10 Reasons Xbox Series X Has ALREADY Won The Next Generation War Over PS5

This is one is simple: Microsoft has demonstrated that they're happy playing with others, whereas Sony still seems to be alienating themselves, happy to sulk in their own corner of the gaming industry.

Given that a large proportion of gamers simply have to choose one console to buy and stick with it, that Microsoft is working towards cross-play at least with PC relieves some of those worries of buying the 'wrong' machine from your pals.

Aside from the obvious cross play opportunities with PC, Microsoft and Nintendo have seemingly been getting chummy of late, especially with Minecraft characters popping up in Super Smash Bros. The prospect of even a truncated form of Game Pass on Nintendo devices and cross play between the two console families is certainly a prospect on the horizon for this generation.

But that's largely speculation, no matter how plausible. With the likes of Apex Legends trialling cross play just now and other titles already playing around with reducing the barriers between communities of gamers, that Microsoft is championing cross play more than anyone else presently is yet another arrow in their quiver.