The question no one is asking

@d-cottingham
Because making crossplay optional will not solve the problem, because the issue stems not from different platforms but from different input devices.
If crossplay would be optional, PC players who prefer to use controllers will still have the issue of using a disadvantageous input device. And Microsoft has announced official mouse & keyboard support for Xbox. If that goes live, optional crossplay will have not even solve the problem for Xbox users, since they can then use mkb too.

So making crossplay optional in no way tackles the issue at hand. It's a short sighted "solution" to a problem blown way out of proportion, goes against the core design principles of Sea of Thieves and would require vast changes to a game developed from the start as a crossplay title. It's not just flipping a switch - nothing in game development is.

The most effective, fair and most likely solution is official mkb support for Xbox, because then, everyone has the same choice of input device and playing with a worse one is the players own decision. Yes, that might require some adapting for a lot of controller users, but they will get over it.

Additionally, but that too goes against the spirit of this game, a ranking system could be used to match players of similar skill / stats. That way, input device would be largely irrelevant. Good controller users easily beat bad mkb users and the rankings would reflect that and naturally "segregate" the players without them even noticing.

@spunkus-skunkus
How about you read my post again because I explained very clearly why crossplay got nothing to do with the issue. Your rehearsed cookie cutter response is quite useless and it appears you failed to comprehend the essence of my post.
And don't be givin' me any attitude, son.

@PersonalC0ffee
Yea I'd be against such a system as well. Simplicity is what's making this game great.
Just getting tired of these threads and, like you pointed out, that weird attitude that is appearing more and more.
Makes me want to sink some people tbh.

@spunkus-skunkus
Those other games you mentioned are round based competitive shooters directly pitching two teams against each other. Entirely different from SoT where shooting is the last thing in line when it comes to engaging other ships.

Besides, the vast majority of SoT players are on Xbox. I believe at launch it was like 1.7m Xbox to 300k PC. So Xbox outnumber PC 5/6 to 1, making it highly likely that a lot of those "omg he killed me must be a PC player" situations are in fact not PC players.

It's not a big deal and mkb support for Xbox will remove the issue by giving everyone the same choice. Optional crossplay will let the issue persist when Xbox gets mkb so you are not even arguing in your own favor tbh.

Please take a step back and reevaluate what you actually want and what the best way to achieve that would be.

Edit:
Sea of Thieves has been the only game so far to forcibly combine Xbox users with PC user without giving them a choice and is has been taken by the community in the manor that you'd expect from any other video game community out there; horribly.

Firstly, SoT is also the first pirate themed SWAG game. It's a new genre. It's good that they try new things.
Secondly, a few loud mouthed people on the forums (mostly the same people every time) don't represent the entire community. If this issue was as big as you make it out do be, SoT would not be as successful as it is.

I’m an Xbox player, and yet I still like crossplay servers. Not every console player has an issue with it, I’m proof enough of that.

I'm hoping that we will move away from even having "consoles" in the long run.
If you think about it, a console is just a computer with a limited OS, built specifically for gaming (but being very bad at that). However, different consoles lead to seperation of the gaming community and the atrocious practice of platform specific exclusives - the second worst thing next to lootboxes. I'm not gonna buy a Playstation to play Uncharted or Horizon at 30 FPS, no matter how great those games might be. I'm not gonna buy an Xbox just so I can play Halo.

"Forced" crossplay is a great first step in "forcing" developers and console manufacturers to think about the future of gaming, because it's revealing potential issues but also showing the great advantages.
I hope that eventually, it will not matter what platform you use, because technically they are all the same. Just a bunch of hardware in a box. Why seperate it?

@d-cottingham said in The question no one is asking:

Show how about it Rare? Why not let the players decide whether or not to play on cross-play servers?

First off, the have already stated multiple times that they are not going to do this.

Secondly, it doesn't solve the issue that people have. PC controller users still have the issue and for Xbox it's only a bandaid for the next 2-3 months, if it would roll out right now. After that you will have the same issue again when Xbox gets KB+M.

The biggest problem with crossplay are the people, instead of looking for a way to balance it and make everybody happy. They come up with a "solution" that makes them happy at this moment.

@eachitandii
On my PC I can use both devices at the same time.
I could literally use my controller to walk and my mouse to aim.
What then?

