So, will Sony actually allow PS4 and Xbox One owners to play together?

Last week, Microsoft dropped the bombshell that it would open up Xbox Live to allow cross-network play between Xbox One and other platforms - including other console platforms such as PlayStation 4.

It was a bold announcement - but now the ball is in Sony's court. How would it respond?

Sony has so far only provided a non-committal statement on the issue - that it has already supported PS4 and PC cross-network play and would continue to work with the developers. So we decided to press the issue further.

Oli caught up with Sony Worldwide Studios' Shuhei Yoshida at the Game Developers Conference 2016 in San Francisco to ask him whether Sony will actually allow PS4 and Xbox One owners to play together.

"I understand their policies changed, right?" Yoshida said. "They're saying they're going to do cross-platform play between Xbox One and PC with some games.

"We've been doing that with PS3 and PC, PS4 and PC most recently with Street Fighter 5 and Rocket League and other games. That's noting new for us, in terms of working with developers and publishers to allow cross-platform play between PC and PS4."

This was much the same answer we had heard before - but what about PlayStation 4 and Xbox One specifically?

"Because PC is an open platform it's much more straightforward," Yoshida continued. "Connecting two different closed networks is much more complicated so we have to work with developers and publishers to understand what it is they are trying to accomplish.

"We also have to look at the technical aspect - and the technical aspect could be the easiest. We also have to look at policy issues and business issues as well."

Yoshida suggests there's no technical issue preventing cross-network play between PS4 and Xbox One. Rather, the debate will revolve around whether it is in Sony's best interests to allow it.

All of which sounds like we won't be playing The Division with a cross-platform party of PS4 and Xbox One players anytime soon. Rocket League may be the first, based on developer Psyonix's recent comments.

We'll have more from Oli's interview with Yoshida shortly.