says a Borderlands 3 crossplay update is ready for release, but there's a hitch. Borderlands 3 won't be getting cross-play support for PlayStation consoles, meaning you'll only be able to play with friends on different platforms if you're on Xbox, PC, or Stadia.
Why isn't Borderlands 3 crossplay coming to PlayStation?
In a tweet, Gearbox's Randy Pitchford outlines the situation. He says the update that will add Borderlands 3 crossplay has been "prepared for release" and includes support for all platforms. However, for certification, Pitchford says Borderlands 3 publisher 2K has asked it to "remove crossplay support for PlayStation consoles". Pitchford doesn't specify why this is the case, but given Sony's past form when it comes to crossplay, it's not hard to imagine the reason.
Earlier this month, a report emerged that suggests Sony charges developers for crossplay on PlayStation. In the report, a slide reveals that Sony has a policy whereby if a crossplay game's PSN revenue share divided by its PS4 player share is less than 85%, then the developer must pay Sony a fee to offset this deficit. The slide appears to exclude games that don't make more than $500,000, which is good news for indies, but Borderlands 3's revenue definitely exceeds that number.
What's next for Borderlands 3 crossplay?
Given that publisher 2K has mandated leaving Sony off the crossplay list, it looks like Borderlands 3 PlayStation crossplay is off the table for now. It's hard to imagine what could happen in order to change that situation. It would likely require an overhaul to the way Sony approaches revenue share, which isn't likely, or 2K backing down, which also isn't likely.
We also don't know exactly when Borderlands 3 crossplay is scheduled to drop. The feature was originally announced back in September last year, and since Randy Pitchford says it's effectively ready to roll out, it might not be too long before you can play with your friends on Xbox, PC, or Stadia. If you're a PlayStation player, though, you might just need to hope for a miracle. There's a chance 2K and Sony can iron out these issues, but we'll just have to wait and see.
How do you feel about PlayStation being left off the Borderlands 3 crossplay agenda? If you haven't purchased Borderlands 3 will a decision like this affect where you're going to purchase it? Let us know in the comments below!
