Why are Xbox1 and PS4 players locked out from playing with PC players? ONE BIG MEGASERVER FOR ALL!!!

Aiden_Dark

Hi! I just wanted to ask why was the decision made to have players form consoles (Xbox One, PS4) playing on different servers than PC players? Was it due to technical or managements reasons? I truly believe that having different servers for Xbox One, PS4 and PC players is a HUGE MISTAKE since instead of one big growing community you're going to have three small, shrinking and isolated communities that are going to get diluted once the PC to console transfers are done. I know that from a technical aspect it can be done since we've had MMOs before that have shared servers between console and PC (FF11 was on PS2, Xbox360 and PC; FF14 is on PS4 and PC). I've heard that it may be to allow console players a head start to play without the interference from high level PC players but in any case the benefits from that are negligible when compared to playing alone on empty servers because everyone is isolated from one another. I highly encourage you to please reconsider while there's still time and allow ESO to grow and prosper as ONE BIG COMMUNITY ON THE SAME MEGASERVVER where everyone can adventure with each other no matter if you are on console or PC. Thanks!!!

Ace_SiN

I've been asking for this since early launch, but it's not going to happen it seems.

nastuug

How did FF14:ARR do it with their PC/PS3 players? I can't quite remember.

Bahalul

Why?

ItsMeToo

With the lag we have now you want to add more? No thanks.

Aiden_Dark

PC master race is good and all but that in no way prevents a shared megaserver between consoles and PCs. In Final Fantasy 14 you have PS3 players on completely outdated hardware playing alongside their friends on the newer PS4 and super uber high end PCs without any problems whatsoever. I say there's no harm in asking for ONE BIG MEGASERVER FOR ALL!

yoda101280ub17_ESO

Aren't those decisions usually determined by the console companies and not ZoS?

Ommamar

yoda101280ub17_ESO wrote: »

Aren't those decisions usually determined by the console companies and not ZoS?

Yes I think this has a lot to do with Microsoft and Sony.

Aiden_Dark

I'm not quite sure who decides it... ZoS or the platform holders. That's what I would like to know.

Davadin

i want it too but not only its technically challenging (moar lag, anyone?), costly (need dem servers to get rid of lag), and political (Sony. Meet Microsoft. Now SHAKE HANDS!)(ignore Gabe, he's ready to hug anyone), it's also very very complex to design around (UI, leveling, game-mechanic limitations,etc.)


it's like..... sounds so simple, but it's actually opening up a new can of dragons.

Aiden_Dark

I love this game and would like to support playing it on consoles but if this is how it's going to be there's no way I have the time or resolve to play two different instances of the game, on console and PC, to give it a try. Seems that if I stay on PC the community is going to dwindle and shrink and I'll loose some PC friends due to the PC>console transfers and on console maybe I'll get a low population server without mod support. A scary proposition either way I think.

Aiden_Dark

I know it must me difficult but in the long term but I think it's worth it to have a big growing ccommunity. Lag has always been an issue, console players or not, and after seeing Final Fantasy 14 be reborn, pun intended, from the cataclysmic disaster of the first iteration and prosper on both consoles and PCs I say anything if possible if ZoS wants to make it happen for the wellbeing of its community.

Kublakan

Aiden_Dark wrote: »

...I truly believe that having different servers for Xbox One, PS4 and PC players is a HUGE MISTAKE since instead of one big growing community you're going to have three small, shrinking and isolated communities that are going to get diluted once the PC to console transfers are done...

I dont know about console, but I certainly disagree with that on PC. PC servers will not shrink and you will not be alone for many years to come. We already have mega server for PC in a kind used to have many small servers. EQ, SWG, GW, etc... All had many PC servers. Why ESO with two mega server on PC would shrink? That will never happen, not after many years and the game gets old.

Kubla

Pallmor

Microsoft is notorious about keeping their multiplayer system closed off from the rest of the world. It's highly unlikely they would have ever certified a game that allowed cross-platform play on the Xbox One (it's why FF14 is only cross-platform on the PS4 and why DCUO is only available on PS4). MS hasn't allowed a cross-platform game since FF11.

Ser Lobo

I'm not terribly interested in the idea of playing Cyrodiil cross-platform using a controller versus macro-running micro-DPI gaming mice and gamepads.

I think that one of the strongest benefits of consoles is that developers can guarantee what the hardware is going to be for all participants, and everyone stands on more equal footing as far as draw distances, etc. These can have huge effects on performance overall, and a more uniform system makes for a more competitive environment in PVE and PvP.

I quit trying to compete on PC a LONG time ago due to all of these discrepancies in hardware and hardware support, personally.

Plus, I really don't want to deal with spam, something which I just don't experience on consoles. Gold sellers, guild advertisements, even trade spam by players is far less potent and in-your face on consoles.

Alcast

PC > Console movement raction time and stuff

LameoveR

Aiden_Dark wrote: »

Hi! I just wanted to ask why was the decision made to have players form consoles (Xbox One, PS4) playing on different servers than PC players?

