Co-founder of developer Wildcard, Jeremy Stieglitz, left a comment on twitter confirming that there are mechanics in place to allow for cross-console multiplayer between the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but they cannot flick the switch on due to Sony's refusal to allow it. "Arc: Survival Evolved" is a highly-anticipated multiplayer dinosaur survival game scheduled to be released on August 29, 2017.
Not the first time Sony refused cross-play
Although players have every right to be frustrated, this decision should come as no surprise. When E3 2017 revealed that "Rocket League" will offer cross-play between PC, Nintendo and Xbox One; Sony was the only company that declined to join the party.
During the event, Jim Ryan explained that they do not have anything really against the concept and they are "always open to conversations with any developer or publisher who wants to talk about it." It is just not a service they are not interested in pursuing at the moment.
What is 'Ark: Survival Evolved'?
Developed via a collaborative effort between Studio Wildcard and Instinct Games, "Ark: Survival Evolved" has been in Steam Early Access for over two years. The gameplay is a mix of resource gathering, base building, and dinosaur slaying; players are thrown into the unforgiving world with nothing but their own brains and the materials they can scrounge from the land itself.
There are sixty species of dinosaurs in "Ark: Survival Evolved," and players will need to build bigger and better bases to be able to survive in this harsh landscape.
The terrain is divided into unique areas, each housing their own dangers. Some locations, like Herbivore Island, are perfect for those who want to get a feel of the game and maybe just build a cool castle. Eventually, they have to progress further into the island to follow the main questline, which will see them visit places like Dead Island, Red Peak, and the ice cold plains of The Whitesky Peak.
"Ark: Survival Evolved" is not for the faint of hearted or those who lack patience, as the early access version is challenging and demands that players prepare well before venturing forth to hunt. There are firearms available in-game, but they must be earned and maintained. There are dozens of survival games available on the market, but 'Wildcard' and 'Instinct Games' dinosaur survivor aims to deliver a sense of scale that is pretty much unmatched within the industry.
