Streaming video games has become a huge market in recent years, with streaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTube not only bringing in massive amounts of viewers, but also helping gaming companies such as Sony advertise its games through the proxy of popular streamers. Often, gamers would rather watch a streamer like Dr Disrespect play a game they are interested in purchasing, in order to see if the game meets their expectations. Not only that, but many viewers prefer to experience certain games vicariously through the streamer, rather than playing the game themselves.
Sony has acquired a patent for a new technology that could launch gameplay via online streams on its PlayStation console. The patent details the ways in which Sony could develop content using this technology and the applications of the tech on a larger scale, especially on its PlayStation platform.
Much like previous patents by Sony, the goal for this patent is to make its gaming content on the PlayStation a more interactive experience. Specifically, the patent lays out the notion of creating an interactive "movie" from the streamed game, with users being able to interact with each other as well as the streamer. The game itself would have what the document describes as "trigger points" where interactive elements would come into play. Users would then be able to take part in the streamed experience by having the game launch at these trigger points, thus increasing interactivity between the streamer, the game, and the viewership.
The patent claims that the concept could be "popular amongst users who do not have time to play the game title," or alternatively, "users who have completed the game title, but wish to re-watch the story." Twitch currently has certain tools in place that allow users to interact with streams in basic ways, one for Valve's Dota 2 allows viewers to view in-game tooltips and other information by hovering over elements on-screen, the same way they would in-game. However, this new technology would certainly be a step up in interactivity, having users be able to play the game being streamed with other users in a specifically created format.
While many watch Twitch and other streaming services to enjoy content vicariously, others are looking for some level of interaction between the Twitch streamer and the chat. If this new technology comes to fruition, it could mean the beginning of an entirely new streaming experience, with users being able to have some level of impact on the content they are viewing. It would also lead to the creation of games specifically designed around this form of entertainment, leading to a new genre of interactive games, possibly led by Sony's PlayStation.