Nintendo used E3 to announce that the hugely popular game Fortnite is now available as a free download on the Switch console. One of the biggest selling points of Fortnite is that it supports cross-play between various platforms, that is except for the PlayStation 4.

Sony has blocked cross-play of Fortnite between the PS4 and Switch, much the anger of gamers. If you've played Fortnite on PS4 and try to sign in with your Epic Games account on the Nintendo Switch, you're greeted with an error message saying: "This Fortnite account is associated with a platform which does not allow it to operate on Switch,"

Sony has already blocked cross-play of Fortnite with other gaming platforms such as the Xbox One, so it's no real surprise that it's been blocked for the Switch as well, but it sure is annoying. Unlinking an Epic Games account from a PSN account doesn't fix the problem either, so the only way you can play on the Switch if you have a PSN account, is to start from scratch. If you've put several hours into the game, your progress, skins and purchases will all be lost. 

The Switch version of Fortnite does still support cross-play between Xbox One, PC, Mac and mobile, so it's not all bad news, but the PS4 which is meant to be "for the players" is a notable omission. 

Sony hasn't specifically said why it is blocking cross-platform play, but it's likely because it's currently dominating the console market and doesn't want anything to jeopardise that. The PS4 has been successful largely because it has a closed eco-system for its community, so if your friends have PS4s and you want to play with them, you also have to get a PS4. 

It's understandable, but when it causes a reaction within the gaming community like it has done by blocking Switch cross-play, the company may finally need to rethink its strategy.