Sony recently filed a new patent for a roulette system that could help PlayStation 5 players discover new content. Despite being hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic when it was released back in late 2020, the PS5 has become extremely profitable for Sony over the past few years, even managing to outpace the sales of its immediate predecessor the PlayStation 4. This success has been bolstered by a wealth of blockbuster PlayStation exclusives like Returnal, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, and God of War Ragnarok.
These well-received and highly successful titles are part of a vast library of video games that players can access through digital releases on PlayStation Network and the revamped PS Plus subscription service – which recently added Grid Legends, Chivalry 2, and Descenders to its ever-growing list of available titles. With all of these games to choose from, it can be difficult for players to discover new titles that they might be interested in, but Sony is reportedly looking into new ways to make finding a game that fans might enjoy a little easier.
A few days ago, Sony Interactive Entertainment filed a patent for a “roulette system” that would recommend PlayStation 5 games and other content to users based on their preferences. These preferences would be stored in profiles that track a user’s playing habits. Using the information stored in these profiles, the system would select a group of games matching the player’s preferences, with one title then being picked at random and recommended to the player.
This is far from the only new video game-related patent that Sony has filed over the past few months. Some of the potential new features teased for the PS5 through patent documents include revamped parental controls and ways to prevent younger players from accessing age-restricted content. Other patents mention virtual dojos for players to sharpen their gaming skills and even an “inventory couch” that could help users manage their inventories in titles like the aforementioned God of War Ragnarok.
Sony's latest patent for a "roulette system" could help players discover new video games by selecting a title at random from a list generated by the user's past preferences. There are many variables for this system to consider, such as what genres a PlayStation user enjoys the most and how often they played other titles, things that they themselves might not pick up on while searching for a new title to try. If Sony’s newest patent can utilize these factors in addition to its random elements, it could prove to be a useful tool for PlayStation 5 owners overwhelmed by the many games available online.