Xbox boss Phil Spencer comments on Sony's reasoning behind cross-play issue

Earlier this week, Microsoft and Psyonix announced that Minecraft and Rocket League, respectively, are coming to Nintendo Switch. Both games will support cross-network play between Switch, Xbox One, and PC. Curiously, Sony decided not to join the party, a decision that many have criticized over the last few days.

Jim Ryan, Global Head of Marketing and Sales for PlayStation, offered an explanation yesterday in an interview with Eurogamer. According to him, it was a "commercial discussion" between Sony and stakeholders. He also said that they are worried about exposing younger PS4 users to "external influences" unchecked by the company, which is absurd considering Nintendo is one of the most mindful when it comes to children-friendly game content and they certainly didn't have a problem with that issue.

In an interview with Giant Bomb last night, Xbox chief Phil Spencer sounded off on Sony's questionable reasoning behind the decision to play party-pooper. He didn't specifically name Ryan, though. Spencer commented that the dialogue Ryan had was not healthy for anyone.

Ryan's suggestion that Microsoft isn't doing a great job at filtering out unfriendly content for younger audiences in Minecraft also didn't sit well with Spencer. He stressed that player safety is incredibly important for Microsoft and that they would never place Minecraft players in an unsafe environment.

Spencer did echo Ryan's comment about still being open with cross-network multiplayer between all major gaming platforms. He said that the door is open, which is basically what Ryan told Eurogamer. Finally, the Xbox big boss said that he hopes Sony will join the cross-network party because it's an "awesome thing" for all gamers.

He's not alone in that sentiment. Many gamers consider cross-network play between all Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft systems as long overdue. Hopefully, Sony changes their mind in the near future and have the PS4 join the party, too. Having more players to play with or against is never a bad thing.