Sony Patent Details How PlayStation Games Could Soon Feature Real-Time Adaptive Difficulty

Sony Group Corp SONY recently filed a patent proposing a dynamic system for PlayStation games that adjusts difficulty levels in real-time based on a player's skill level.

The patent, titled "adaptive difficulty calibration for skills-based activities in virtual environments," was filed on Dec. 7, 2023. Its emergence in future PlayStation games isn't guaranteed, but signifies Sony's exploration of potential features, Insider Gaming reported.

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This technology aims to analyze real-time player data to offer a more engaging gaming experience. It intends to either increase difficulty to maintain challenge or decrease it to prevent frustration for players.

The patent goes beyond generic difficulty settings, mentioning specific adjustments like enhancing player abilities or altering the number of in-game enemies.

"Parameters that relate to movement speed, delay or hesitation, character strengths, numbers of competitors, or other metrics may be changed incrementally until a current user performance level corresponds to an expectation level of a particular user currently playing the game," the patent says.

Though this technology appears advanced compared to current gaming standards, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in the gaming industry suggests it might not be as distant a possibility as it seems.

Additionally, Sony has a history of innovative patents, ranging from unique controller features like thermal feedback (controllers heating or cooling based on in-game environment) to practical functionalities like storing wireless earphones within the controller for charging purposes.

While not all patented ideas come to fruition, they showcase Sony's ongoing exploration of inventive gaming concepts.

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Image credits: mkfilm on Shutterstock.