As attention shifts toward the next generation of consoles, just what these consoles will do for gamers becomes a point of interest. The leap to a new generation should introduce features that give gamers the experience of something original, whether that shines through with flashy graphics, gameplay enhancements, or even new methods of interaction. Sony is busy filing patents for all sorts of devices, including a PS5 controller with voice commands, but a new filing might be shoring up Remote Play for PS5.
Remote Play has been a feature for some time in the PlayStation ecosystem, allowing players to access games on different devices through the Remote Play app. This includes streaming from a console to a mobile device on a Wi-Fi network to make PlayStation gaming more portable. It is also used to connect consoles, allowing players to stream from a PS5 to a PS4 for example, if those consoles are kept in different rooms of a house. It appears that for the PS5, Sony might be looking to enhance Remote Play to some degree.
Sony's Remote Play, while useful for some, isn't as robust as it could be, but a new patent filing appears to shore up Remote Play for PS5, while probing some possible upgrades to the system. As with any patent document there is a lot of technical jargon, but the problem "the Invention" looks to address is that gamers across the world want to interact with one another but need the tools to do so. The patent proposes, "A mechanism that allows even more people to become effectively connected to one another and that can also provide entertainment." This mechanism will also be applied to more than just games.
The patent documents are related to the functionality already established by Remote Play, so it would seem Sony intends to enhance this system for the PS5. While Sony already has Share Play, which allows another person to watch gameplay or even take control, this patent suggests Remote Play could be expanded to include more elements of Share Play, with the possibility of couch co-op in the future. This would be akin to Steam's Remote Play Together, which is working out its own bugs to make that experience better for PC gamers.
While Sony's game development is focusing on AAA franchises as the main draw for gamers, something like an enhanced Remote Play that connects folks and allows for new ways to play games in the digital age could be a real winner for Sony. The PS5 is still in its early days, so time will tell if these interesting patent ideas come to fruition.
Source: USPTO