The dinosaur-centric survival game "ARK: Survival Evolved" is almost here. However, it will not sport a cross-platform play on PlayStation 4 because Sony will not permit it.
On Twitter, "ARK: Survival Evolved" co-director Jeremy Stieglitz said he would love to have a cross-platform play between PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Unfortunately, Sony is not too keen on the idea.
"We have it working internally," said Stieglitz when asked about the possibility of Xbox and PlayStation owners playing together. "But currently Sony won't allow it."
This is not the first time Sony has been unwilling to bring cross-platform play to the PlayStation 4. In the past, the company also did not permit "Rocket League" and "Minecraft" cross-platform play on PlayStation consoles.
"We have a contract with the people who go online with us, that we look after them and they are within the PlayStation curated universe," PlayStation head of global sales and marketing, Jim Ryan, said in an interview with Eurogamer. "Exposing what in many cases are children to external influences we have no ability to manage or look after, it's something we have to think about very carefully."
Nonetheless, "ARK: Survival Evolved" will allow Xbox One and PC owners to play together.
In the game, players must do everything they can to survive on a deserted island filled with hostile human players, dinosaurs and ancient creatures including Doedicurus, Meganeura and Titanomyrma.
"ARK: Survival Evolved," which has both single-player and multiplayer options, is played either from a third-person or first-person perspective. The open world can be navigated through walking or by riding an ancient creature. Players can also use firearms and improvised weapons to protect themselves.
"ARK: Survival Evolved" is scheduled to be released for Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux and PlayStation 4 on Tuesday, Aug. 29.
