Key Takeaways
- Sony’s new patent hints at a new feature that would allow players to connect their phone to a PlayStation controller or console using a wired connection.
- The phone would be used as a second screen that could give the player live in-game hints based on their performance.
- It’s unclear when or if this feature will be released.
According to a recently filed patent, Sony might be planning to let PlayStation gamers use their phones as a second screen. Sony is always looking into new ways to enhance players’ experience on PlayStation consoles, with past patent fillings mentioning new difficulty systems that adapt to a player’s in-game performance or the ability to replay certain sections after completing them in a primary run.
Many of these Sony patents pertain to PlayStation controllers, such as a supposed spherical option that could be used in VR titles like Horizon: Call of the Mountain or new technology that can change a controller’s temperature to better simulate in-game environments. Others suggest that Sony could be looking to add a button to let players rewind gameplay or bookmark a particular section to be replayed and software that would pin a game’s controls to the screen to help the player memorize them more easily. Now, the latest Sony patent suggests that PlayStation could be getting a feature that is quite familiar to Nintendo fans: a second screen.
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Earlier this month, Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. filed a patent for a new PlayStation feature that would allow players to connect their phone to a PlayStation controller or console using a wired connection, complete with illustrations of the concept in practice. The phone would be used as a second screen that gives the player live in-game hints based on how they are performing, with some of the examples used being information on an enemy’s weak spot or input commands for helpful actions like dodging and special attacks.
Sony Patent Hints at Phone Being Used as a Second Screen
Like with any other patent, there is no guarantee that Sony’s planned controller/phone connection will be utilized. That being said, it’s already possible to link a PlayStation 5 DualSense controller to an Android phone or iPhone to play titles streamed on the device through PS Remote Play. This serves as a cost-cutting substitute for the PlayStation Portal controller, which uses an LED screen to let players stream games from their PS5 library through Wi-Fi.
If Sony does implement its latest patent and allows players to use their phones as a second screen for PlayStation games, it could open the door for other gameplay features beyond offering hints during a particularly difficult section. Like Nintendo’s old DS handhelds or the long-discontinued Wii U, this secondary screen could be used for touchscreen-based controls that may give players a more immersive experience. Only time will tell if any of this comes to pass, especially with persistent rumors claiming that Sony is working on a brand-new PlayStation handheld system.
