Crossplay is Necessary

I understand that there are people that are opposed to PoE1 going crossplay and I've heard arguments for both sides. However, the one thing I haven't seen mentioned is capitalizing on the influx of PoE2 players. I have friends that play PoE2 on PC and PS that want to try PoE1 but won't do it because we can't play together and they don't want to try it solo(I'm on Xbox). The lack of crossplay is, and will continue to be, a barrier that prevents more players from joining the PoE1 community.

With the announcement of a league schedule that alternates between PoE1 and PoE2 leagues, doesn't it make sense that groups should be able to play together and enjoy both games regardless of platform? Why should they be forced to only play PoE2 if they want to play with friends? For a game that has seemed to put more emphasis on group play in recent years, why can't we open PoE to crossplay too... Aside from technical requirements because I'm not a game developer and have no idea of the work that would be required for such a task.