Sony has been looking for new ways to expand PlayStation 5's features, and the company has filed a lot of new patents lately that hint at possible future plans. A patent filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization last September hints at an option where players could get help with trickier sections in a video game from "expert" players. The option would stream the player's gameplay to a server where it would be matched with gameplay where this area was successfully completed. Players could then watch successful completions, or they could talk to one of these experts through audio or text chat.

An image from the patent showcases a potential conversation between one player in need and another willing to help. That image can be found below.



On one hand, it's easy to see how this might be helpful for some players, and it could even help build a sense of community between users. However, it's hard to imagine why some players would opt to use this feature, as opposed to simply searching for an answer online. There used to be a giant market for guide books, but when internet access expanded, the demand evaporated. The fact is, it's simply faster to look up help online. There might be circumstances where direct communication could be helpful, but it's hard to say whether or not fans would embrace it.

Of course, it's all just conjecture at this point, anyway. Patents aren't necessarily indicative of features that will be added, but rather ideas that are currently being explored. Earlier this year, a PlayStation patent hinted at the ability to use household items like bananas in place of an extra controller. Like this concept, that could be helpful, but whether or not enough people would actually use it is hard to say.

Regardless whether or not the idea comes to fruition, patents like this give video game fans an interesting look behind the scenes. Gaming companies tend to be fairly secretive about their development process, so a peek behind the curtain is a rare thing. For now, fans will just have to wait and see if anything comes of this concept.



Posted: May 01, 2021 7:33 am
Related Forum: PlayStation Forum

Source: https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/playstation-ps5-patent-expert-help-calls/