I think your taking them statements the wrong way. I think it means the company making the game can do whatever they want with online as in to make it just how they want instead of asking the company if they can or not and have it reviewed. PS3 is the closest thing to cross gaming ability bc there's quite a few games out where u can play and interact with PC gamers. But nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft will never allow cross gaming between the 3. It's a business and there competing against each other period. The only way it would happen is if there like hey Sony can we play online with you?? The answer is no. They would need an agreement which would not (and probably cannot) even be possible with this gen system, 360 and ps3. Is it possible for it to happen on next gen bc they have the tech to do it? Yes. Will it ever happen? No

You have to see the big picture Love the Lancer. This isn't the year of 1986, where hardware manufacturers dictates to 3RD party publishers stringent rules to developing on their platforms. With the rise of smart phone gaming, 3RD party developers have more options for development at a fraction of the cost. Nintendo knows this and are seeking partnerships with developers across the board! We all know Down loadable contents the future of gaming. Although most gamers despise subscription based gaming, this is a firm reality which will bring in a ton of revenue for 3RD party publishers if presented in an open/flexible online interface. In other words.....they don't have to share the profits with Microsoft or Sony! And this is the brilliance of Wii U, it will force Microsoft and Sony to withhold the release of their newer systems because they will have to negotiate a new, open online infrastructure that is more 3RD party friendly (give up creative {money} control). When Sony and Microsoft do cave in, and they will cave in, Nintendo has the upper hand because 3RD party developers will simply port the code from Wii U over the new Xbox and new PS3 systems. Due to all three having a more unifies code (port) and more importantly the 3RD party developers having more control, they will logically launch games from their servers, bypassing outdatd, stringent, online requirements-and we as gamers, for the first time, will game cross-platform.

Also, keep in mind Nintendo competes against themselves and are focused on appeasing it's core following with the release of Wii U. An even bigger issue has been Nintendo's new gamers (gamers under the age of 10) coming of age and then dropping Nintendo game systems thus migrating over to competing consoles for a perceived, more cooler gaming experience. Or if Nintendo is lucky, the gamer falls in love with Nintendo's 1st party software (Mario, Zelda, Metroid) and keeps a Nintendo system on hand to compliment the cooler, more mature gaming system at the time. With the Wii U and it's new online infrastructure, you receive the best of both worlds. You know longer feel alienated as a gamer because all your buddies are gaming exclusively on Xbox 360. Once again, through the gamers going through Activision rather than Microsoft, a Wii U gamer will be able to compete cross-platform with his friends rather than allowing his Nintendo to collect dust, or worst of all, trading it in for a competing system.