Key Takeaways
- Sony’s new patent hints at a rewind feature for PlayStation controllers, allowing players to bookmark and replay game sections.
- The patent proposes a unique “universal button” to open a menu for scrolling through gameplay bookmarks.
- While exciting, there’s no guarantee this new controller design will be available to the public.
A recently published patent from Sony has revealed a possible new rewind feature that could be implemented with a PlayStation controller. Multiple patents from Sony in recent months have focused on unique offerings for potential video game controller innovations, giving audiences an exciting peak behind the curtain of the Japanese company’s research and development efforts.
One of the biggest names in technology and gaming, Sony has focused on improving accessibility for users while exploring new innovations through numerous hardware and software patents. This latest patent from Sony is not the company’s first effort to introduce a game replay feature for PlayStation, but it does propose an intriguing first-of-its-kind hardware offering that could massively change the way video games are played.
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According to a patent published on October 31, Sony is working on a gameplay rewind button for PlayStation controllers, which would allow players to bookmark sections of video games. The patent describes a “universal button” on a controller that would open a menu that lets the user scroll through a series of gameplay screenshots and “bookmark” a moment from the game. This same button would then be used to select a bookmark and return players to that section of the game again. At first glance, the system seems similar to the Nintendo Switch Online rewind feature, though the Sony version would be built into the controller itself and would work with all games on the platform. While this in-development system may sound exciting, there is currently no guarantee that this new controller design with the universal button will ever be made available to the public.
Sony Rewind Controller Patent Details
The Sony rewind controller patent gives audiences an early look at the possible design and function of this potential video game accessory. Figures 4A and 4B of the patent show a simple schematic of a PlayStation controller with the added universal button, which would be located on the top-left of the central portion of the controller. Figures 3B and 3C show what the rewind menu would look like with bookmarked gameplay segments. Since these bookmarks could be activated in real time, players could quickly go back and replay sections to gather useful collectibles or unlock missed trophies. As is the case with other Sony controller technology patents, audiences will need to await an official announcement from the company itself before expecting to see these patent designs making their way to consumers.
Sony continues to file a variety of video game technology patents, ranging from controllers that prioritize haptic feedback to accessibility features for VR gaming. Interested fans will want to stay tuned for any updates on the potential rewind controller and any other patent filings from Sony and fellow gaming companies.
Sony
- Date Founded
- May 7, 1946
- Headquarters
- Minato City, Tokyo, Japan