Sony's multiplayer services are pretty solid as they stand, but there is always room for improvement. With a new patent by Sony, it looks like the company plans to improve its matchmaking accuracy and online services overall.
The online system found on the PlayStation family of systems has come a long way since its inception on the PS2. A free service until the launch of the PS4, the multiplayer functionality became restricted to PS Plus subscribers. Like most services, PlayStation online goes down from time to time, but this patent does not seem to be targeting stability issues.
Sony recently released a patent titled "AI Modeling for Video Game Coaching and Matchmaking," for a technology that has been in development since 2019. As the title indicates, this technology essentially describes the methods for developing AIs that will both assist in player improvement and matchmaking services in general. Some of the implementations as stated by Sony include classifying user skill levels and subsequently connecting players of similar level to multiplayer sessions, and harnessing the data recorded from user gameplay to train AI behavior for real-time gameplay interactions. While this sounds similar to another recent Sony patent for improving player skills, this patent seems to prioritize the quality of its matchmaking over online latency.
The main components of the patent are its evaluation module and its recommendation logic. Figure 3 describes the evaluation module, where the machine learning AI is given scenarios and resulting actions as performed by player, and compiles them into an assessment of both the player's skill as well as potential maneuvers the AI can perform itself. For example, if a player begins taking damage from an enemy in a multiplayer game, whether the player decides to return the attack and are successful (or are defeated), chooses to flee, or any other action, the AI will record this behavior and assess its effectiveness. In the same way that another Sony patent pairs experienced players with struggling ones, then, a whole network of AI assessed players, according to Sony, will allow for players to receive guidance and match with other players according to their experience level.
This patent seems to be a solution to the age old problem of consistent skill based matchmaking. There is nothing worse than hopping into a game, and being obliterated by an opposing team who is clearly much more experienced than oneself. With this patent, not only will the accuracy of the matchmaking improve, but it will also potentially foster a system for helping players improve themselves, since the AIs will be learning from the player's actions, as indicated in Figure 4. Not all patents come to fruition though, like Sony's patent for a new gaming cartridge, so fingers crossed Sony actually brings this one to the other side.