The Reason Microsoft, Sony, And Nintendo Have Joined Forces
Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have teamed up for one very important reason: to keep each and every gamer as safe as possible. An official statement revealed that the three gaming competitors are working together to ensure their platforms are protected from all incidents of harassment and hate by following principles of prevention, partnership, and responsibility.
Dave McCarthy, Corporate Vice President of Xbox Operations, discussed the initiative in a post on the Xbox blog. "Technology makes compelling entertainment experiences possible, and we want to ensure that those experiences – especially when they involve interaction with others – are positive and respectful," the statement read. "All players deserve to have fantastic social gaming experiences in settings where respect and safety are mutual." McCarthy went on to say that Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo are taking a "multidisciplinary approach" to achieving their common safety goal.
McCarthy wrote that the Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation companies will prevent unsafe situations by keeping players and parents informed of parental controls and codes of conduct. Beyond that, the gaming giants partner with regulators, law enforcement, ratings agencies, and the gaming community to "advance" safety protocols. "The industry's commitment to safety is central. We believe that we have an opportunity to collaborate for the benefit of the video game industry and all players to offer a safer gaming experience," the statement continued.
Finally, McCarthy noted that Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony will continue to hold themselves accountable "for making our platforms as safe as possible for all players." They do so by allowing players to easily report misconduct, complying with local laws, and keeping rules and requirements published publicly. "This partnership signifies our commitment to work together to improve player safety and ensure gaming remains truly for everyone," McCarthy added.
As gaming grows and evolves, toxic gamers continue to enter the community and taint even the safest and most respectful platforms. There have been multiple incidents of young players getting bullied and harrassed, which is exactly the behavior that Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo plan to combat.
Microsoft's partnership with Sony and Nintendo comes on the heels of a year-long console war between Microsoft's Xbox Series X and Sony's PlayStation 5. The console makers have seemingly been battling it out to put their respective consoles on top in the latest generation of gaming, but the gaming console competition is still nowhere near where it was back in the '90s. Industry professionals have already started working together, which is why Microsoft and Sony have previously partnered to improve cross-platform gaming. Hopefully, this new safety initiative will make the gaming community even more tight-knit.