I see you are new here.
One answer - it's because of PSN and XBLive networks policies.

Well, peoples, we have almost 1.5 month ahead.
And i'm sure, we will see some similar posts until and since 9th June.

GamerzElite

Our current Mega Server is unable handle PC crowd and you are saying bring console gamers in.. No thx a lot.

Dennizon

LameoveR wrote: »

Aiden_Dark wrote: »

Hi! I just wanted to ask why was the decision made to have players form consoles (Xbox One, PS4) playing on different servers than PC players?

I see you are new here.
One answer - it's because of PSN and XBLive networks policies.

Well, peoples, we have almost 1.5 month ahead.
And i'm sure, we will see some similar posts until and since 9th June.

And if we do so what. Don't read the posts if you are so bothered by them. Some people have a life and don't research these forums as if they are Wikipedia before posting.

NewBlacksmurf

Bahalul wrote: »

Why?

Rolf!!! Nice meme!

NewBlacksmurf

Great question...here is my answer

1 The requirements of PSN and Xbox Live by default are not compatible with Zenimax's PC server
2 The use of PC accounts instead of PSN accts and XBL accts doesn't follow and coincide with all three as there are differing terms and agreements
3 Zenimax did not involve both Sony and Xbox in on early decisions so Zenimax found some functions and features outside of the console environments
4 The console version wasn't ready for launch and was far behind PC development
5 PC doesn't natively support voice chat and doesn't support controllers


That's my answers. Everything else is mostly opinionated so I'll leave it oout

Aiden_Dark

I understand some of the limitations of sharing servers with consoles like the management decisions from Microsoft to not share servers with PS4 for example. But some of the other technical limitations just don't fly when you have clear examples of successful console/PC MMOs with shared servers like FF14, DCUO, etc. If SquareEnix was able to address some of these concerns then it stands to reason that ZoS should be able also if they want to and are given the resources to do it. And PC will certainly not die and be left without players but the drain of players towards consoles will certainly not help. I for one will jump boat along with many others who have already even form console guilds in preparation of the Xbox1/PS4 releases. In terms server capacity or lag, to me (i.e., non-computer savvy) one player is the same resource hog be either on PC or console, so in a sense it shouldn't matter to ZoS either way; they should be prepared with enough servers to handle the player influx and just wish for ANY player to get on and play on whatever client they choose to do so. And yes... I'm new to the forums but I have been a PC player for a long time.

Rosveen

Bahalul wrote: »

Why?

Plot twist: you're a laptop scrub like me and don't have half of these things.

Snoopsy

Sony agreed to work with Zenimax on attempting to create one megaserver; however, Microsoft does not want their player base playing with Sony players. This put Zenimax at a crossroads, and instead of showing favor towards one platform, they decided on a multi-megaserver system.

Aiden_Dark

NewBlacksmurf wrote: »

Great question...here is my answer

1 The requirements of PSN and Xbox Live by default are not compatible with Zenimax's PC server
2 The use of PC accounts instead of PSN accts and XBL accts doesn't follow and coincide with all three as there are differing terms and agreements
3 Zenimax did not involve both Sony and Xbox in on early decisions so Zenimax found some functions and features outside of the console environments
4 The console version wasn't ready for launch and was far behind PC development
5 PC doesn't natively support voice chat and doesn't support controllers


That's my answers. Everything else is mostly opinionated so I'll leave it oout

Very interesting. Thanks for the rational and well thought out response.

Danikat

I've heard it's because of the console's policies and Microsoft in particular, they won't allow shared servers for Xbox games. (I've also heard that, along with the subscription issue, was what delayed the console release.)

It might also be to do with some of the UI changes between the two versions. In particular the console version will have no text chat at all, only voice chat. Meanwhile the PC version is not getting in-built voice chat, we still have to use 3rd party programs like Teamspeak.

stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO

Kublakan wrote: »

...
Why ESO with two mega server on PC would shrink? That will never happen, not after many years and the game gets old.

I would say that the PC/Mac version of ESO is already growing "old" in the sense that it's on the decline and might already have too few players to be profitable, but we'll see. Good things may still happen, and I would be happy to be proven wrong, but the PC/Mac game is not looking healthy to me.

Faugaun

Ommamar wrote: »

yoda101280ub17_ESO wrote: »

Aren't those decisions usually determined by the console companies and not ZoS?

Yes I think this has a lot to do with Microsoft and Sony.

This

StaticWax

nastuug wrote: »

How did FF14:ARR do it with their PC/PS3 players? I can't quite remember.

FFXIV ARR is a PS4 exclusive. Quid pro quo, my dear Clarice.

NewBlacksmurf

Snoopsy wrote: »

Sony agreed to work with Zenimax on attempting to create one megaserver; however, Microsoft does not want their player base playing with Sony players. This put Zenimax at a crossroads, and instead of showing favor towards one platform, they decided on a multi-megaserver system.

Please don't speculate

wolfydog

Microsoft doesn't let ther stuff be shared with other consoles/pc.

And overall, I'd rather not have a bunch of console kids on my game anyways.