Sony Interactive Entertainment’s new patent filing, titled “NFT Framework for Transferring and Using Digital Assets Between Games Platforms,” has created a buzz in the gaming industry. The patent aims to introduce NFTs to its games and consoles, creating a framework for NFTs to be used cross-generationally and cross-platform.
The filing suggests various use cases for NFTs, including NFT-locked gameplay, limited-use in-game tasks, and rewards for select players via NFTs. The document notes that current systems are technologically inadequate for players to use their assets across different games and platforms. However, NFTs could enhance a game’s functionality by enabling gamers to exclusively use the asset and transfer its rights to others.
The patent proposes a system that rewards select players via NFTs. For example, gamers who are the first to beat a particular level in a game can earn a special NFT that grants them in-game perks or unlocks exclusive in-game items. Additionally, the patent discusses allowing players to transfer their in-game progress to someone else via NFTs. New owners can then pick off where the previous owner last left the game with the same items, points, and level.
The entertainment company is also interested in introducing NFTs to cross-platform esports, rewarding winners with special NFTs or even “blockchain-based currency” for different tournament brackets. The patent enthuses using those NFTs to “buy in” to play the tournament’s next round or transfer it to another player who wishes to continue playing.
The use of blockchain technology is an exciting development for the gaming industry as it offers a decentralized and transparent platform for gamers to trade digital assets securely. Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize the gaming industry by providing players with the ability to own and trade unique, scarce, and valuable digital assets, which was previously impossible.
It is important to note that while the patent is exciting, it remains unclear how Sony plans to implement what it proposes in its filing. However, it is clear that the entertainment company has its sights set on adopting web3.
In a previous patent, Sony proposed to tokenize in-game digital assets, including cosmetics, gameplay moments, and stats. According to the last patent, Sony shared that it intends to utilize features inherent to NFTs without using blockchain networks’ authentication process. The entertainment company could again propose using a similar digital asset instead of those associated with crypto. However, the company has hinted at using “blockchain-based currency” in the new filing.
The introduction of NFTs to Sony’s games and consoles could propel adoption in the right direction and make its games more fun and incentivizing. This move by Sony could extend an olive branch to other platforms via NFTs, creating a solid framework for NFTs in the gaming industry. Despite being notorious for its siloed experiences, Sony’s proposal could encourage cross-platform compatibility in the gaming industry.
Overall, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s new patent filing is a significant development for the gaming industry. The introduction of NFTs to its games and consoles could revolutionize the way gamers trade digital assets, providing players with a decentralized and transparent platform to own and trade unique, scarce, and valuable digital assets. The industry eagerly awaits how Sony will implement its proposal and the implications it will have on the gaming industry.
