As Borderlands 3 gets full crossplay, what does it mean for the feature's future on PlayStation consoles

It may have taken over a year, but Borderlands 3 players on PlayStation are finally getting a taste of crossplay. In 2021, Gearbox introduced full crossplay for the game across its co-op mode. Unfortunately, PlayStation players were restricted, which has been the case with several other games in the past. As of yesterday, the restrictions have been lifted, and it could be a sign of certain things to come shortly.

Crossplay is one of the most sought-after features in video games today over the rise of different consoles. While every player has a personal preference, their demand is the ability to play with and against each other irrespective of the system being used. Many games are increasingly launching with crossplay, and Borderlands 3 received similar treatment across its co-op mode. There was only one exception, with Sony keeping crossplay restricted on their consoles, which has now changed.

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Borderlands 3 getting crossplay on PlayStation consoles indicates a paradigm shift

Sony keeping crossplay features locked on their consoles isn't a new thing. There are other titles with much more online gameplay aspects than Borderlands 3, which have had restrictions on crossplay in the past.

The biggest name, for example, is that of Fortnite. Epic's iconic battle royale title offers crossplay between even handheld devices and consoles. Unfortunately, PlayStation users stayed outside the loop and had to play amongst themselves. A similar incident occurred with Rocket League, but as of today, both games have crossplay enabled.

Incidentally, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands was released with a full crossplay on March 25 of this year, which Gearbox also developed. During the release of that game, CEO Randy Pitchford announced that Borderlands 3 getting crossplay was something he considered "inevitable."

With the latest developments happening in the same direction, this may lead to important changes in the near future. The biggest question that arises will be whether all video games will have crossplay on the PlayStation in the future.

The concrete answer is something that only higher officials at Sony will know. If there's a change in philosophy, one can certainly expect PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan to inform the industry in an official capacity. However, recent activities only allow for some educated guesses.

Video games, in general, are increasingly shifting towards full crossplay. The potential and scope increases, especially when the game has a hardcore multiplayer aspect. EA Sports, whose FIFA series hasn't featured crossplay, is rumored to be thinking of adopting it in their upcoming title. eFootball, Konami's response to football fans, already has crossplay features on both consoles.

In the latter case, PlayStation didn't show many restrictions to the adoption of crossplay on their consoles. What has been the case for Borderlands 3 doesn't even apply to Tina Tina's Wonderlands. It's also not just about embracing the future that should be on top of Sony's plans.

The console wars have definitely spiced up in the last few months, with Xbox's dual-SKU policy yielding gold. However, Sony has announced a revamped PS Plus, which will look to compete with the Xbox Game Pass. Clearly, both the gaming giants have displayed their willingness to go head-to-head.

Sony's decision to keep crossplay restricted may have been fruitful in previous years, but the gaming landscape is rapidly changing. As the hardware capabilities go up, players want such restrictions to be removed since they act as a barrier to play with friends.

Borderlands 3 now getting crossplay on PlayStation could indicate the potential arrival of many more changes. Despite what Sony believed in earlier, modern times need a policy change. It wouldn't be a surprise if they will be more open to crossplay across consoles in the future.