Highlights
- Sony’s new patent hints at an ‘auto-play’ feature that could help players skip challenging parts of games.
- Patenting new ideas early helps avoid competitors stealing them, but not all concepts become reality.
- This isn’t Sony’s first time patenting an AI-driven feature.
As spotted by our sister site GameRant, Sony appears to have filed a patent for a new ‘auto-play’ feature. If implemented into a current or future console, the feature would allow players to completely skip certain parts of a game by having AI do it for you.
While new patents are filed by the likes of Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all the time, not all of them end up seeing the light of day. When new ideas are in the early stages of development, it’s important to patent them to avoid fellow competitors catching wind of the idea and patenting it themselves.
While Sony’s latest patent could simply be added to the long list of previous patents that have yet to become a reality, this one could genuinely be useful.
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It’s no secret that gaming is becoming harder and harder with each passing release. The likes of Elden Ring, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Armored Core 6, and Lies of P, are all just some of the many recent games that will have you stuck on certain boss fights and levels for hours on end. But what if there was a way to bypass certain areas of a game completely?
Well, according to the recently discovered patent, Sony is rumoured to be working on a new AI-powered system that would allow players to skip certain segments by enabling an “auto-play mode.” If implemented into current or future consoles, the auto-play feature would work by using an AI model that would learn to simulate gameplay in various ways.
The patent notes that there would be multiple ways for this feature to be implemented. The first would be to emulate the user’s specific style of gameplay, meaning each user’s auto-play mode would not necessarily complete sections in the same manner. The second way would be in relation to “grinding” content, allowing the user to turn it on before a repetitive gameplay segment begins.
Is Sony Gearing Up For An All-AI Future?
Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time Sony has patented a feature that revolves around AI. Back in 2019, Sony filed a patent for an AI-powered voice assistant known as PlayStation Assist. The idea was that the user would be able to ask the assistant to mark the nearest health pack, for example, and the AI assistant would mark it on the map.
Then, in 2020, Sony once again filed a patent for an AI-driven feature that would assist users when they are stuck on a certain level. While Sony’s most recent patent would simply complete the level for you, the studio’s previous patent would have coached the player through the level and given you the best solution to complete it. Essentially, it’s like watching a YouTuber’s guide, but without the hassle of actually opening another app or website.
Now Sony’s latest patent is once again teasing a potentially game-changing AI feature, but will this one actually ever see the light of day? Well, with rumours of the PlayStation 5 Pro ramping up, there’s every chance that we could see some shiny new features in the upcoming console. But, as noted before, patents don’t always end up being released, so take these details with a pinch of salt for the time being.
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