Its an easy choice. MS already suggests separate servers for kbm and controllers. Thats MS admitting theres a disparity. Xboxers shouldnt have to wait some unknown amount of time for kbm support. Offer optional crossplay now, which will SOLVE the problem for everyone on xbox, except the 7 players using xim. When xbox eventually supports kbm, reintroduce forced crossplay, with Microsoft's recommended kbm and controller servers. The only players this will negatively affect is PC players using a controller(a small fraction of the 14% playerbase), but those players
a) have full support for whichever input they want
b) already own both input types
An xboxer cannot do anything about the 'level playing field' they were promised, without handing over cash, whereas a PC controller user does have options on the desk, right in front of them.

This does not hurt PC players in regards to 'separating the playerbase' there's more than enough pc players to fill servers. This does not 'split the community.' We are all still on 24 player servers, playing events, missions, and pvping. The 'community' wouldnt even need to mention platforms, unless submitting bugs and errors. Thats still 1 community.
Rare really should say something already. When they shut down the mega, and logan's thread(rip buddy), Rare said something like 'we are taking it seriously, analysing feedback, analysing internal data'. The forced crossplay supporters should really think about that...if all was ok, and everything was as expected, They would just say 'Bam, heres the PC vs XBOX stats, even stevens, thread locked. Bam, heres the top 100 pvp pirates, both PC and XBOX featuring strongly, thread locked. Bam, here's the average accuracy of PC vs XBOX, very very close, thread locked'. It would not take much effort from Rare to show that their crossplay experience is fair and balanced, and stop the negativity around the topic. The fact that they have not done this is very telling...

@eachitandii
"there should be a mechanic to make you choose one of your devices in that instance"
How would that work?
It's impossible. I can literally use multiple input devices simultaneously.

And please, for the love of god, stop with that advantage BS. I've been playing videogames for 20 years. 14 of those on PC. I don't need an advantage to beat someone in a game as basic as SoT. This game attracts all kinds of people, many of them kids who have not even had the chance to reach my level of experience, simply because I've been playing competitive PvP games when these kids were not even born yet.
You just discredit yourself by suggesting PC players want crossplay so they have an advantage. The argument doesn't even make sense, since PC players happily play every other game where there is no crossplay, and those games are a lot more competitive than SoT.

@PomalotacusMk3
It's not "an easy choice". Optional crossplay can not be offered now, because it would need to be developed. It's been stated multiple times from people working in the video games industry that it's not just pressing a button or flipping a switch.

How will kbm and controller servers work when PCs can literally use both devices at the same time?
What if I join a controller server and then use my mkb anyway?

The cash argument is not an argument either. I bought my PC. I bought my mouse, and I also bought my Xbox controller despite not even owning an Xbox. I did that so I could use the input device of my choice. It's the exact same thing for Xbox players. Everything in life costs money. Deal with it.

The "splitting the playerbase" argument is not so much about servers or their population as it is about developer attention to the playerbase. Seperate servers naturally means seperate, diverging interests. That means prioritizing one over the other, neglecting some aspects in favor of others. It's a slippery slope.

"The fact that they have not done this is very telling..."
The only thing that is telling is that Rare might not have these stats, or simply does not want to publish them for their own reasons. It's Rares and Microsofts interest to make crossplay work. They're not going to release stats that further enflame this wacky debate. They're not gonna make statements suggesting a wavering in their beliefs.
Their interests go much further than pleasing a bunch of gamers or making a non competitive game balanced. You gotta factor that into your arguments.

Oh and for the last time:

Nobody is denying that MKB is superior to controllers for FPS games.
We are arguing that removing crossplay (making it optional, duh) is the worst possible way to address this issue.

@nebenkuh If the stats are enough to enflame the situation, those stats must be showing something...and people keep saying its casual, or its not competitive. Does that stop someone from getting on my boat and doing things my controller cant? It is competitive. Its a sandbox and people can be as competitive as they want.

The cash argument is valid. 99.9% of xboxers are running very similar setups. Rare says 'here is a fair and balanced game.' They didnt say 'fair and balanced if you go buy more stuff, that isnt even supported on xbox.'

So you can use kbm and controller. So you could break the thing designed to keep things even. Could be used to gain an unfair advantage over fellow gamers. Are you trying to convince people that forced crossplay is good, coz ur failing. Sounds like a good reason PC SHOULD be kept away tbh. Stop infecting us with your loopholes and tricks ty.

And your first point about 'now' . Some Pioneers have been talking about disparity since before release. Thats a long time. Dont make excuses for Rare. The stats have been collectable for a long time, and the 'now' should be something they have been working on for a long time.

Sorry to answer in reverse order but im using a virtual keyboard on my xbox, and navigating takes ages. And so does typing, so goodbye for now.
edit: lol pleasing a bunch of gamers is rares job, essentially. If they dont please, and no one plays, where's the money gonna come from ?